JLPT N4 grammar
〜たところ vs 〜たばかり — Meaning & Examples
ところ = objectively seconds/minutes ago. ばかり = it feels recent to me, however long ago it actually was. 先月来たばかり works; 先月着いたところ does not.
〜たところ vs 〜たばかり
Both translate as "just did," and learners mix them up constantly. The difference is whose clock you are using.
〜たところ = objectively just now. Seconds or minutes ago.
今、家に帰ったところです。
= I just got home. (literally moments ago)
〜たばかり = it FEELS recent to me. The actual gap can be huge.
先月日本に来たばかりです。
= I only came to Japan last month.
日本語を勉強し始めたばかりです。
= I have only just started studying Japanese.
The test: could you say it about something six months ago?
❌ 六か月前に着いたところです。 (no — ところ means literally just now)
✅ 六か月前に引っ越してきたばかりです。 (yes — it still feels new to me)
So:
ところ = a fact about the clock ⏰
ばかり = a feeling about how fresh it is 🌱
(You met 〜たばかり in "Trying, Doing for Practice, and Just Did" — this is the pair it belongs with.)
Practice questions
Try these 2 questions on 〜たところ vs 〜たばかり. Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. To say "I am in the middle of doing my homework," you use?
- 宿題をするところです
- 宿題をしたばかりです
- 宿題をしたところです
- 宿題をしているところです
Show answer
Answer: 宿題をしているところです
〜ている + ところだ = in the middle of. 宿題をしているところです = I am doing homework right now.
2. Which is correct for "I only came to Japan last month"?
- 先月日本に来たところです
- 先月日本に来ているところです
- 先月日本に来るところです
- 先月日本に来たばかりです
Show answer
Answer: 先月日本に来たばかりです
ばかり = it FEELS recent, however long ago. ところ means literally moments ago, so it cannot take 先月.
Practise 〜たところ vs 〜たばかり in the free app
This point is part of the “⏱️ Timing — 〜ところだ・〜間に・〜うちに” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N4 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
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Related N4 grammar points
From the same lesson: ⏱️ Timing — 〜ところだ・〜間に・〜うちに
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜たところ vs 〜たばかり mean?
ところ = objectively seconds/minutes ago. ばかり = it feels recent to me, however long ago it actually was. 先月来たばかり works; 先月着いたところ does not.
Is 〜たところ vs 〜たばかり on the JLPT N4 test?
〜たところ vs 〜たばかり is taught in the JLPT N4 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “⏱️ Timing — 〜ところだ・〜間に・〜うちに”), 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 〜たところ vs 〜たばかり?
Open the “⏱️ Timing — 〜ところだ・〜間に・〜うちに” 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 N4 mock exams, with no ads.