The Versatility of the Neutral Tone in Chinese
The neutral tone, also known as the fifth tone, is a key feature of the Chinese language. Unlike the four main tones, the neutral tone is light and unstressed, often…
Learn Pinyin: illustration of the Chinese Pinyin system
There are many tips and articles on the importance of learning Pinyin for mastering Chinese. Learning Pinyin is an essential stage that cannot be skipped. For a general overview of…
Chinese Pronunciation: The Complete Guide for Beginner
Chinese pronunciation is the basic part of mastering Mandarin Chinese. With this guide, you can learn Chinese pronunciation easier in a correct way.
Learn The Chinese Tones With Morse Code?
I want to share a teaching cue I’ve been using with my students recently that’s been great for learning how to actually produce the Chinese tones. When it comes to…
How to Get the Tones in Chinese Right, and then Fix Them in Your Head!
The first thing that most beginners learn in Chinese is the four tones – how the meaning of a sound changes depending on whether you say it in a flat pitch,…
How to Master Tones without Using Tone Marks
I’ve been learning Chinese for over 10 years and one thing I’ve seen countless students struggle with is the tones. Why is it that so many Chinese language students struggle…
Learning Experience Sharing: Remembering Chinese Tones
I am from Spain and recently I lived and worked in Shenyang for 7 months where I learned Chinese by myself, including talking with my Chinese friends and coworkers. One…
Recommended Chinese Songs for Perfecting Your Accent
Everyone has that one friend, the one with the terrible Mandarin accent. They speak in a flat monotone, with no emotion and no respect for timing. It’s as if they…
Tones Prefer Company! Part II – An exciting new audio-visual way to practice Mandarin tones
My last Digmandarin article “Tones Prefer Company!“ generated a lot of interest, prompting me to pen this follow-up. The idea that tones should not be studied in isolation, and the…