Let’s be honest, Mandarin isn’t the easiest language to crack. From its grammar to the variety of the tone and pronunciation each character can bear, sometimes it overwhelms even the best of us. For those who just started their Mandarin learning journey, pronunciation is without a doubt the first obstacle they encounter. But fret not, in this article, we will introduce the easiest way to pronounce Mandarin words fast and accurately.

Pinyin—The ‘Alphabet’ in Mandarin

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Don’t get me wrong, there are no such things as Mandarin Alphabet, Pinyin is the closest alternative we can get, it consists of converted Roman letters.

Just as English Alphabets can provide clues and signal the pronunciation of the word, Pinyin essentially has the same function with a slight twist. By familiarising yourself with the ins and outs of Pinyin, you can minimise the chances of mispronunciation and improve your overall Mandarin fluency. So, what’s the trick? When it comes to Pinyin, always remember the “BE True” formula

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What is the “BE True” formula?

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The “BE” here represents the 2 basic categories of Pinyin. Like many languages, the consonants (Beginning) and the vowels (Ending) while “True” represents the Tone.

The 23 consonants (The B):

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b    bee                        n    nun                        q      tai chi                  z   zombie

p    pen                        l     link                        x     axis                       c   hats

m   money                   g    green                     zh    jam                      s   snake

f     free                       k    kind                       ch   watch                   y   young

d    duck                      h    hike                       sh    wash                    w   warn

t     tank                       j    jeep                        r    rude

 

The 24 vowels (The E):

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Single Vowel:

a    ha                     o    go                    e    her          

      

i     bee                     u    wood                 ü    bee + go          

 

Combined Vowel:

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ui    wood + bee                           er     early                               ang   slang

ao   loud                                        an    fan                                   eng   hung

ou   boat                                        en    end                                  ing    king

ai    eye                                           ie     bee + her                       un   wood + nun  

ei    hey                                       üe    bee + go  + her              ün    bee + go + nun       

iu    bee + wood                            in     pin                                  ong   song

 

The 4 Tones (The True):

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Unlike most other languages, Pinyin has special marks that indicating the tone of the speaker.

 

There are 4 tone marks:

 

1^st Tone, the flat tone,  marked by "-"

This indicates a flat, unchanging tone that lasts slightly longer than the other 3 tones.

2^nd Tone, marked by  "/"

The tone needs to be risen from a relatively low position to a higher position, imagine you are asking a question when you see this tone mark.

3^rd Tone, marked by "v"

This tone is from high to low and then to high again. The key to use it correctly is to keep the sound very low before it rises.

4^th Tone, marked by "\"

This tone is from a relatively high position to a low position, its duration is shorter than the other three tones and often indictaes a firmer tone.

 

Remember, when it comes to new vocabulary, always think of  the phrase “Be True”