GRAMMAR DETAIL
ばかりに
Indicates that a single cause led to an unexpected and undesirable result.
Examples
確認を怠ったばかりに、大切な資料を別の相手に送ってしまった。
Simply because I neglected to check, I ended up sending important materials to the wrong person.
Words used
急いで返事をしたばかりに、内容を間違えてしまった。
Because I rushed my reply, I ended up getting the content wrong.
Words used
一駅乗り過ごしたばかりに、約束の時間に遅れた。
All because I missed my stop by one station, I was late for the appointment.
Words used
Study notes
1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning
- Structure:
ばかりにsingles out a preceding event as the cause of an undesirable result and conveys regret or dissatisfaction about that outcome. - Basic usage:
一駅乗り過ごしたばかりに、約束の時間に遅れた。regrets how missing the stop by one station led to being late.
2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions
- A cause versus recent completion
返事をしたばかりに間違いが起きたemphasizes the reply as the cause of an undesirable result.返事をしたばかりだinstead locates the reply in the recent past, so read the endingにtogether with the following result.