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If [ばかり](http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/%7Ejwb/cgi-
bin/wwwjdic.cgi?1MUE%E3%81%B0%E3%81%8B%E3%82%8A) could mean **approximately;
about;** and could also mean **only; merely; nothing but;** , then how should
we know if this sentence **５０００円ばかりもっている。** means:

>   1. I have about 5000 yen.
>

or

>   2. I have only 5000 yen.
>
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question
grammar particle-ばかり
How do we tell if ばかり means "about" or "only"?
If the verb is past tense it means "just" happened. If the verb is -te iru it
means only.

There are about 3 or 4 other uses that arent used as much. bakarini nado...

> × ５０００円ばかりもっている。 doesnt sound right.
>
> ○ ５０００円だけ持ってる
>
> ○ ５０００円しか持ってない
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2011-06-28T03:31:05.230
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answer
1. ばかり after **an amount or a quantity** means 'approximately', 'about':

> ５０００円ばかりもっている。→ I have **about** 5,000 yen.
>
> 僕はここ３年ばかりあの人に会わない。→ I haven't seen him for about three years.

  2. The sense of 'only', 'just' works **after a verb** :

> 列車はたった今ついたばかりです。→ The train has just arrived here.

or a **noun/pronoun** (not indicating a quantity):

> あの人は勉強 ばかりしていて... → All he does is study

Note that ばかりに, ばかりか etc. also exist and work differently.

As @Scott just pointed out, in your example, you would use だけ or しか
(+negative) to mean "only".
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answer