JLPT N3Mostly written

ばかりでなくnot only … but also

A ばかりでなく is "not only A", and B follows, usually with も. It means the same as だけでなく and is a little more formal, so you will read it more than you hear it.

この講こう座ざは文ぶん法ぽうばかりでなく、発はつ音おんも扱あつかいます。

This course covers not only grammar but also pronunciation.

After a noun

Noun + ばかりでなく

文ぶん法ぽうばかりでなく. Also ばかりではなく.

After a verb or an adjective

Plain form + ばかりでなく

軽かるいばかりでなく, 簡かん単たんにしたばかりでなく. A な-adjective keeps its な: 静しずかなばかりでなく.

Which ばかり?

What comes before ばかり, and after it, tells you which one you have.

Noun or て-form + ばかりN3

"Nothing but": too much of one thing, often a complaint.

肉にくばかり食たべる。遊あそんでばかりいる。

Eats nothing but meat. Does nothing but play.

Number + ばかりN3

"About".

一いち時じ間かんばかり待まった。

I waited about an hour.

Dictionary form + ばかりだN3

"Keeps getting", usually for the worse.

状じょう況きょうは悪わるくなるばかりだ。

Things just keep getting worse.

た-form + ばかりだN4

"Only just did". Also たばかりの, たばかりで, たばかりなのに.

さっき来きたばかりだ。

I only got here a moment ago.

た-form + ばかりにN3

"Just because", with a bad result and regret.

嘘うそをついたばかりに、信しん用ようを失うしなった。

Just because I told a lie, I lost people's trust.

ばかりでなくN3This page

"Not only": a second thing follows.

肉にくばかりでなく、魚さかなも食たべる。

Eats not only meat but fish too.

In use

It belongs in articles, explanations, presentations and speeches.

この素そ材ざいは軽かるいばかりでなく、熱ねつにも強つよい。

This material is not only light but also stands up well to heat.

この部屋へやは静しずかなばかりでなく、日ひ当あたりもいい。

This room is not only quiet but also gets plenty of sun.

新あたらしい制せい度どは手て続つづきを簡かん単たんにしたばかりでなく、申しん請せいにかかる時じ間かんも短たん縮しゅくした。

The new system not only made the procedure simpler but also cut the time an application takes.

したばかり isn't "has only just" here: でなく follows it.

Close neighbours

だけでなくN4

The usual choice. In conversation people mostly say だけじゃなくて.

田た中なかさんは英えい語ごだけじゃなくて、中ちゅう国ごく語ごも話はなせるんですよ。

Tanaka speaks Chinese too, you know, not just English.

ばかりかN2

"Not only A but even B": B goes further than anyone expected.

彼かれは約やく束そくを破やぶったばかりか、謝あやまろうともしなかった。

He not only broke his promise, he didn't even try to apologize.

はもちろんN3

"A, of course, and B too": A goes without saying.

田た中なかさんは英えい語ごはもちろん、中ちゅう国ごく語ごも話はなせます。

Tanaka can speak English, of course, and Chinese as well.

Check yourself

1What does this mean?

この店みせはケーキばかりでなく、パンも売うっている。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one fits?

この辞じ書しょは便べん利り（　　）、値ね段だんも安やすい。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

この案あんは費ひ用ようを抑おさえられるばかりでなく、準じゅん備び期き間かんも短みじかくできます。

This plan can not only keep costs down but also shorten the preparation period.

彼かの女じょは研けん究きゅう者しゃであるばかりでなく、優すぐれた教きょう育いく者しゃでもある。

She is not only a researcher but also an excellent educator.

この店みせは駅えきから近ちかいばかりでなく、夜よる遅おそくまで開あいている。

This shop is not only close to the station but also open until late at night.

調ちょう査さでは、利り用よう者しゃが増ふえたばかりでなく、一ひと人り当あたりの利り用よう時じ間かんも長ながくなった。

The survey found not only that there were more users, but also that each of them was using it for longer.

Compared with similar forms

Ways to say "not only"