At a glance
～ばかりに means "simply because of X". The speaker uses it when one cause, often a small one, led to a bad or regrettable result.
[Verb / い-adj plain form] ばかりに、[bad result]
[な-adj] な ばかりに、[bad result]
[Noun] である ばかりに、[bad result]
道を間違えたばかりに、約束の時間に遅れてしまった。 Simply because I took the wrong road, I was late for my appointment.
How to form it
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | Plain form (often the た-form) | 言ったばかりに / 知らないばかりに |
| い-adjective | Plain form | 背が低いばかりに |
| な-adjective | Stem + な (or である) | 下手なばかりに |
| Noun | Noun + である | 子供であるばかりに |
Register: mainly written Japanese and formal speech. It can sound a little stiff in casual conversation.