〜ばかり

A versatile particle with three distinct uses depending on what it attaches to.

PATTERN 1 — "JUST DID" (た form + ばかり):
Indicates an action was very recently completed.

• 食(た)べたばかり: just ate
• 来(き)たばかり: just arrived
• 買(か)ったばかりの車(くるま): a car I just bought

PATTERN 2 — "ONLY / NOTHING BUT" (noun/verb + ばかり):
Expresses exclusivity, often with a negative or critical nuance.

• 文句(もんく)ばかり言(い)う: does nothing but complain
• ゲームばかりしている: does nothing but play games

PATTERN 3 — "ABOUT / APPROXIMATELY" (number + ばかり):
Indicates rough quantity. Somewhat literary.

• 三日(みっか)ばかり: about three days
• 十人(じゅうにん)ばかり: about ten people

CONTRAST WITH だけ:
Both can mean "only," but だけ simply states the limit, while ばかり adds the speaker's sense that it is one-sided or excessive. 野菜(やさい)だけ食(た)べる (eats only vegetables - a plain fact) vs. 野菜(やさい)ばかり食(た)べる (eats nothing but vegetables - the speaker finds it lopsided).

Casual variations

• ばっかり: colloquial
• ばっか: very casual, sometimes rude