ばかりでなく

ばかりでなく means not only… but also; as well as ~. It is a JLPT N3 grammar pattern used to add extra information or emphasize that something applies to more than one thing.

This grammar point often appears in neutral to formal. If you want to expand a statement to include additional qualities or facts, ばかりでなく is a useful pattern to learn.

What does ばかりでなく mean?

Use ばかりでなく when you want to add extra information or emphasize that something applies to more than one thing.

Natural translations include:

• not only… but also
• as well as ~

How to form ばかりでなく

[Verb plain / い-adjective / な-adjective + な / Noun] + ばかりでなく、〜も〜

Examples of the pattern:

• 安いばかりでなく
• 便利なばかりでなく
• 彼ばかりでなく

When is ばかりでなく used?

Use ばかりでなく in situations like:

• academic writing
• formal explanations
• emphasizing multiple qualities

Tone and register:

• neutral to formal
• Common in academic writing, test questions, and written narratives

ばかりでなく example sentences

• この製品は安いばかりでなく、品質もいい。 — This product is not only cheap, but also high quality.
• 彼は日本語ばかりでなく、英語も話せる。 — He speaks not only Japanese but also English.
• 便利なばかりでなく、デザインも美しい。 — It is not only convenient, but also beautifully designed.
• 彼女は頭がいいばかりでなく、優しい。 — She is not only smart, but also kind.
• 試験は難しいばかりでなく、時間も足りなかった。 — The test was not only difficult, but I also didn’t have enough time.

Nuance of ばかりでなく

The key nuance is adds emphasis by rejecting the idea that only one thing is true.

This matters because 〜ばかりでなく often pairs with も in the second half. It is more formal than 〜だけでなく, and slightly more emphatic..

For example:

• In academic writing, it sounds natural and specific.
• Compared with だけでなく, it carries a different weight and implication.

ばかりでなく vs だけでなく

Both ばかりでなく and だけでなく can express not only… but also, but they are different.

ばかりでなく:

• also means not only… but also; slightly more formal and emphatic in tone

だけでなく:

• also means not only… but also; slightly more casual and common in spoken Japanese

Quick contrast examples:

• 安いだけでなく、品質もいい。 — Not only cheap, but also high quality.
• 安いばかりでなく、品質もいい。 — Not only cheap, but also high quality.

Common mistakes with ばかりでなく

Watch out for these mistakes:

• Forgetting to add も in the second clause
• Using it with the wrong verb form (must be plain form before ばかりでなく)
• Using it in very casual spoken Japanese where 〜だけじゃなくて is more natural

Is ばかりでなく on the JLPT?

Yes. ばかりでなく is commonly taught as JLPT N3 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 ばかりでなく

Try making your own sentences with these prompts:

• Say a city is not only beautiful but also safe.
• Describe someone as not only hardworking but also creative.
• Explain that a book is not only interesting but also educational.

Learning path for ばかりでなく

To learn ばかりでなく efficiently, review simple listing with そして, then practice adding a second point in the same positive or negative direction.

1. First, make sure you can form ばかりでなく without looking at the pattern chart.
2. Next, compare it with 上に（うえに）, だけでなく. These patterns are close enough that choosing between them helps you understand the nuance.
3. Finally, write sentences that stack reasons, qualities, or examples; then check whether replacing ばかりでなく with はもちろん changes the meaning.

Related grammar to review next

• 上に（うえに） — because it also adds information in “not only / in addition” sentences.
• だけでなく — because it also adds information in “not only / in addition” sentences.
• はもちろん — because it also adds information in “not only / in addition” sentences.
• も～ば～も — because it also adds information in “not only / in addition” sentences.

Learn ばかりでなく with Hane

If you want to review ばかりでなく together with the related patterns above, Hane helps you connect grammar, kanji, and vocabulary in short, focused sessions.

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