How to use い.

[photoshopedison5462]

Hi all,
I am confused about how to use い. I see in the website for the yellow bicyle, they write it in Japanese in 2 forms that are じてんしゃはきいろです。and じてんしゃはきいろいです。
Would you please tell me which one is correct? How to use い?

Thanks
Edison

[rodostajin1691]

あか without the い　is usually heard when you are telling someone the name of a color. Like if someone asks you what color is a cherry, then you would say あか。　　To use it in a sentence it would be: このさくらんぼは　あかです。

With the い　added to to あか、then it comes directly before the noun that your are talking about. Like this: この　あかいさくらんぼは　おいしいです。

I hope that helps a little bit. But again. I've lived in Japan for 20 years and usually you only hear the colors without the い when the color itself is said without being used in a sentence. Either way, the meaning is understood.

[kagawashaun]

きいろ without the い is the noun for the color. "Yellow is my favorite color."

きいろい with the い is the adjective of the color. "I like yellow cars."

The question you're asking with the example sentence you gave is whether the word is in the predicate position or not. Essentially it boils down to this:

"The bike is yellow." This would be without the い. See how it's used as a noun in this sentence?

"That is a yellow bike." This would be with the い. Notice how with the い it functions as an adjective, modifying the noun 'bike'.