“〜te bakari iru”: Always Doing / Forever 〜-ing (criticism) [JLPT N3]

Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026

Criticizing or lamenting continually doing the same thing

「文句を言ってばかりいる」 — 「てばかりいる」, always only doing ~

「彼は文句を言ってばかりいて、何も行動しない」 (he's always only complaining and never takes action) — 「verb て-form ＋ ばかりいる」 means “always only doing something, forever ~ing,” usually with a critical or exasperated tone. The core is “obsessively doing only this, to the point others can't stand it.” This guide covers 「てばかりいる」's attachment, that “nagging” feel, and separates it from 「てばかりはいられない／ばかり」.

Core: obsessively “only doing this,” to the point it's hard to watch

The core of 「〜てばかりいる」 is “always, nothing but, and out of balance” — 「ばかり」 is “nothing but, only,” and adding 「ている」 makes it “being stuck only doing something,” with criticism:

• Criticizing someone: 遊んでばかりいて、勉強しない (always only playing, doesn't study).
• Self-reflection: 最近、寝てばかりいるなあ (lately I'm always just sleeping).

Feel: “always only … (and nothing else)” — with a “this won't do” criticism or lament.

How to Connect

Example sentences

• 文句を言ってばかりいて、何も行動しない。(Always only complaining, never taking action.) — criticism
• 彼は謝ってばかりいて、行動を変えようとしない。(He's always only apologizing but won't change his behavior.) — criticism
• スマホを見てばかりいて、話を聞いていない。(Always only looking at the phone, not listening.) — criticism
• 最近、残業してばかりで、疲れた。(Lately it's nothing but overtime — I'm worn out.) — lament
• 泣いてばかりいても、問題は解決しないよ。(Just crying all the time won't solve the problem.) — admonition

⚠️ Common mistakes to avoid

① Attach the ‘て-form,' not the dictionary/ます-form. ✗ 言うばかりいる／言いばかりいる → ✓ 言ってばかりいる (verb て-form ＋ ばかりいる). 「ばかりいる」 attaches to a verb's て-form (言って, 遊んで, 見て).

② The subject is usually a ‘person's' repeated action (critical). てばかりいる describes a person actively, repeatedly doing something, with criticism (遊んでばかりいる = always playing, 文句ばかり = always complaining). To describe an objective trend (prices rising ever higher), you can't use てばかりいる (use 「一方だ／〜ばかりだ」, e.g., 物価が上がる一方だ = prices keep rising). てばかりいる is limited to “a person's habitual behavior.”

③ 「てばかりいる」 (always only doing) vs 「てばかりはいられない」 (can't keep just …). てばかりいる = always only doing (criticizing the status quo) (遊んでばかりいる = always playing); てばかりはいられない = can't keep just … (should stop, should do something else) (遊んでばかりはいられない = can't keep just playing, need to get serious). The former criticizes “always like this,” the latter is a self-reminder that “can't go on like this, must change.”

🔄 Nuance & comparison: てばかりいる／てばかりはいられない／ばかり／一方だ

💡 Learning tip

「てばかりいる」 is vivid for everyday nagging, complaining, self-reflection, at its core “always only doing one thing (out of balance), to the point it's hard to watch,” with criticism/lament — 遊んでばかりいる (always playing), 文句を言ってばかりいる (always complaining), スマホを見てばかりいる (always on the phone). Three points: ① attach the て-form (言って ＋ ばかりいる, ✗ 言うばかり); ② the subject is a ‘person's' repeated action (an objective trend “ever more …” uses 一方だ, not てばかりいる); ③ separate it from 「てばかりはいられない (can't keep just …)」 — てばかりいる “criticizes always being like this,” てばかりはいられない is “must stop, can't go on like this.” Colloquially the 「いる」 is often dropped: 「〜てばかり／〜てばかりだ」. To gripe that someone “always only …,” てばかりいる is spot-on.

❓ FAQ

Q: How do I tell 「てばかりいる」 from 「一方だ」? (both feel like ‘keeps …ing')

By “a person's habitual behavior (critical)” vs “an objective trend of change (neutral).” 「てばかりいる」 = (someone) always only doing something (describing a ‘person's' active, repeated behavior, with a critical/exasperated tone): 弟は一日中ゲームをしてばかりいる (my brother is always only gaming all day — criticizing his habit), 彼は文句を言ってばかりいる (he's always only complaining). The subject is a “person,” saying they “always only do this,” with a negative judgment. 「一方だ」 = (some state/figure) keeps changing in one direction (an objective trend, mostly non-human, neutral statement): 物価は上がる一方だ (prices keep rising — an objective trend), 彼の病状は悪化する一方だ (his condition keeps worsening), 人口は減る一方だ (the population keeps declining). It describes “a trend continuing one-way,” without “criticizing someone,” the subject often being objective things like prices, conditions, population. So: “(someone) always only doing … (criticizing a habit)” → てばかりいる; “(a trend) keeps …ing (objective change)” → 一方だ. If Chinese “越来越…, 一直…” refers to an objective trend (prices ever higher), use 「一方だ」; only for someone always only doing something use 「てばかりいる」 — don't apply てばかりいる to an objective trend.

Q: How do I tell 「てばかりいる」 from 「てばかりはいられない」?

By “criticizing the status quo” vs “should stop, can't go on like this.” 「てばかりいる」 = always only doing something (stating/criticizing the status quo, ‘being stuck only doing …'): 休みの日は寝てばかりいる (on days off I'm always just sleeping — stating/self-deprecating), 彼は不平を言ってばかりいる (he's always grumbling — criticizing). It describes the “always like this” status quo. 「てばかりはいられない」 = can't keep just … (a turn/resolve that ‘should stop, should do something else'): いつまでも悲しんでばかりはいられない (I can't keep grieving like this forever, must pull myself together), 遊んでばかりはいられない、勉強しなきゃ (can't keep just playing, gotta study), 落ち込んでばかりはいられない (can't keep moping). It's a self-reminder/resolve that “can't go on like this, must change.” So: “always only doing (criticizing/stating the status quo)” → てばかりいる; “can't keep just … (should stop, must change)” → てばかりはいられない. One is “you/I am always like this,” the other “I can't go on like this” — one criticizes the status quo, the other resolves to change.

🖊️ Practice Questions (5)

Q1. 「スマホを見て___で、話を聞いていない。」(always looking at the phone)

(A) ばかりいる　(B) ところだ　(C) わけだ　(D) はずだ

Q2. What comes before 「てばかりいる」?

(A) verb te-form　(B) dictionary form　(C) nai-form　(D) ta-form

Q3. What is the nuance of 「遊んでばかりいる」?

(A) always doing nothing but play (with criticism)

(B) plays occasionally

(C) never plays

(D) it's time to play

Q4. What is the difference between 「てばかりいる」 and 「てばかりはいられない」?

(A) てばかりいる = always ~ (criticizing a state); てばかりはいられない = can't just keep ~ (must act)

(B) They are exactly the same

(C) てばかりいる = must act

(D) てばかりはいられない = always

Q5. Which usage is correct?

(A) 文句を言ってばかりいる。　(B) 文句を言うばかりいる。

(C) 文句を言いばかりいる。　(D) 文句を言ったばかりいる。

Answer Explanations

1. (A) ばかりいる ── Always looking at the phone (criticism).

2. (A) 動詞て形 ── te-form + ばかりいる.

3. (A) ── Always doing nothing but play (criticism).

4. (A) ── always ~ vs. can't just keep ~.

5. (A) ── te-form + ばかりいる (言って+).