tomodati ha kizimihon no situkan wo kurabete bakari iru.

は marks 友達 as the topic: as for my friend / my friend, ...

That means the sentence is talking about what the friend is doing, rather than introducing the friend as new information.

• 友達は = As for my friend, ...
• 友達が would sound more like It is my friend who... or would introduce the subject more directly.

So は feels very natural here if the friend is already part of the conversation.

It is a compound noun made from:

• 生地 = fabric, cloth material
• 見本 = sample, specimen

So 生地見本 means fabric sample or swatch/sample of fabric.

In Japanese, compound nouns like this are very common, and they often work like a single unit.

Here の connects two nouns and shows that the second noun belongs to, relates to, or describes the first.

So:

• 生地見本 = fabric sample
• 質感 = texture, feel, tactile quality
• 生地見本の質感 = the texture of the fabric samples

A natural English gloss is the texture(s) of the fabric samples.

を marks the direct object of the verb 比べる.

Here, the thing being compared is 質感:

• 質感を比べる = to compare textures

Even though in English we might say compare the fabric samples, Japanese can focus more specifically on the property being compared, in this case the texture.

So the sentence is not just about looking at the samples in general, but specifically about comparing how they feel or seem.

That is because this sentence uses the grammar pattern:

V-て + ばかりいる

So:

• dictionary form: 比べる
• て-form: 比べて
• pattern: 比べてばかりいる

This pattern means to do nothing but ..., to keep ...-ing, or to spend all one’s time ...-ing.

So 比べて is required here because it is part of that grammar structure.

〜てばかりいる means that someone is constantly doing one thing, often with the nuance that they are doing it too much or instead of doing other things.

So:

• 比べてばかりいる = keeps comparing, does nothing but compare

This expression often carries a slight feeling of criticism, annoyance, or at least observation that the action is repetitive or excessive.

In this sentence, it suggests the friend is endlessly comparing the textures and not moving on.

It is related, but not exactly the same as simple only.

In 〜てばかりいる, ばかり means something like:

• nothing but
• keep on
• always
• all the time

So this is stronger and more behavioral than just saying only.

Compare:

• 質感だけを比べる = compare only the texture
• 質感を比べてばかりいる = keep comparing textures all the time

The second one emphasizes repeated or excessive action.

In 〜てばかりいる, the いる is part of the set grammar pattern.

It shows a continuing state or repeated behavior:

• 読んでいる = is reading
• 読んでばかりいる = does nothing but read / is always reading

So いる helps express that this is an ongoing habit or continuing situation, not just a one-time comparison.

Japanese often omits information that is clear from context.

With 比べる, English often expects something like:

• compare A and B
• compare A with B

But in Japanese, if the things being compared are obvious, they do not have to be stated explicitly.

Here, because 生地見本 is already mentioned, the listener understands that the friend is comparing the textures among the fabric samples.

So nothing important is missing; it is just naturally omitted.

Yes. 友達 can be singular or plural depending on context.

It can mean:

• friend
• friends

In this sentence, many learners will first read it as my friend / the friend, but if the context supported it, it could also mean my friends are doing nothing but comparing the textures of the fabric samples.

Japanese nouns usually do not change form for singular vs. plural.

Yes.

• 質感 is a somewhat broader, slightly more descriptive word meaning texture, material feel, or surface quality
• 手触り focuses more literally on how something feels to the touch

So 質感 can sound a bit more objective, design-related, or material-focused, while 手触り is often more directly tactile.

For fabric samples, both could appear in the right context, but 質感 works well if the speaker is talking about the overall material quality or texture.

No. Japanese is normally written without spaces between words.

So the standard written form would be:

友達は生地見本の質感を比べてばかりいる。

The spaced version is often used only for learners, to make the structure easier to see.

It is not grammatically negative, but 〜てばかりいる often sounds a little critical, impatient, or at least evaluative.

Depending on context, it can suggest things like:

• the friend is wasting time
• the friend is overly focused on that one activity
• the friend should probably do something else too

So the sentence can feel like:

• My friend keeps doing nothing but comparing the textures of fabric samples.

That nuance is stronger than a neutral description like simply 比べている.