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Upgrade your speech Note 1: Break your 和 hé addiction Practice Goals: One of the most common words overused by beginner Chinese learners, especially native English speakers, is 和 (hé). This happens because the English word “and” is far more flexible than 和. While using 和 incorrectly might not always lead to major misunderstandings,…
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Fine-tune your tones Note 5: Fix your 4th tone Practice Goals: I’ve lost count of how many students I’ve seen try to pronounce the 4th tone by yelling as loudly—and as angrily—as possible, only to miss the falling pitch entirely. The “angry tone” analogy can be a useful starting point, but it doesn’t take…
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Fine-tune your tones Note 4: Fix your 3rd tone Practice Goals: “How do I even tell the 3rd tone apart from the 2nd and 4th?” “What do I do when I have a bunch of 3rd tones in a row?” “Why can’t I pronounce the 3rd tone correctly?” In today’s Practice Note, we’re going…
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Fine-tune your tones Note 3: Fix your 2nd tone Practice Goals: The 2nd tone is one of the hardest—if not the single most difficult—tones in Mandarin. Many learners struggle to hear it clearly and control their pitch when speaking. In today’s Practice Note, I’ll help you approach the 2nd tone from multiple angles. Together,…
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Fine-tune your tones Note 2: Fix your 1st tone Practice Goals: Is the 1st tone the easiest tone? Well, it does require the least muscle control compared to the other tones. But here’s the catch: it easily slips into other tones if you are not paying attention. In today’s practice note, I’ll help you…
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Fine-tune your tones Note 1: Self-Diagnosis for Your Tones Practice Goals: Let’s face it. When learning a new language, we all feel a little tone-deaf. I still feel like crying sometimes when working on my English or Japanese pronunciation. But what if you could turn your frustration into a learning milestone? With precise feedback…
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All about Ü Note 1: How to Pronounce ü Practice Goals: For those of you who are desperate to fix your ü once and for all, you’re in the right place. This is Part 1 of a three-part series designed to help you master this tricky sound. We will use videos, audio clips, and…