plain form + bakari vs. te form + bakari


How to translate plain form + ばかり? And what's the difference between plain
form + ばかり vs. te form + ばかり?

For example: 赤ちゃんが泣いてばかりいます。In my understanding this means "The baby is always
crying/does nothing but cry".

can I say 赤ちゃんが泣くばかりです。And if yes, how would it be different from the above?

Finally, is one form more common than the other or are both commonly used? I
mostly see grammar explanations for the te form version, but I also found
examples with the plain form (without also finding a clear explanation of the
difference).




I think the biggest difference between the two is that **「V辞書形+ばかり」** is used
when the verb has caused a state change and that change is continuing to
happen. As mentioned in the answer by Nicholas Couvrat, it's generally used
negatively. I.e. something bad is continuing to happen.

  * 増えるばかり ~~増えてばかり~~ : something increased and is _continuing_ to increase

  * 悪くなるばかり ~~悪くなってばかり~~ : something got worse and is _continuing_ to get worse

  * 加速するばかり ~~加速してばかり~~ : something accelerated and is _continuing_ to accelerate

Another to note is that **「V辞書形+ばかり」** can mean "V is the only thing one can
do/is left to do"

  * [死を **待つばかり**](https://thesaurus.weblio.jp/content/%E6%AD%BB%E3%82%92%E5%BE%85%E3%81%A4%E3%81%B0%E3%81%8B%E3%82%8A): (I) can only await death

  * From a [Japanese translation](https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E3%82%A2%E3%83%B3%E3%83%8D%E3%83%BB%E3%83%95%E3%83%A9%E3%83%B3%E3%82%AF%E3%81%AE%E7%94%9F%E6%B6%AF-%E3%82%AD%E3%83%A3%E3%83%AD%E3%83%AB%E3%83%BB%E3%82%A2%E3%83%B3-%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC/dp/4887241925) of [Roses from the Earth: Biography of Anne Frank](https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/com/0140276289) (you can find it by searching [Shonagon](http://www.kotonoha.gr.jp/shonagon/)): 

>     * 衛生状態は救いがたいまでに悪化、その劣悪さは目を **おおわしむるばかり** となった。 - Here the Japanese
> translation captures the lack of choices available. Note that おおわしむる is
> 覆わしむる which means the same as 覆わせる.
>     * Hygienic conditions reached their horrifying low when the corpses of
> thousands of victims were simply left lying in the compound.

Another thing to note is that it doesn't have to be negative in meaning (for
example よくなるばかり is very rare but is grammatical):

  * [今後の活躍を切に **願うばかりだ**](https://mayonez.jp/topic/5687): From the bottom of my heart, I pray for your (success in) future activities

* * *

**「て形+ばかり」** is used when something happens repetitively. It is also used
primarily negatively.

Examples [from here (which also has a nice
image)](http://www.edewakaru.com/archives/9620981.html):

  * 彼女は勉強し **てばかりいる** : she is always studying (and doing nothing else and thus is boring)
  * お父さんは休みの日は **寝てばかりいる** : my father is always sleeping on his off days (and doesn't do things like spend time with family etc)
  * ジュースを **飲んでばかりだ** : (he) only drinks juices (instead of drinking something better for him)

Lastly, ~てばかり+いる/います is possible with the same meaning, but V辞書形+ばかり+いる/います is
not.

