JLPT N5 Vocabulary – The difference between “大きい” and “大きな”
Table of Contents
1. The difference between “大きい” and “大おおきな”
2. 大おおきい
3. 大おおきな
4. 3 Differences
5. Let’s Compare
6. Summary
7. Quiz
8. Similar Articles
9. Comments
Q: Are “大きい” and “大きな “the same？
A: Their meanings are very similar, but they are used differently grammatically.
Both “大きい” and “大きな” can be used before a noun.
However, “大きい” is an i-adjective and can be conjugated, while “大きな” can only be used before a noun.
Let’s take a closer look.
大きい (JLPT N5)
[Usage]
It is an i-adjective used to describe something that is large in size, degree, or extent.
It can be used both before a noun and at the end of a sentence.
[Rules]
・大きい Noun
・Nは大きいです
・Nは大きくないです
・Nは大きかったです
・Nは大きくなかったです
[Examples]
あの犬はとても大きいです。
That dog is very big.
昨日食べたステーキはとても大きかったです。
The steak I ate yesterday was very big.
このりんごはあまり大きくないです。
This apple is not very big.
たんじょう日に大きいケーキを食べました。
I ate a big cake on my birthday.
大きな (JLPT N5)
[Usage]
It is always used before a noun.
Like “大きい,” it can be used to describe the size of things, places, and so on.
[Rule]
大きな + Noun
*It does not conjugate
[Examples]
あそこに大きな犬がいます。
There is a big dog over there.
いつか大きな家に住みたいです。
I want to live in a big house someday.
わたしは大きな夢を持っています。
I have a big dream.
マリアさんは大きな声で笑いました。
Maria laughed in a loud voice.
3 Differences
There are three main differences.
① “大きい” conjugates
“大きい” is an i-adjective, so its form can change.
[Examples]
あの犬はとても大きいです。
That dog is very big.
あの犬は大きくないです。
That dog is not big.
昨日行った公園は大きかったです。
The park I went to yesterday was big.
昨日行った公園は大きくなかったです。
The park I went to yesterday was not big.
On the other hand, “大きな” does not conjugate in this way.
② “大きい” can be used at the end of a sentence
“大きい” can be used as a predicate.
[Example]
× あの犬は大きなです。
◯ あの犬は大きいです。（述語)
That dog is big.
Because “大きな” must always be used before a noun, it cannot be used at the end of a sentence.
③ Both can sometimes be used before a noun
When describing the size of things or places, both “大きい” and “大きな” can sometimes be used.
[Examples]
◯ 三重県に大きい神社があります。
◯ 三重県に大きな神社があります。
There is a big shrine in Mie Prefecture.
〇 大きい犬がいます。
〇 大きな犬がいます。
There is a big dog.
In cases like these, the basic meaning is almost the same.
[When do we use “大きな”?]
“大きな” is often used not only to describe actual size, but also to express a large degree, importance, impact, or scale.
It is especially common with words such as:
・大きな夢 — a big dream
・大きな問題 — a major problem
・大きな影響 — a major impact
・大きな変化 — a major change
・大きな違い — a big difference
・大きな被害 — serious damage
・大きなチャンス — a big opportunity
・大きな決断 — a major decision
[Examples]
彼女には大きな夢があります。
She has a big dream.
台風で大きな被害が出ました。
The typhoon caused serious damage.
この経験は、私の人生に大きな影響を与えました。
This experience had a major impact on my life.
これは会社にとって大きな問題です。
This is a major problem for the company.
Let’s Compare
Let’s take a closer look at some of the more subtle differences.
① 大きい家／大きな家
[Examples]
大きい家に住んでいます。
大きな家に住んでいます。
I live in a big house.
Both are natural and mean “a house that is large in size.”
When talking about something whose physical size can actually be seen, both “大きい” and “大きな” can often be used.
② 大きい夢／大きな夢
“大きい夢” can be understood, but in general,
大きな夢を持っています。
I have a big dream.
sounds more natural.
A “dream” does not have a physical size that can be measured.
Therefore, “大きな” is commonly used to express the idea that something is large in scale or significance.
