Tones: the four mistakes I kept making
Mandarin has four tones plus a neutral one. On paper that is simple. In my mouth it was not.
1. Every third tone in full
When two third tones meet, the first becomes a second tone: 你好 is said ní hǎo, not nǐ hǎo. Textbooks still write the original tones, which is why nobody notices until a teacher corrects you.
2. Ignoring the neutral tone
Words like 谢谢 xièxie and 名字 míngzi end lightly. Stressing the last syllable sounds foreign straight away.
3. 不 changes before a fourth tone
不 is fourth tone, but before another fourth tone it becomes second: bú shì, bú kèqi. Before other tones it stays bù: bù hǎo.
4. Buying and selling
买 mǎi is to buy, 卖 mài is to sell. Same syllable, opposite meaning. My favourite reminder that tones are not decoration.
pronunciation