Skip to content
道Nihongo Path

JLPT N4 grammar comparison

〜ばかり "only / nothing but / just (did)" vs 〜も (emphasising quantity) "as many as / even"

By Nihongo PathUpdated

The difference

From the 〜も (emphasising quantity) "as many as / even" lesson

〜ばかり "only / nothing but / just (did)": ばかり says something is "nothing but" (肉ばかり食べる). も after a number is about quantity, not exclusivity.

Side by side

〜ばかり "only / nothing but / just (did)"

bakari · JLPT N4

Meaning
(1) N + ばかり: "nothing but"; (2) V-て + ばかりいる: "doing nothing but"; (3) V-た + ばかり: "just did" (#20).
Formation
Noun + ばかり: お菓子ばかり食べる, 若い人ばかりだV-て + ばかりいる: 寝てばかりいる, 遊んでばかりいるNoun + ばかり + で: 話ばかりで、何もしないCompare V-た + ばかり = just did (lesson 20)

  1. 弟はゲームばかりしている。

    おとうとは ゲームばかり している。

    My little brother does nothing but play games.

  2. 彼は文句を言ってばかりいる。

    かれは もんくを いってばかり いる。

    He is always complaining.

Full lesson on 〜ばかり "only / nothing but / just (did)"

〜も (emphasising quantity) "as many as / even"

mo (suuryou kyouchou) · JLPT N4

Meaning
After a number, も stresses that the amount is large; with negatives, that it is zero ("not even one").
Formation
Number + counter + も + affirmative: 三時間も待った (as long as three hours)一 + counter + も + negative: 一人も来なかった (not a single person came)何 + counter + も: 何回も (many times), 何年も (for years)も replaces を / が; with other particles it follows them: 十か国にも行った

  1. 昨日は十時間も寝た。

    きのうは じゅうじかんも ねた。

    I slept a whole ten hours yesterday.

  2. 財布には一円もない。

    さいふには いちえんも ない。

    I don't have a single yen in my wallet.

Full lesson on 〜も (emphasising quantity) "as many as / even"

Frequently asked questions

When do you use 〜も (emphasising quantity) "as many as / even" instead of 〜ばかり "only / nothing but / just (did)"?

ばかり says something is "nothing but" (肉ばかり食べる). も after a number is about quantity, not exclusivity.