The Difference between ばかり and だけ
The two Japanese particles, ばかり and だけ can translate from Japanese to English as; only, just, nothing else and so on. They show up in the same and in difference situations. In situations where you can use either one though the difference between ばかり and だけ is as follows:
ばかり emphasizes a large amount of something. Often it has a negative nuance to it meaning. In that situation, the action or thing is beyond what the speaker would prefer.
https://japaneseuniverse.com/2024/02/18/pac-man-in-japaneseconcepts-behind-development-to-global-icon/
だけ on the other hand means, there is this, and nothing else. It does not suggest there is too much of anything.
INDEX
Example Sentences
最近、コーヒーだけ飲んでいる
Recently I am only drinking coffee, and nothing else
最近、コーヒーばかり飲んでいる
Recently I am only drinking coffee (and it is too much, or I want something else)
玉ねぎの料理だけ作っている
I am making only onion dishes, and nothing else
玉ねぎの料理ばかり作っている
I am making only onion dishes (it maybe should be making something else also)
ニンジンだけ食べた
I only ate carrots and nothing else
ニンジンばかり食べた
I only ate carrots (and maybe it was too much, maybe I should have eaten something else)
山本さんとだけ話している
I talked only with Mr./Mrs. Yamamoto, and no-one else
山本さんとばかり話している
I talked only with Mr./Mrs. Yamamoto (There were other people I could have talked with but I was not interested)
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