Small flash for nikon d5000?

Hi, looking at a nikon d5000, but the flash doesn't work. I don't ever really use the flash, but occasionaly i like to mess around with it,

Is there any smallflashes i can fit in the hot shoe of the nikon d5000 that will equal the same effect of the regular flash built in? I don't really fancy having one of those big battery powered things… Just a small flash light, if that is possible?

At the low end of the Nikon line is the SB400.It is pretty good, although you can get more versatility going for the SB700. Of course that is more cost and weight, which you are hoping to avoid. With a good hotshoe mounted flash you can use bounce flash. This will give your pictures a more natural look than direct frontal flash. Scattering the light by bouncing it off of ceiling or walls does make it less intense, which is why people go to more powerful units. Also more adjustablity is desirable. That is why they outgrow the little SB400.
Don't go shopping for cheap junk. You don't save money buying something you wind up throwing away.

I just bought a Sunpak 42 and its quite a deal. Head swivels and rotates and it had the best ISO number for the money. Look it up on ebay… I know adorama has it for around $120.00 USD

The Nikon SB400 would work. While I don't usually recommend it as it is not that much more powerful than the on-board camera flash (at least compared to the SB700), in your case, since that flash is kaput, then yea, go with the SB400.

And the SB400 is fairly small.

The Nikon SB400 is the most basic of the Nikon flashes. It will still require batteries though.