Mandarin has four tones, here they are:
- 1st tone - it's a high flat tone.
/ 2nd tone - it's a low to high tone (it's like saying "huh?").
\/ 3rd tone - it's starts of high then goes low then comes back up.
\ 4th tone - it goes high to low very quickly (like saying "hey!")
- When you have a word with two 3rd tones (\/) the first 3rd tone is changed to a 2nd tone.
For example: ni3hao3 (hello) is said ni2hao3.
hen3 hao3 (very good) is said hen2 hao3.
This is done to make it easier to say.
- "bu4"
The word "bu4" (not) is pronounced with the 4th tone if the word that follows is a 1st, 2nd or 3rd tone. But, if the word that follows is a 4th tone bu4 changes from the 4th tone to the 2nd tone.
For example: bu4 shi4 (no) is said bu2 shi4.
bu4 dui4 (not correct; incorrect) is said bu2 dui4.
IF YOU REMEMBER THESE VERY IMPORTANT NOTES YOU WILL BE UNDERSTOOD BY A CHINESE PERSON.
REMEMBER - TONES ARE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF MANDARIN; NO TONES NO UNDERSTANDING.