～ばかりだ (continuing change)
A situation keeps moving in one direction
You’ll be able to describe a change that continues steadily, often in an undesirable direction.
山を登るにつれて、外の気温は下がるばかりです。
yama o noboru ni tsurete, soto no kion wa sagaru bakari desu.
What do you think this sentence means?
As we ascend the mountain, the temperature outside just keeps on dropping.
Describe a change that keeps progressing relentlessly
Attach ばかりだ to a verb expressing change (like 下がる) to describe a change progressing steadily in one continuous direction ("keeps on doing...").
雪は強くなるばかりだ。
yuki wa tsuyoku naru bakari da.
The snow just keeps getting heavier.
片付けないから、部屋は汚くなるばかりだ。
katazukenai kara, heya wa kitanaku naru bakari da.
I don't tidy up, so my room just keeps getting messier.
Attach ばかりだ to a verb of change
Attach ばかりだ (or ばかりで) to the dictionary form of a verb that indicates change or trend.
祖父の病状は悪化するばかりで、とても心配だ。
sofu no byoujou wa akka suru bakari de, totemo shinpai da.
My grandfather's medical condition just keeps deteriorating, so I am very worried.
～てばかりいる vs ～ばかりだ
Both use ばかり. Te-form + ばかりいる says someone keeps doing one action. Dictionary form + ばかりだ says a change keeps going in one direction.
～てばかりいる, do nothing but
最近、弟は寝てばかりいる。
saikin, otouto wa nete bakari iru.
Lately my younger brother does nothing but sleep.
Te-form: a repeated action.
～ばかりだ, keep getting
最近、弟の成績は下がるばかりだ。
saikin, otouto no seiseki wa sagaru bakari da.
Lately my younger brother's grades just keep going down.
Dictionary form: a continuing change.
薬を飲んでいるのに、咳はひどくなるばかりだ。
kusuri o nonde iru noni, seki wa hidoku naru bakari da.
Even though I’m taking medicine, my cough just keeps getting worse.
近くに大きなスーパーができてから、駅前の商店街は客が減るばかりだ。
chikaku ni ookina suupaa ga dekite kara, ekimae no shoutengai wa kyaku ga heru bakari da.
Ever since a big supermarket opened nearby, the shopping street by the station has kept losing customers.
カードで買い物を続けていたら、支払いは増えるばかりで、困っている。
kaado de kaimono o tsuzukete itara, shiharai wa fueru bakari de, komatte iru.
I kept shopping with my card, and my payments just keep growing, so I’m in trouble.
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