Skip to content

とばかり(に)・んばかりに: the difference

Meaning

As if

Past papers

Not yet

Example

ランナーが通とおり、ここぞとばかりに声援せいえんを送おくりました。

As the runners passed, the crowd seized the moment and cheered them on.

Meaning

As if, As if it were about to, About to

Past papers

Not yet

Example

小説しょうせつ:「割われんばかりの拍手はくしゅに部屋へやは満みたされた。」

Novel: 'The room filled with deafening applause, as if it would bring the house down.'

How to tell them apart

「とばかりに」: preceded by what someone seems to be saying; the subject is a person who 'speaks' through actions.

「んばかりに」: the ない form without 「ない」 plus 「ん」; it says something is at its limit and about to happen, as in 「割れんばかり」 (about to break) or 「泣かんばかり」 (about to cry). There are no quoted words.

All about とばかり(に) ›All about んばかりに ›