Posted inN3 Grammar

Not Just That! Understanding the Japanese Grammar ばかりでなく (bakari de naku)

Posted inN3 Grammar
Japanese Grammar Template
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

“Not only… but also…” or “besides…”

🎯 Primary Function

To indicate that something is true not just for the first element mentioned, but also for a second element, adding more information or a further aspect.

📋 Grammar Structure

Verb (plain form) + ばかりでなく い-Adjective (plain form) + ばかりでなく な-Adjective (dropping な) + である + ばかりでなく / な-Adjective (stem) + な + ばかりでなく Noun + である + ばかりでなく / Noun + ばかりでなく

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Can be used in formal writing and speeches.

😊 Informal Situations

Commonly used in everyday conversations to provide additional information.

✍️ Written Language

Frequently appears in articles, essays, and formal reports.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Used in various spoken contexts, from casual conversations to presentations.

💡 Common Applications

Listing multiple positive qualities/features
Used to highlight that something or someone possesses more than one good characteristic.
Example: このスマホはデザインが良い**ばかりでなく**、機能も素晴らしいです。(Kono sumaho wa dezain ga yoi **bakari de naku**, kinou mo subarashii desu. – This smartphone is not only well-designed, but also has wonderful functions.)
Describing multiple effects/consequences
Used to explain that an action or situation has several outcomes or effects.
Example: 今回の失敗は、彼にとって大きな損失だった**ばかりでなく**、自信まで失わせた。(Konkai no shippai wa, kare ni totte ookina sonshitsu datta **bakari de naku**, jishin made ushinawaseta. – This failure was not only a big loss for him, but also made him lose confidence.)
Adding extra facts or details
Used simply to add another piece of information related to the first point.
Example: 東京は物価が高い**ばかりでなく**、人もとても多い。(Toukyou wa bukka ga takai **bakari de naku**, hito mo totemo ooi. – Tokyo is not only expensive, but also very crowded with people.)
📊
Frequency
Moderately frequent in N3 level Japanese.
🎚️
Difficulty
N3
Example Sentences
彼は日本語が話せる**ばかりでなく**、漢字もたくさん書けます。
He can not only speak Japanese, but also write many kanji.
この映画は面白い**ばかりでなく**、勉強にもなります。
This movie is not only interesting, but also educational.
彼女は親切な**ばかりでなく**、料理も上手です。
She is not only kind, but also good at cooking.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Connection form
Always connect ばかりでなく to the plain form of verbs and い-adjectives. For な-adjectives and nouns, use the plain form + である, or simply the stem + な (for な-adj) or noun + ばかりでなく are also common variations.
Example: V/いAdj: 読む**ばかりでなく**、書くことも大切だ。 なAdj: きれいな**ばかりでなく**、性格も良い。(きれいであるばかりでなく も可) Noun: 先生である**ばかりでなく**、相談相手でもある。(先生ばかりでなく も可)
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⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ Using ます-form or です/ます endings before ばかりでなく.
✅ Use the plain form of the verb or adjective.
ばかりでなく follows the plain form to create a natural flow when connecting clauses.
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🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Generally neutral to slightly formal depending on the context of the sentence. Can be used in polite contexts but the connection itself is based on the plain form.
Social Situations: Applicable in a wide range of social situations where you need to list multiple aspects or facts.
Regional Variations: No significant regional variations in usage.

🔍 Subtle Differences

ばかりでなく vs だけではなく / だけでなく
ばかりでなく and だけではなく/だけでなく are largely interchangeable and have the same meaning (“not only… but also…”). ばかりでなく is slightly more formal or literary in some contexts, though the difference is minimal in everyday use.
When to use: Use either; the choice often depends on personal preference or the specific nuance desired, if any. だけでなく is perhaps slightly more common in casual speech.
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📝 Conjugation Notes

Verb/い-Adjective: Plain form (辞書形, た形, ない形, なかった形) な-Adjective: Stem + な or Stem + である Noun: + である or simply + ばかりでなく

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Pronounced ばかりでなく (ba-ka-ri de na-ku). Ensure the “de” is pronounced clearly, connecting ばかり and なく.

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of ばかり (only/just) and でなく (not). So, “not just this, but also that”.

Practice Exercises
このレストランは美味しい（　　　）、サービスも良いです。
ばかりでなく
だけしか
だけ
だけなら
彼女は絵を描くのが得意な（　　　）、歌も歌えます。
だけで
ばかりでなく
だけならず
ばかりに
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