JLPT N2 grammar
〜ばかりに — Meaning & Examples
All because of just this — blames one specific, often small trigger, with strong personal regret. 一言言ったばかりに怒らせた.
〜ばかりに and せいで — Placing the Blame
〜ばかりに = "all because of / just because of." It pins a bad result on one specific, often small, trigger — and carries strong regret, frequently the speaker's own regret about their own action.
Formation: plain form (any tense) + ばかりに
一言余計なことを言ったばかりに、彼を怒らせてしまった。
= Just because I said one unnecessary thing, I ended up making him angry.
安物を買ったばかりに、すぐ壊れてしまった。
= All because I bought a cheap one, it broke right away.
新人であるばかりに、責任を押し付けられた。
= Just because I'm the new person, I got landed with the responsibility.
The ばかりに feel: "if only I hadn't..." — the cause is small or almost trivial, and the result feels disproportionately bad.
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〜せいで = "because of" (blame), reviewed from N3. Broader than ばかりに — the cause doesn't have to be small, and the regret is less personal/intense.
渋滞のせいで、遅刻した。
= Because of the traffic jam, I was late.
Quick contrast with its positive twin, おかげで (N4):
あなたのおかげで、成功した。 = Thanks to you, I succeeded. (positive)
あなたのせいで、失敗した。 = Because of you, I failed. (negative, blame)
Placement guide for the whole family:
Wasted effort, ironic bad ending → あげく
Long effort, outcome open (can be good) → 末に
Small trigger, personal regret → ばかりに
General blame, less personal → せいで
Positive credit → おかげで (review) 🎯
Practice questions
Try this question on 〜ばかりに. Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. 一言余計なことを言ったばかりに、彼を怒らせてしまった means?
- I said one thing and he was pleased
- He got angry before I spoke
- All because I said one unnecessary thing, I made him angry
- I never said anything to him
Show answer
Answer: All because I said one unnecessary thing, I made him angry
〜ばかりに blames one small, specific trigger for a disproportionately bad result, with strong personal regret.
Practise 〜ばかりに in the free app
This point is part of the “😤 Cause, Blame & Outcome — あげく・末に・ばかりに・せいで” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N2 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
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Related N2 grammar points
From the same lesson: 😤 Cause, Blame & Outcome — あげく・末に・ばかりに・せいで
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜ばかりに mean?
All because of just this — blames one specific, often small trigger, with strong personal regret. 一言言ったばかりに怒らせた.
Is 〜ばかりに on the JLPT N2 test?
〜ばかりに is taught in the JLPT N2 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “😤 Cause, Blame & Outcome — あげく・末に・ばかりに・せいで”), so it is a pattern learners at this level are expected to recognise. The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list, so treat this as a study guide rather than an official requirement.
How can I practise 〜ばかりに?
Open the “😤 Cause, Blame & Outcome — あげく・末に・ばかりに・せいで” lesson in the free A Star Japanese app for iPhone and Android. It has examples, a quiz after every lesson, flashcards with spaced repetition and timed JLPT N2 mock exams, with no ads.