Tone
Changes
Speaking Chinese - In everyday
spoken Chinese, tone changes depending on the adjacent tones and
meaning groups. When it happens, characters aren't pronounced the way
they suppose to, which is the Pinyin tone-marked way if they were to be
pronunounced individually.
Below are some
basic rules with tone changes. In the examples, the characters that
experience tone changes are highlighted.
Third Tone
Changes
When a third tone
is followed by another third tone and they are in the same meaning
group, the second one changes to the second tone.
For example, 你好 nǐ hǎo ( hello )
-> ní hǎo
When three third
tones follow one another and they are in the same meaning group, the
second one changes to the second tone while the other two remain the
third tone.
For example, 我很好 wǒ hěn hǎo ( I'm very
well ) -> wǒ hén hǎo
In some compound
words, the second third tone syllable becomes neutral and changes the
preceding third tone to the second tone.
For example, 小姐 xiǎo jiě ( Miss )
-> xiáo jiě
The third tone
remains unchanged if the second third tone changes belongs to the next meaning
group
For example, 他
告诉 我 你的 中文
很好 tá gào sù wǒ nǐ de zhōng
wén hěn hǎo ( he tells me your Chinese is very well )
The third tone
remains unchanged if the third tone is followed by a neutral tone and
then followed by a third tone.
For example, 他 给 了 我 一本书
tá gěi le wǒ yī běn shū ( he gives me a book )
不 Tone
Change
When the negative
word 不 bù ,
which by itself is the fourth tone, is followed by another fourth tone,
bù changes to the second tone bú.
For example, 我不去学校 wǒ bú qù xué xiào ( I don't go to school )
一 Tone
Changes
When the number
word 一 yī ( one ) is used by itself or
follows other syllables, it has the first tone.
But when it precedes first, second and third
tones, yī changes to the fourth tone yì.
For example, 一点 yī diǎn -> yì diǎn (
a little )
When yī precedes
the fourth tones, it changes to the second tone.
For example, 一个 yī gè -> yí gè ( a piece )
Don't
let these rules slow you down, you will be amazed to find how
much most Chinese understand even when your tones are largely wrong.
Don't give up just because you think you can't speak correctly.
Don't
try too hard with these rules, give yourself some time on practicing,
they will come to you naturally Tone changes!!!.
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