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Ringil
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I think the biggest difference between the two is that 「V辞書形+ばかり」 is used when the verb has caused a state change and that change is continuing to happen. As mentioned in the answer by Nicholas Couvrat, it's generally used negatively. I.e. something bad is continuing to happen.

  • 増えるばかり 増えてばかり : something increased and is continuing to increase

  • 悪くなるばかり 悪くなってばかり: something got worse and is continuing to get worse

  • 加速するばかり 加速してばかり: something accelerated and is continuing to accelerate

Another to note is that 「V辞書形+ばかり」 can mean "V is the only thing one can do/is left to do"

  • 衛生状態は救いがたいまでに悪化、その劣悪さは目をおおわしむるばかりとなった。 - Here the Japanese translation captures the lack of choices available. Note that おおわしむる is 覆わしむる which means the same as 覆わせる.
  • Hygienic conditions reached their horrifying low when the corpses of thousands of victims were simply left lying in the compound.

Another thing to note is that it doesn't have to be negative in meaning (for example よくなるばかり is very rare but is grammatical):


「て形+ばかり」 is used when something happens repetitively. It is also used primarily negatively.

Examples from here (which also has a nice image):

  • 彼女は勉強してばかりいるてばかりいる: she is always studying (and doing nothing else and thus is boring)
  • お父さんは休みの日は寝てばかりいる寝てばかりいる: my father is always sleeping on his off days (and doesn't do things like spend time with family etc)
  • ジュースを飲んでばかりだ飲んでばかりだ: (he) only drinks juices (instead of drinking something better for him)

Lastly, ~てばかり+いる/います is possible with the same meaning, but V辞書形+ばかり+いる/います is not.

I think the biggest difference between the two is that 「V辞書形+ばかり」 is used when the verb has caused a state change and that change is continuing to happen. As mentioned in the answer by Nicholas Couvrat, it's generally used negatively. I.e. something bad is continuing to happen.

  • 増えるばかり 増えてばかり : something increased and is continuing to increase

  • 悪くなるばかり 悪くなってばかり: something got worse and is continuing to get worse

  • 加速するばかり 加速してばかり: something accelerated and is continuing to accelerate

Another to note is that 「V辞書形+ばかり」 can mean "V is the only thing one can do/is left to do"

  • 衛生状態は救いがたいまでに悪化、その劣悪さは目をおおわしむるばかりとなった。 - Here the Japanese translation captures the lack of choices available. Note that おおわしむる is 覆わしむる which means the same as 覆わせる.
  • Hygienic conditions reached their horrifying low when the corpses of thousands of victims were simply left lying in the compound.

Another thing to note is that it doesn't have to be negative in meaning (for example よくなるばかり is very rare but is grammatical):


「て形+ばかり」 is used when something happens repetitively. It is also used primarily negatively.

Examples from here (which also has a nice image):

  • 彼女は勉強してばかりいる: she is always studying (and doing nothing else and thus is boring)
  • お父さんは休みの日は寝てばかりいる: my father is always sleeping on his off days (and doesn't do things like spend time with family etc)
  • ジュースを飲んでばかりだ: (he) only drinks juices (instead of drinking something better for him)

Lastly, ~てばかり+いる/います is possible with the same meaning, but V辞書形+ばかり+いる/います is not.

I think the biggest difference between the two is that 「V辞書形+ばかり」 is used when the verb has caused a state change and that change is continuing to happen. As mentioned in the answer by Nicholas Couvrat, it's generally used negatively. I.e. something bad is continuing to happen.

  • 増えるばかり 増えてばかり : something increased and is continuing to increase

  • 悪くなるばかり 悪くなってばかり: something got worse and is continuing to get worse

  • 加速するばかり 加速してばかり: something accelerated and is continuing to accelerate

Another to note is that 「V辞書形+ばかり」 can mean "V is the only thing one can do/is left to do"

  • 衛生状態は救いがたいまでに悪化、その劣悪さは目をおおわしむるばかりとなった。 - Here the Japanese translation captures the lack of choices available. Note that おおわしむる is 覆わしむる which means the same as 覆わせる.
  • Hygienic conditions reached their horrifying low when the corpses of thousands of victims were simply left lying in the compound.

Another thing to note is that it doesn't have to be negative in meaning (for example よくなるばかり is very rare but is grammatical):


「て形+ばかり」 is used when something happens repetitively. It is also used primarily negatively.

Examples from here (which also has a nice image):

  • 彼女は勉強してばかりいる: she is always studying (and doing nothing else and thus is boring)
  • お父さんは休みの日は寝てばかりいる: my father is always sleeping on his off days (and doesn't do things like spend time with family etc)
  • ジュースを飲んでばかりだ: (he) only drinks juices (instead of drinking something better for him)

Lastly, ~てばかり+いる/います is possible with the same meaning, but V辞書形+ばかり+いる/います is not.

Source Link
Ringil
  • 8.5k
  • 2
  • 25
  • 53

I think the biggest difference between the two is that 「V辞書形+ばかり」 is used when the verb has caused a state change and that change is continuing to happen. As mentioned in the answer by Nicholas Couvrat, it's generally used negatively. I.e. something bad is continuing to happen.

  • 増えるばかり 増えてばかり : something increased and is continuing to increase

  • 悪くなるばかり 悪くなってばかり: something got worse and is continuing to get worse

  • 加速するばかり 加速してばかり: something accelerated and is continuing to accelerate

Another to note is that 「V辞書形+ばかり」 can mean "V is the only thing one can do/is left to do"

  • 衛生状態は救いがたいまでに悪化、その劣悪さは目をおおわしむるばかりとなった。 - Here the Japanese translation captures the lack of choices available. Note that おおわしむる is 覆わしむる which means the same as 覆わせる.
  • Hygienic conditions reached their horrifying low when the corpses of thousands of victims were simply left lying in the compound.

Another thing to note is that it doesn't have to be negative in meaning (for example よくなるばかり is very rare but is grammatical):


「て形+ばかり」 is used when something happens repetitively. It is also used primarily negatively.

Examples from here (which also has a nice image):

  • 彼女は勉強してばかりいる: she is always studying (and doing nothing else and thus is boring)
  • お父さんは休みの日は寝てばかりいる: my father is always sleeping on his off days (and doesn't do things like spend time with family etc)
  • ジュースを飲んでばかりだ: (he) only drinks juices (instead of drinking something better for him)

Lastly, ~てばかり+いる/います is possible with the same meaning, but V辞書形+ばかり+いる/います is not.