Grammar › N3 · 05 Contrast, degree and extent

〜ばかりだ: keep getting (worse); only increasing

N3 · 05 Contrast, degree and extent

Says that a situation only goes in one direction.

Verb dictionary form + ばかりだ. Used for changes like 増える, 悪くなる, 下がる. Usually a bad direction. Not the same as 〜たばかり (just did), which uses the past form.

Examples

このところ、仕事しごとは増ふえるばかりだ。

Lately my workload does nothing but increase.

状況じょうきょうは悪わるくなるばかりで、解決かいけつの見通みとおしがない。

The situation just keeps getting worse, with no prospect of a solution.

Study 〜ばかりだ in the course →