Hear and practise the four tones
IntroducedThe same syllable can mean something different
- Mandarin tone is part of a syllable’s pronunciation. mā and mǎ are not interchangeable.
- First learn the pitch shapes. Then practise them inside useful words and phrases.
Four citation-tone shapes
- First mā: high and level. Second má: rising. Say them gently; tone is pitch movement, not shouting.
- Third mǎ: low, often with a dip and rise when said alone. Fourth mà: falling.
Practice
Which pinyin form has a rising second tone?
The acute mark in má shows second tone.
Practice
Which has fourth tone?
The grave mark shows the falling fourth tone.
Practice
Match the citation-tone shapes.
These describe citation tones; connected speech needs listening too.
Use short, clear examples
- The four characters here mean mother, hemp, horse, and scold. They demonstrate a sound contrast; you do not need to memorise all four meanings today.
- Play horse马, pause, then repeat it. Compare its low tone with the falling variant of 骂骂.
Example
mā / má / mǎ / mà show the same letters with four different tone marks.
Practice
What tone number does mǎ show?
The caron mark indicates third tone.
Tones change in connected speech
- A third tone is often low without a full final rise when another syllable follows. Two third tones together change too; a later lesson uses hello你好.
- Do not force a large dip-and-rise onto every third-tone syllable in a sentence. Listen to the whole phrase.
Watch out
A question does not turn every syllable into a rising second tone. Keep word tones recognisable while following the sentence’s natural intonation.
Practice
Every third tone in a sentence must have a full dip and rise.
Third tone often stays low in connected speech.
Compare your own sound
- Record yourself saying mā, má, mǎ, mà, then compare with the examples. Repeat only the contrast you find hardest.
- Next: light syllables and tone changes.
Key idea
First is level; second rises; third is low; fourth falls. Connected speech can change the surface shape.