JLPT N2 grammar

〜てばかりはいられないmeaning and usage

Meaning

Cannot always A

How to form it

  • verb (te-form)ばかりはいられない
  • verb (te-form)ばかりもいられない

How it is used

Says one cannot go on only doing A and must act, often to spur oneself on: 「泣いてばかりはいられない」. Compared with 「〜ていられない」, it stresses 'doing nothing but this'.

Examples

  1. 落ち込んでばかりはいられない、気持ちを切り替えなくちゃ！

    You can't always feel sad, you have to change moods!

  2. 試験まであと一週間だ。遊んでばかりはいられない。

    The exam is only a week away. I can't just keep having fun.

  3. 親に頼ってばかりもいられないので、アルバイトを始めた。

    I can't depend on my parents forever, so I started a part-time job.