The tones
Mandarin has four tones and a light neutral tone. The same syllable with a different tone is a different word: mā, má, mǎ and mà mean four different things.
- First toneā
High and level, held steady.
妈 māmother - Second toneá
Rises from middle to high, like asking “what?”.
麻 máhemp; numb - Third toneǎ
Low; dips down, rising again at the end only when said alone.
马 mǎhorse - Fourth toneà
Falls sharply from high to low, short and firm.
骂 màto scold - Neutral tonea
Short and light, with no mark.
吗 maquestion particle
Where the tone mark goes
- On a or e when the syllable has one: hǎo, xiè.
- On the o of ou: kǒu.
- Otherwise on the last vowel: liù, duì.
Tone changes
- Two third tones in a row: the first is said as a second tone.你好nǐ hǎo → ní hǎo
- 不 bù becomes bú before a fourth tone.不是bú shì
- 一 yī becomes yí before a fourth tone…一个yí gè
- …and yì before the other tones.一天yì tiān