〜たばかり

Verb た-form + ばかり means "just (recently) did…": 来たばかり (just arrived), 買ったばかり (just bought). The key point: this is the speaker's SUBJECTIVE feeling — the event "still feels recent" — so even after days or weeks it can still be used: 先月日本に来たばかりです (I just came to Japan last month).

This is exactly where it differs from 〜たところ: 〜たところ is used only at the very moment the action has just finished ("just now, right this moment"), while 〜たばかり can go with 先週, 先月, 去年… as long as the speaker feels it's still recent.

〜たばかり can precede a noun: 買ったばかりのカメラ (a camera I just bought), and often pairs with ので to explain a reason: 食べたばかりなので… (since I just ate…).

Examples

• 私(わたし)は先月(せんげつ)日本(にほん)に来(き)たばかりです。

  I just came to Japan last month.

• 買(か)ったばかりのカメラを無(な)くしてしまいました。

  I went and lost the camera I had just bought.

• 昼(ひる)ご飯(はん)を食(た)べたばかりなので、お腹(なか)がいっぱいです。

  I just ate lunch, so I'm full.

Related patterns

• 〜ところです
• 〜ので