Hilary Metcalf
using ばかり I am learning how to use the particle ばかり with verbs. According to all the texts, ーたばかり means have just done the verb; while ーてばかりいる means does nothing but the verb. All the examples of ばかり with verbs relate to the present - he is always doing.......he does nothing but..............I have found one sentence in Jisho Denshi (which may or may not be correct) relating to actions in the past ...赤ちゃんはただ泣くばかりでした。  This seems to contradict the advice in "A dictionary of basic Japanese grammar", that when you use ばかり after the plain non-past form of the verb, it means 'be ready to do', or, 'the only thing left to do is..". Of course the でしたhere puts the whole thing in the past... Anyway, my question is, how do you express the idea that someone did nothing but (verb), in the past? Is the baby crying example correct? Or perhaps, ばかり isn't used at all in that case? All help/advice appreciated.
Sep 3, 2015 1:39 AM
Answers · 4
2
Hi Hilary, The example sentence given by the denshi jisho is correct. It states that during that time period "the baby only cried" because the verb 泣く was given in the present tense.However to express it in the past だった is added at the end. The present tense of a verb plus ばかり with だ or です just means that "subject" only "verb". For example the baby version (tweaked), 赤ちゃんはただ泣くばかりだ。 The baby only cries I believe the "you're about to do verb" is only applicable to when you use ところ. ところ is quite similar to ばかり in regards to time except for this instance when it is used with a verb in the present tense. For "did nothing but verb" you can use ばかり Using the baby example With ばかり It would the て form of the verb plus ばかり plus いた 赤ちゃんはただ泣いてばかりいた The baby was only crying (and nothing else) I hope this helps. Feel free to ask about any clarification.
September 3, 2015
2
The example is correct, and also the explanation is correct. When ばかり connects to a past form, it means the subject just did the verb. On the other hand, when it connects to a ーて form or a simple form, it means the subject do nothing but the verb, which have a somewhat negative connotation. There are always exceptions, but most of cases can be applied to this. Then get back to the baby sentence. The meaning of it is that the baby was nothing but crying. If one wants to say the baby had just cried -- she was in the state right after crying --, then it will be… 赤ちゃんは泣いたばかりでした。Honestly, it seems a little unnatural, because we often use 直後 or other expressions instead in written Japanese. However, in colloquial Japanese, the use is fine. Anyway, I think you maybe misunderstood the conjugation of 泣く. 泣く is the simple form so that 泣くばかりでした is the almost same as 泣いてばかりでした. 私はごはんを食べたばかりです:I've just finished eating. 私はごはんを食べてばかりです:I do nothing but eating. 私はごはんを食べたばかりでした。: I had just finished eating.* 私はごはんを食べてばかりでした:I used to do nothing but eating. *As I mentioned, it is unnatural in written Japanese.
September 3, 2015
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