ばかりだbakari da“continue to (go in negative direction)”

ばかりだ means continue to (go in negative direction). It is a JLPT N2 Japanese grammar pattern used to express that a negative situation or habit keeps going in an increasingly bad direction.

This grammar point often appears in essays, formal writing, conversations, and JLPT N2 reading passages. If you want to express that a negative situation or habit keeps going in an increasingly bad direction, ばかりだ is a useful pattern to learn because it adds natural precision to your Japanese.

What does ばかりだ mean?

Use ばかりだ when you want to express that a negative situation or habit keeps going in an increasingly bad direction.

Natural translations include:

• continue to (go in negative direction)

How to form ばかりだ

Verb (dictionary form) + ばかりだ

Examples of the pattern:

• 悪くなるばかりだ
• 増えるばかりだ
• 上がるばかりだ

When is ばかりだ used?

Use ばかりだ in situations like:

• describing a worsening or negative trend that keeps continuing

Tone and register:

• neutral to colloquial; often carries a critical tone
• Common in test questions, essays, daily conversation, and JLPT N2 reading

ばかりだ example sentences

• 物価は上がるばかりだ。 — Prices just keep going up.
• 彼の体調は悪くなるばかりだ。 — His health just keeps getting worse.
• 仕事は増えるばかりで、給料は変わらない。 — The workload just keeps growing, but my pay stays the same.
• 最近、ミスが増えるばかりだ。 — Lately my mistakes just keep increasing.
• 二人の関係は悪化するばかりだ。 — Their relationship just keeps getting worse.

After reading each sentence, ask what job ばかりだ is doing: a negative situation or habit keeps going in an increasingly bad direction.

Nuance of ばかりだ

The key nuance is a negative situation or habit keeps going in an increasingly bad direction.

For example:

• In context, it carries a specific, nuanced meaning that a simpler pattern would not convey.
• Compared with 一方だ, it carries a different weight and implication.

ばかりだ vs 一方だ

ばかりだ:

• a negative situation or habit keeps going in an increasingly bad direction

一方だ:

• continues to (one direction, can be neutral)

Quick contrast examples:

• 物価が上がるばかりだ。
• 物価が上がる一方だ。

Common mistakes with ばかりだ

Watch out for these mistakes:

• Using the て-form: 上がってばかりだ is a different pattern (～てばかりいる, “do nothing but”). For a worsening trend, use the dictionary form: 上がるばかりだ

A helpful practice method is to write one sentence with ばかりだ, then rewrite it with 一方だ.

Is ばかりだ on the JLPT?

Yes. ばかりだ is commonly taught as JLPT N2 grammar.

That means learners should be able to:

• recognize it in reading
• understand its nuance in context
• use it in simple original sentences

Practice questions for ばかりだ

• Use ばかりだ in a sentence about a personal experience or observation.
• Write a sentence where the nuance of ばかりだ is necessary.
• Compare ばかりだ with 一方だ in your own example.

Learning path for ばかりだ

To learn ばかりだ efficiently, start with its formation, then compare it with similar patterns, and finally practice in context.

1. First, make sure you can form ばかりだ without looking at the pattern chart.
2. Next, compare it with 一方だ.
3. Finally, write sentences where ばかりだ is necessary; then check whether replacing it with one of the related patterns below changes the meaning.

Related grammar to review next

• どころか — because it also emphasizes that reality is far worse than assumed
• かえって — because it also deals with unexpected negative outcomes
• どうせ — because it also conveys resignation about an ongoing situation

Learn ばかりだ with Hane

If you want to review ばかりだ together with the related patterns above, Hane helps you practice Japanese in short, focused sessions.

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