Master Basic Mandarin: Your Journey Begins with Engaging Videos

Learn Mandarin Basics

Episode 1: Introduction to Mandarin

Introduction:

• "Welcome to 'Mandarin Made Easy'! I'm Tim Hoffman, and today we're diving into the basics of Mandarin Chinese."
  

Understanding Tones:

• "Mandarin is a tonal language, which means the meaning of a word can change based on its tone.
  
  The reason for bringing up this information right at the beginning is that very special attention must be
  paid to the tones in Mandarin.
  
  Why is that? A basic example can help you see that paying attention to tones is imperative such as:
  

  1. Panda Bear (熊猫)

  • 熊猫 (xióng māo)

    • 熊 (xióng): Bear

    • 猫 (māo): Cat

  "Panda" is a combination of the words for "bear" and "cat" because the panda is a type of bear, but it has some cat-like features.
  

  2. Chest Hair (胸毛)

  • 胸毛 (xiōng máo)

    • 胸 (xiōng): Chest

    • 毛 (máo): Hair (often used to refer to body hair, fur, or hair on the head)

  Notice that the pinyin, which is explained below, is identical for both words but the tones are different. Your meaning will not be understood if the wrong tones are used.
  
  Also, there are many similar examples in Mandarin - so please give the most attention to the correct pronunciation of tones.

  
  Here are the 4 tones you will find in Mandarin, the character, and the English explanation. Notice that the pinyin is (again) identical:

  
  There are four main tones in Mandarin.

  • First Tone (High Level): 妈 (mā) - "mother"

  • Second Tone (Rising): 麻 (má) - "hemp"

  • Third Tone (Falling-Rising): 马 (mǎ) - "horse"

  • Fourth Tone (Falling): 骂 (mà) - "scold"
    

Introduction to Pinyin:

• Pinyin is the Romanization of Chinese characters based on their pronunciation. It's a helpful tool for learning how to pronounce Mandarin words.
  

  • Example: The characters for "hello" are 你好 (nǐ hǎo). The Pinyin helps us pronounce it correctly.
    

Pronunciation Exercise:

• Let's practice some basic sounds and tones together.

  • Go to www.youtube.com and practice tones at this link:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_Cj3aOSI1w
    
    Note: we will be suggesting a variety of free resources and watch for our channel.

Basic Words Practice: Once you have a sense of the tones, try to practice these words:

• "你好 (nǐ hǎo) - Hello"

• "谢谢 (xiè xiè) - Thank you"

• "再见 (zài jiàn) - Goodbye"
  

Conclusion:

• Great job! You've just learned the basics of Mandarin tones and Pinyin. Shortly, I'll review all of this in more detail. In our next episode, we'll explore common greetings and how to introduce yourself. Don't forget to practice what you've learned each day!
  

By staying with learning Mandarin for this long – you have gone beyond where most people say that it is too hard - so, stay with it and here is your map for the first week of learning:

Week 1: Introduction to Mandarin (Estimated time 10 hours)

Day 1: Introduction to Tones and Pinyin

• Objective: Learn the importance of tones in Mandarin and how Pinyin helps with pronunciation.
  

Study Block 1: Understanding Tones (1 hour)

• Explanation: Watch an introductory video (or listen to a recording) explaining the four tones in Mandarin:

  • First Tone: High level (e.g., 妈 - "mā" meaning "mother").

  • Second Tone: Rising (e.g., 麻 - "má" meaning "hemp").

  • Third Tone: Falling-rising (e.g., 马 - "mǎ" meaning "horse").

  • Fourth Tone: Falling (e.g., 骂 - "mà" meaning "scold").
    

Activity:

• Watch or listen to examples for each tone. Search You Tube for Mandarin Tones.

• Write down each tone’s Pinyin and associated characters (with their meaning) in a notebook.
  

Practice:

• Spend 10 minutes practicing saying each tone aloud, trying to mimic the pitch and inflection (use a tone chart for reference).
  

Study Block 2: Introduction to Pinyin (1 hour)

• Explanation: Learn the basics of Pinyin, how it's used to write Mandarin sounds in Roman characters.
  

Activity:

• Read through the basic guide to Pinyin (focusing on initials and finals).

• Go to: https://chinese.yabla.com/chinese-pinyin-chart.php and notice all the sounds.

• Break down the sounds of "你好" (nǐ hǎo) and practice pronouncing them.

Practice:

• Write Pinyin for basic words like "你好", "谢谢", and "再见" (nǐ hǎo, xiè xiè, zài jiàn).

• Record yourself saying these phrases to check your pronunciation.
  

