As a 副助詞(ふくじょし) (adverbial particle),
ばかり usually has one of three basic meanings.
程度(ていど) - Highlights the ‘rough’ amount/degree of something (similar to くらい).
限定(げんてい) - Highlights the ‘limit’ of something (similar to
だけ).
完了(かんりょう) - Highlights the ‘end’, or ‘completion’ of something.
In this lesson, we will focus primarily on the 完了(かんりょう) meaning. When connecting
ばかり to the past form of a verb (using た), it will imply that a specific action has ‘just finished’, ‘just stopped’, or ‘just been completed’.
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駅(えき)に着(つ)いたばかりに友達(ともだち)から「やっぱり今日(きょう)は遊(あそ)べない」とメッセージが来(き)た。
Just as I got to the station, I got a message from my friend saying, ‘Actually, I can't hang out today’.
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一回(いっかい)遅(おく)れたばかりで先生(せんせい)に怒(おこ)られた。
I got scolded by my teacher for being late just once.
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さっき食(た)べたばかりだから、お腹(なか)はまだ空(す)いていない。
I just ate earlier, so I am still not hungry.
Despite having three different meanings, ばかり can be thought of as always highlighting how close one thing is to another.
程度(ていど) - Highlights (A)’s degree of closeness (to a stated amount).
限定(げんてい) - Highlights (A)’s degree of closeness (to a description).
完了(かんりょう) - Highlights (A)’s degree of closeness (to a point in time).