Practice JLPTHow to tell them apart
だらけ describes a surface or content physically covered or filled with something undesirable, like 間違いだらけ or 砂だらけ. ばかり limits what exists or happens to one type, quantity, or remaining task, as in 安いばかりだ or 書くばかりだ. Swapping them is wrong because だらけ cannot express that only one action or state remains, and ばかり does not convey being covered with a messy substance.
- だらけ Use だらけ when a thing or person is covered or filled with something undesirable.
- ばかり Use ばかり when something is the only kind, state, or remaining action present.
| Grammar point | Meaning | JLPT level |
|---|---|---|
| だらけ darake | Full of / covered with | N3 |
| ばかり bakari | Just/Only/Nothing but | N3 |
だらけ darake
Full of / covered with
Full of; filled with; covered with | A suffix that indicates that something/someone is covered or filled with something undesirable.
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この作文は間違いだらけです。
This composition is full of mistakes.
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この 貝は砂だらけで食べにくい。
This seashell contains a lot of sand, so eating is difficult.
ばかり bakari
Just/Only/Nothing but
Only; just; be ready to do something; have just done something; just did something; be just doing something; about | A particle which indicates that something is the only thing or state which exists, or the action someone will take, takes, is taking or took.
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このレストランは安いばかりだ・です。
The only merit of this restaurant is that the food is inexpensive./This restaurant is just cheap.
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このレポートはあと結論を書くばかりだ。
The only thing left to do with this report is to write a conclusion.
だらけ and ばかり are both JLPT N3 grammar points that Japanese learners often mix up. This page compares them side by side — meanings, usage and example sentences — so you can tell them apart.