JLPT N1Mostly written

るばかりだ・るばかりにしてある・るばかりになっているall that's left is to…

Everything is ready, and one step is left. ばかり here is "only": all that's left is to leave, to sign, to wait.

荷に造づくりも切きっ符ぷの確かく認にんも済すんだ。あとは家いえを出でるばかりだ。

The packing is done and the tickets are checked. All that's left is to leave the house.

料りょう理りは盛もり付つけも終おわり、客きゃくに出だすばかりにしてある。

The food is plated and ready to go out to the guests.

How to form it

Verb in the dictionary form + ばかりだ

Usually after あとは. The verb is the one step left, such as 出でる, 送おくる or 待まつ, not a change.

As a state

…ばかりになっている／ …ばかりにしてある

になっている: things have reached that point. にしてある: someone got them ready on purpose. Before a noun, …ばかりの状じょう態たい.

Before it: What is already done, often with 済すんだ, 終おわった or 整ととのった.
Often: あとは…を待まつばかりだ: all that's left is to wait for the result, the guests, the big day.
Where you'll meet it: News, novels, reports, careful speech. Out loud people mostly say あとは…だけだ.

In use

契けい約やく書しょは双そう方ほうが内ない容ようを確かく認にんし、あとは署しょ名めいするばかりだ。

Both sides have gone over the contract, and all that's left is to sign it.

照しょう明めいと音おん響きょうの確かく認にんも終おわった。あとは開かい演えんを待まつばかりだ。

The lighting and sound checks are done too. All that's left is to wait for the show to start.

機き体たいは点てん検けんと給きゅう油ゆを終おえ、離り陸りくするばかりになっている。

The aircraft has been inspected and fueled and is ready for take-off.

資し料りょうはすべて封ふう筒とうに入いれ、宛あて名なも確かく認にんし、発はっ送そうするばかりにしてある。

The documents are all in their envelopes with the addresses checked, ready to be sent.

What you'd say yourself

準じゅん備びはできた。あとは出しゅっ発ぱつするばかりだ。

Everything is ready. All that's left is to set off.

Written, or said with some care.

準じゅん備びはできた。あとは出しゅっ発ぱつするだけだ。

Everything's ready. We just have to set off.

What people say out loud.

When there is nothing else you can do

With no preparation behind it, and often after ただ, the same ばかりだ is "all I can do is…": pray (祈いのる), watch over someone (見み守まもる).

今いまはただ、全ぜん員いんの無ぶ事じを祈いのるばかりだ。

All I can do now is pray that everyone is safe.

Close neighbours

ばかりだ (keeps getting)N3

The same shape with a verb of change: it "just keeps getting", usually worse. Nothing is ready, and no step is left.

原げん材ざい料りょう費ひが上あがり続つづけ、製せい品ひん価か格かくも高たかくなるばかりだ。

Raw-material costs keep climbing, and product prices just keep going up.

たばかりだN4

After the た-form: "only just did".

今いま、空くう港こうに着ついたばかりです。

I have just arrived at the airport.

ばかりN3

The rest of the family, sorted by what comes before ばかり and after it: "nothing but", "about", "just because", "not only".

弟おとうとは最さい近きん、甘あまい物ものばかり食たべていて、母ははに注ちゅう意いされた。

My little brother has been eating nothing but sweets lately, and our mother had a word with him about it.

Check yourself

1What does this mean?

招しょう待たい状じょうは全ぜん部ぶ書かいた。あとは送おくるばかりだ。

Choose an answer to see why.

2In which one is everything ready, with one step left?

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

申もうし込こみ書しょは記き入にゅうし、必ひつ要よう書しょ類るいも添そえた。あとは窓まど口ぐちに提てい出しゅつするばかりだ。

The form is filled in and the documents are attached. All that's left is to hand it in at the counter.

新しんシステムはすべての試し験けんを終おえ、正せい式しきに稼か働どうするばかりになっている。

The new system has passed all its tests and is ready to go live.

舞ぶ台たい装そう置ちの点てん検けんは終おわり、幕まくを上あげるばかりの状じょう態たいだ。

The set has been checked, and everything is ready for the curtain to go up.