～たばかり
Just did, Something just happened
Structure
Explanation
The adverbial particle ばかり is generally used in one of three ways.
Degree: 程度 - Expresses an approximate amount or extent of something (similar to くらい).
Limit: 限定 - Expresses a limitation on something, meaning 'only' or 'nothing but' (similar to だけ).
Completion: 完了 - Expresses that something has just been finished or has recently happened.
In this grammar point, we will concentrate on its completion function. By attaching ばかり to the past tense (た-form) of a verb, you can express that an action has just recently been completed.
- この会社に入ったばかりですから、まだ仕事がよく分かりません。I just started at this company, so I don't really know my job well yet.
- 新しい靴がもう汚れてしまった。先週買ったばかりなのに…。My new shoes are already dirty. And I only just bought them last week...
- さっき起きたばかりだから、まだ眠いんです。I just woke up a little while ago, so I'm still sleepy.
Fun Fact
Even though it has three distinct functions, you can think of ばかり as always focusing on the proximity or nearness of something.
Degree: 程度 - Focuses on the nearness of (A) to a certain quantity.
Limit: 限定 - Focuses on the nearness of (A) to a single category, excluding others.
Completion: 完了 - Focuses on the nearness of (A) to the present moment in time.
Examples
昼ご飯を食べた許りです。
I just ate lunch.
映画が始まった許りの時に、誰かの電話が鳴った。
Just when the movie started, someone's phone rang.
あのレストランはオープンした許り。
That restaurant just opened.
このケーキを作った許りなのに、弟がもう食べちゃった。
Even though I just made this cake, my little brother already ate it.
彼は大学を卒業した許りでしょう。
He just graduated from university, right?
先週修理した許りのパソコンがまた壊れた。
The computer that I just repaired last week broke again.
もう眠いの？お昼寝した許りだろう！
You're sleepy already? You just took a nap, didn't you?!
会社に入った許りで、まだ何もわからない。
I just started at this company, so I still don't know anything.
掃除を終えた許りなのに子どもがジュースをこぼした。
I had just finished cleaning, but then my child spilled juice.
日本に着いた許りなので、まだ時差ボケです。
Because I just arrived in Japan, I'm still jet-lagged.
また新しいゲームを買ったの？先週も買った許りじゃない？
You bought a new game again? You just bought one last week, didn't you?
起きた許りなのに学校に遅れそうだ。
Even though I just woke up, it looks like I'm going to be late for school.