ばかり has a number of grammatical usages in Japanese, but one of the most common is with the simple past tense to express that an action has just taken place.

【Verb: Simple Past】ばかり

べたばかり
Just eaten.
映画えいがはじまったばかり
The film has just started.
仕事しごとからかえってきたばかりだから着替きがえてからごはんつくるね。
I’ve just returned home from work so I’ll make dinner after I’ve changed.
かれ運転免許うんてんめんきょったばかりなのに自分じぶんがシューマッハだとおもっているみたいだよ。
Despite having only just got his driving license he seems to think he’s Schumacher.

Note: We will meet the “seems like” grammar later.

戦争せんそうわったばかりころには毎日まいにち生活せいかつくるしかった。
When the war had just finished, everyday life was difficult.
先週せんしゅうったばかりなのにむかしからの友達ともだちのようなかんじがする。
To feel like old friends despite having only just met last week.

The structure is typically used in conversation rather than formal writing where very often a bridging っ will be inserted in the pronunciation to put emphasis on the か.

ばかり → ばっかり
テストがわったばっかりだよ。
The test finished just now.
You May Also Like

An Introduction to Conditionals in Japanese

There are five main ways to form the conditional in Japanese and each has its own nuance or…

The Volitional: ~よう

The volitional—or more simply the “let’s “and “shall” form—helps us create a number of different phrases. Group 1…

Because (から, ので)

We have already seen one way to express a reason or cause by using the te form. 電車でんしゃが遅おくれて、会社かいしゃに遅刻ちこくしました。…

Not Worth Trying

JPLT N3. Used in both conversation and writing. 【Verb: Stem】ようがない 【Verb: Stem】ようもない よう is volitional ending for group…