Say Chinese

Pinyin is the official romanization system for Standard Chinese. It's a way to write Chinese using the Latin alphabet, making it easier for English speakers to learn pronunciation. Each Chinese character has a corresponding Pinyin spelling that shows exactly how it should be pronounced.

Pinyin uses English letters but with specific pronunciation rules. Each syllable has three parts: an initial consonant, a final vowel sound, and a tone mark. For example, in 'mā' (meaning 'mother'), 'm' is the initial, 'a' is the final, and the line above 'a' indicates it's pronounced with the first tone.

Mandarin Chinese has four main tones plus a neutral tone. The first tone is high and level (mā), the second tone rises (má), the third tone falls then rises (mǎ), and the fourth tone falls sharply (mà). The neutral tone is shorter and lighter. These tones are essential as they can change the meaning of a word completely.

Start by listening to our audio pronunciations and repeating them. Focus on mastering individual sounds and tones before moving on to full sentences. Regular practice with our examples and conversations will help you develop proper pronunciation habits. Remember, it's better to practice a little bit every day than to do long sessions occasionally.