N4 Reporting Speech

~ばかり: meaning, usage and examples

~ばかり means: just finished, something just occurred.

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 日本にほんに来きたばかりで、まだ慣なれていません。

   I just came to Japan, so I'm not used to it yet.

2. 卒業そつぎょうしたばかりの学生がくせいです。

   I'm a student who just graduated.

3. この傘かさは先週せんしゅう買かったばかりです。

   I only bought this umbrella last week.

4. 山田やまださんは今いまの会社かいしゃに入はいったばかりです。

   Ms. Yamada has only just joined her company.

When to use it

たばかり says that something happened only a short time ago, from the speaker's point of view: この傘かさは先週せんしゅう買かったばかりです. The time can be minutes or months; what matters is that it feels recent. It often explains a situation or makes an excuse: 日本にほんに来きたばかりで、まだ慣なれていません (I have only just come to Japan, so I am not used to it yet).

Nuance

Neutral and conversational. It is subjective: the speaker feels it was recent. It often comes with a reason or a complaint, such as 買かったばかりなのに、壊こわれました (I only just bought it, but it broke). Before a noun it becomes ばかりの: 生うまれたばかりの赤あかちゃん.

Compare

たところ is the exact moment just after an action: 今いま、家いえに着ついたところです (I have just this moment arrived). たばかり can stretch further back: 先月せんげつ結婚けっこんしたばかりです. Noun + ばかり is a different use meaning "nothing but": 肉にくばかり食たべています.

Tip: If you can add 先週せんしゅう or 先月せんげつ, use たばかり, not たところ. たところ goes with 今いま or ちょうど.