One major difference between Chinese and western languages is that Chinese has different tones. It can be the most confusing part for foreign learners. We will share some tips with you about different tones in Chinese.
-1st tone: flat. It is expressed in a relatively high voice, with no rising or falling. Using the word "ma" as an example, the first tone is expressed in writing as "mā".
- 2nd tone: rising. It starts at a lower level and gets higher, like when you say "huh?" in English. The second tone is expressed in writing as "má".
- 3rd tone: falling-rising. It starts at a medium level, then dips lower before rising again, like when you say the letter "B" or the word "horse" in English. The third tone is expressed in writing as "mǎ".
- 4th tone: falling. It starts at a medium level and gets progressively lower, like when you are giving a command (such as telling someone to "stop") in English. The fourth tone is expressed in writing as "mà".
- 5th tone: Neutral tone. It does not rise or fall, like the first tone, but this tone is expressed in a flat voice. The fifth tone is expressed in writing as "ma".
Practice with the videos and try reading Chinese texts using Pinyin as much as possible. You will find yourself better at speaking Chinese!