③ 大きい問題／大きな問題
“大きい問題” is also used, but the expression
これは大きな問題です。
This is a big problem.
is very common.
In this case, “大きな” is closer in meaning to “important” or “serious.”
Summary
[大きい]
- It is an い adjective and it conjugates.
- It can be used before a noun.
- It can also be used at the end of a sentence.
- It can describe not only physical size, but also degree or extent.
[大きな]
- It is always used before a noun.
- It does not conjugate.
- It can be used with both concrete and abstract nouns.
- It is often used with nouns that express degree or importance, such as “dream,” “problem,” “impact,” “change,” and “damage.”
Quiz
Read the following sentence and choose the expression that fits the context from the options provided in the parentheses.
Click on the question to check the answer.
A. 大きい
そのバッグ、大きいね。
That bag is big.
*“大きな” can only be used before a noun.
A. 大きな
この物語は大きな感動を与えました。
This story was very moving.
*“大きな” is often used with nouns that express degree or importance, such as “感動” (emotion), “影響” (impact), “変化” (change), and “問題” (problem). Therefore, “大きな感動” sounds natural here.
A. どちらでもいい
公園に大きい木があります。
公園に大きな木があります。
There is a big tree in the park.
**With nouns like “木,” whose physical size can actually be seen, both “大きい” and “大きな” can be used.
A. 大きかった
昨日食べたケーキはとても大きかったです。
The cake I ate yesterday was very big.
*“大きい” is an i-adjective, so its past form is “大きかった.” “大きな” does not conjugate, so we do not say “大きだった.”
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とてもいい記事です！
ありがとうございます：）また見に来てくださいね！
This was such an insightful read! I really appreciate how clearly everything was explained.
Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m glad you found it helpful. More content is on the way, so stay tuned!
I finally understand how to use them properly. Great examples!
Happy to hear that! We’ll keep adding more examples in future posts too.
This was really helpful—thanks for the clear explanation!
Thank you! I’m glad you found it helpful 🙂
Great explanation!
Thank you! Glad it was helpful!
So many small differences… Japanese, why do you do this to me?😂😂
Totally get where you’re coming from 😂 But once you get used to it, those small differences start to make sense!
I always thought “大きな” was just a more formal way of saying “大きい,” but it turns out they’re used differently. Thanks for the clear explanation!
You’re very welcome! A lot of learners think the same, so we’re glad this article helped clarify the difference.
Very helpful post! Thanks!
Thank you! We believe mastering these subtle points really boosts confidence in real conversations:)
I wasn’t aware of these so this was eye-opening. Appreciate the examples!
We’re so glad to hear that! Thanks for reading!
Like your articles very much👍👍👍
Thank you so much! I’m really glad to hear that you enjoy the articles. More coming soon, so stay tuned!
I thought 大きな was a なadjective, but I see now that I was wrong. Thanks for the helpful explanation!
You’re very welcome! It’s a common point of confusion, so you’re definitely not alone. Glad the tips helped!
私はN2を合格しましたけれど、大きいと大きなの違いはよく知らなかったんですね。文の中でどう使うかよく理解できました。ありがとう先生！
すばらしいですね、N2合格おめでとうございます！これからも一緒にがんばりましょう！
いいのテクストです！
ありがとうございます！
Thanks for the useful info!
Thank you:)
おっきな＝大きなですか？
「おっきな」は「大きな」と同じ意味ですが、話し言葉で使う表現です。子どもや友だちとの会話では使えますが、仕事や作文では「大きな」を使うのがふつうです。場面に合わせて使い分けましょう。
Why does Japanese have so many exceptions…
I get how you feel! These exceptions can be tricky, but they also make the language rich and interesting!
Great job!
Thank you:)
Like it very much!
Thank you:)
「大きな」のように活用しない形容詞はほかにもありますか？
はい、あります。代表的なのは「小さな」です。
「大きな」と同じように名詞を修飾することはできますが、述語としては使えず、活用もしません。
例えば、
◯ 小さな町
✕ この町は小さなです
◯ この町は小さいです
このように「大きな」と「小さな」はペアとして覚えると分かりやすいですよ。
Like it!
Thank you:)
大きなガンダム！😆
正しい使い方です👍