GRAMMAR
〜んばかりだ・〜んばかりに・〜んばかりの
as if to
about to, to the point of
Explanation
NOTE
〜んばかり means as if to — an action almost happens; it looks ready to occur but does not quite.
彼女は泣かんばかりの顔をしていた。
She had a face that looked as if she were about to cry.
NOTE
It is formal and literary. It has three forms: んばかりだ ends a sentence, んばかりに modifies a verb, and んばかりの modifies a noun.
NOTE
All three forms attach to the verb ない-stem. For する, the special form せんばかり is used.
彼は怒らんばかりに叫んだ。
He shouted as if he were about to explode with anger.
怒る becomes 怒ら, the ない-stem, before んばかりに.
NOTE
Use んばかりだ at the end of a sentence to describe a state that nearly reaches its peak.
STRUCTURE
Vない
んばかりだ会場は人であふれんばかりだ。
Kaijou wa hito de afurenbakari da.
The venue is about to overflow with people.
彼の声は泣かんばかりだった。
Kare no koe wa nakanbakari datta.
His voice sounded as if he were about to cry.
木の枝は果物で折れんばかりだ。
Ki no eda wa kudamono de orenbakari da.
The branch looks about to break under the fruit.
彼は今にも泣かんばかりだ。
Kare wa ima ni mo naka nbakari da.
He looks as if he is about to cry at any moment.
彼女は怒り出さんばかりの表情でこちらを見ている。
Kanojo wa okoridasa nbakari no hyoujou de kochira o mite iru.
She is looking at me with a facial expression as if she were about to explode in anger.
客は帰らんばかりに時計を見ている。
Kyaku wa kaera nbakari ni tokei o mite iru.
The customer is looking at the clock as if to say they are about to leave.
NOTE
Use んばかりに in the middle of a sentence to modify a following verb, like an adverb.
STRUCTURE
Vない
んばかりに彼女は飛び上がらんばかりに喜んだ。
Kanojo wa tobiagaranbakari ni yorokonda.
She rejoiced as if she were about to jump up.
母は泣かんばかりに頼んだ。
Haha wa nakanbakari ni tanonda.
My mother begged as if she were about to cry.
彼は怒鳴らんばかりに言い返した。
Kare wa donaranbakari ni iikaeshita.
He talked back as if he were about to yell.
彼は怒り出かんばかりに叫んだ。
Kare wa okoridashikanbakari ni sakenda.
He shouted as if he were about to explode in anger.
観客は割れかんばかりの拍手を送った。
Kankyaku wa warekanbakari no hakushu o okutta.
The audience gave a round of applause as if to split the air.
彼女は泣き出かんばかりに困った顔をしていた。
Kanojo wa nakidashikanbakari ni komatta kao o shite ita.
She had a troubled look on her face as if she were about to cry.
NOTE
Use んばかりの before a noun to describe that noun as looking ready to do the action.
STRUCTURE
Vない
んばかりの会場は割れんばかりの拍手に包まれた。
Kaijou wa warenbakari no hakushu ni tsutsumareta.
The hall was filled with applause loud enough to split it.
彼は泣かんばかりの声で謝った。
Kare wa nakanbakari no koe de ayamatta.
He apologized in a voice as if about to cry.
彼女は輝かんばかりの笑顔を見せた。
Kanojo wa kagayakanbakari no egao o miseta.
She showed a smile as if about to shine.
観客は割わんばかりの拍手を送った。
Kankyaku wa wawan bakari no hakushu o okutta.
The audience gave applause so loud it was as if they would break the room apart.
その子は泣かんばかりの顔で私を見つめた。
Sono ko wa nakan bakari no kao de watashi o mitsumeta.
The child looked at me with a face that seemed as if they were about to cry.
彼は言わんばかりの勢いで怒り出した。
Kare wa iwan bakari no ikioi de okoridashita.
He started getting angry with such intensity, it was as if he were about to speak (shout) his mind.
Practice exercises
1
会場は人であふれんばかりだ。
The venue is about to overflow with people.
Answer
あふれんばかりだ
2
彼の声は泣かんばかりだった。
His voice sounded as if he were about to cry.
Answer
んばかりだ
3
木の枝は果物で折れんばかりだ。
The branch looks about to break under the fruit.
Answer
折れんばかりだ
4
彼女は飛び上がらんばかりに喜んだ。
She rejoiced as if she were about to jump up.
Answer
んばかりに
5
母は泣かんばかりに頼んだ。
My mother begged as if she were about to cry.
Answer
んばかりに
6
彼は怒鳴らんばかりに言い返した。
He talked back as if he were about to yell.
Answer
んばかりに
7
会場は割れんばかりの拍手に包まれた。
The hall was filled with applause loud enough to split it.
Answer
んばかりの
8
彼は泣かんばかりの声で謝った。
He apologized in a voice as if about to cry.
Answer
んばかりの
9
彼女は輝かんばかりの笑顔を見せた。
She showed a smile as if about to shine.
Answer
んばかりの
10
彼女の怒った顔は、今にも爆発せんばかりだといったらない。
Her angry face looked indescribably as if it would explode any moment.
Answer
んばかりだ
11
彼は倒れんばかりの疲労で、疲労の極みだった。
He was in a state of exhaustion that looked as if he would collapse, truly the height of fatigue.
Answer
んばかりの
12
家が吹き飛ばさんばかりの強風に、想像するだに恐ろしかった。
It was a strong wind that seemed as if it would blow the house away, and just imagining it was terrifying.
Answer
んばかりの
13
彼の話は相手を圧倒せんばかりに続いた。
His talk continued as if to overwhelm his listener.
Answer
んばかりに
14
聴衆は舞台に押し寄せんばかりの勢いで熱狂した。
The audience was enthusiastic with an intensity as if it would surge onto the stage.
Answer
んばかりの