How to express "just" or "only" (that's all) with verbs?


If I say in English "He's only playing" this can mean two things. It can mean
something like he's just playing (and he keeps on doing so and it's bothering
me because he should be working or something), or it can mean he's only
playing (and that's all - what he is doing is harmless so don't be angry at
him). The nuance is dependent on the tone.

Now, if I say in Japanese 彼は遊んでばかりいる, does this imply that I am angry at him
for only playing? Or is the nuance that I am trivialising the fact that he is
only playing and expressing it's harmlessness?




彼は遊んでばかりいる implies that you are angry at him for only playing, and not doing
something else, because of the word ばかり. However, if you say 彼はただ遊んでいるだけ, it
can mean either way depending on the context.

