Tones
The same syllable with a different pitch is a completely different word. This is the one rule that makes Mandarin different from everything else. Get this first — everything else depends on it.
The five tones
| Tone | Mark | How it sounds | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | ā | High and flat — hold it steady | mā (mah) · 妈 (mother) |
| 2nd | á | Rises — like saying "huh?" | má (mah↑) · 麻 (hemp) |
| 3rd | ǎ | Dips then rises — like "really?" | mǎ (mah↓↑) · 马 (horse) |
| 4th | à | Drops sharply — like "no!" | mà (mah↓) · 骂 (scold) |
| Neutral | a | Short and light — no pitch | ma (muh) · 吗 (question word) |
Think of each tone as a shape you draw in the air:
- 1st: flat line —
- 2nd: rising line /
- 3rd: valley ∨
- 4th: falling line \
- neutral: just a dot ·
The classic drill: one sound, five words
| Pinyin | Tone shape | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| mā (mah) · 妈 | flat — | mother |
| má (mah↑) · 麻 | rising / | hemp / numb |
| mǎ (mah↓↑) · 马 | valley ∨ | horse |
| mà (mah↓) · 骂 | falling \ | scold |
| ma (muh) · 吗 | neutral · | question word |
Same spelling. Same sound. Five different words depending entirely on pitch. Say all five out loud before moving on.
Now drill the two most important words
Apply all five tones to these two words until they feel natural:
wǒ (woh) · 我 — I / me (3rd tone — valley ∨)
Practice the other shapes on the same sound:
- wō (flat) · wó (rising) · wǒ (valley) · wò (falling) · wo (light)
nǐ (nee) · 你 — you (3rd tone — valley ∨)
Practice the other shapes on the same sound:
- nī (flat) · ní (rising) · nǐ (valley) · nì (falling) · ni (light)
Both wǒ and nǐ are 3rd tone. When you say them together — nǐ hǎo — both are 3rd tone back to back. In natural speech the first one rises slightly. Don't worry about why. Just say it: nee how.
One rule: exaggerate
When you are learning, exaggerate the tone. Flat means very flat. Rising means very rising. A dropped tone means a sharp drop. Native speakers will understand an exaggerated tone far better than a missing one. Losing the tone loses the word entirely.