い/な adjectives

[Kirtar]

Hello, I just have a quick question.

I decided to give Rosetta Stone a shot, despite it being mostly frowned upon.

I am in a section that has examples such as this:

小さな馬
小さなテント

I know that 小さい is an い adjective, but why is there a な in there?

Shouldn't it be?:

小さい馬
小さいテント

Not sure if I missed a rule or something with adjective, but I just wanted to be sure I understand it completley.

Thanks for the help!

Kirtar

[Dustin]

I have actually seen it used both ways in the past, it can be a little confusing.

Usually it's an i adjective but on occasion you can come across both chiisai and ookii with this problem.

Here is a quote from a yahoo answers on a google search for an example

"Ookina and Chiisana come from the old word, Ookinari and Chisanari that were not adjectives but "adjective verbs".
These two forms of that words remain isolated, and work as a noun modifier.
Meanwhile "ookii", and "chiisai" are pure adjectives, and have conjugation.
There are some idiomatic phrases.
大きなお世話だ（This has nothing to do with you.)
大きな顔 (Big face)
大きな口をきく( speak with big mouse)"

Hope that helps ^_^

[spin13]

I know that 小さい is an い adjective, but why is there a な in there?

Please refer to this thread: 大きな　ＯＲ　大きい

大きな口をきく( speak with big mouse)

[Dustin]

I know that 小さい is an い adjective, but why is there a な in there?

Please refer to this thread: 大きな　ＯＲ　大きい

大きな口をきく( speak with big mouse)

Thank you for that useful and informative post

[kkmom]

小さい＝adjective verb
　ex) あの馬は小さい。（○）That horse is small.
　　　　小さい馬がいる。（○）There is a small horse.
you can finish the sentence.

小さな＝adjeteive
ex) あの馬は小さな。（Ｘ）That horse is small.（×）
　　　小さな馬がいる。　（○）There is a small horse.（○）

You can not finish the sentence with full stop, require following noun.

※My English is not good,sorry.