Detailed Explanation: Understanding Pinyin and Tones in Mandarin

Pinyin is Not a Direct Translation: It's a Notional Sound Representation

Pinyin, the Romanization system for Mandarin, is not a direct translation of Chinese characters into English sounds, but rather a system for approximating the sounds of Mandarin words using the Roman alphabet. It helps you pronounce Mandarin words correctly, but it doesn't always match exactly how words are pronounced in English or other languages. Let’s break down this distinction:

1. Pinyin is used as a way to Sound, Not Direct Translation: Pinyin represents how Mandarin sounds, rather than the exact English equivalents of Chinese characters. Mandarin pronunciation doesn't always correspond to the sounds that Roman letters represent in English.
   

Example:

1. "Cuo" in Pinyin sounds like "tswo" or "tsuoh", not like the English "cu" in "cuddle".

2. "Zhong" in Pinyin sounds like "jong", not like the "z" in "zebra".

3. Pinyin Components: Initials and Finals: Pinyin is composed of two main parts: initials (the consonants) and finals (the vowels and ending sounds). When you read Pinyin, you combine these two parts to form the full sound of the word.
   

   • For example:

     • "Cuo" = C (initial) + uo (final). Here, "C" sounds like the "ts" sound in "tsunami," and "uo" is pronounced like a quick "wo" (as in "woke").
       

     • The word "cuo" can be written in Pinyin as "tswo", but when pronounced correctly, you will notice a slight blending of the "ts" sound and the "wo" sound, something English speakers wouldn't normally expect from "cu."

Why This Matters:

2. "Pinyin" is not based on English letters and sounds directly.

3. If you try to pronounce Mandarin using only English rules, you will very likely mispronounce words.

4. The purpose of Pinyin is to help you hear and replicate the distinct Mandarin sounds, which don't always exist in English.

Mandarin Tones are Critical to Meaning

In Mandarin, tones are essential, as they can completely change the meaning of a word, even if the pronunciation is otherwise identical.

Mandarin has four main tones and a neutral tone. Each tone changes the pitch contour of a word, affecting the overall sound and meaning.

Here's an overview of the four main tones:

1. First Tone (High and Level):

   • Symbol: ¯

   • Example: 妈 (mā) – "mother"

   • Pronunciation: A high, steady pitch, like holding a note steadily in music.

   • Important: Saying mā with any other tone (e.g., a rising or falling pitch) will change the word's meaning.

2. Second Tone (Rising):

   • Symbol: ˊ

   • Example: 麻 (má) – "hemp"

   • Pronunciation: Rising pitch, like the intonation of asking a question in English (e.g., "What?").

   • Important: The rising tone makes the word sound like you’re going up in pitch.

3. Third Tone (Dipping or Falling-Rising):

   • Symbol: ˇ

   • Example: 马 (mǎ) – "horse"

   • Pronunciation: Starts mid, dips down, and then rises up, like saying "Uh?" in surprise in English.

   • Important: This tone has a complex contour, where the pitch falls and then rises.

4. Fourth Tone (Falling):

   • Symbol: ˋ

   • Example: 骂 (mà) – "to scold"

   • Pronunciation: A sharp, quick fall in pitch, like giving a command or an exclamation in English (e.g., "No!").

   • Important: The fourth tone is fast and strong in its downward pitch.

5. Neutral Tone (Light or Flat Tone):

   • Symbol: ˙ (no mark)

   • Example: 吗 (ma) – A question marker in Mandarin.

   • Pronunciation: Light and quick, with no particular pitch emphasis. It is often a short, unstressed syllable.
     

Next, we will dive into Day 2 with slightly more advanced expectations to practice and learn more words.

Day 2: Advanced Tone Drills and Basic Vocabulary Expansion

Duration: 3 hours (Including breaks)

Study Block 1: Tone Drills (1 hour)

Goal: Refine your understanding of Mandarin's four tones, focusing on new words and tone practice with contextual examples.

1. Review Each Tone's Characteristics and Distinctions

   • Revisit the four tones, but with new words.

   • First Tone (ā): High, flat (as if holding a musical note).

     • Example: 天 (tiān) – sky/day

   • Second Tone (á): Rising, like asking a question.

     • Example: 谁 (shuí) – who

   • Third Tone (ǎ): Falling then rising, like a dip.

     • Example: 很 (hěn) – very

   • Fourth Tone (à): Sharp, falling, like giving a command.

     • Example: 不 (bù) – no/not
       

2. Activity: Tone Practice with New Words

   • First Tone Practice:

     • 天 (tiān) – sky/day

     • 书 (shū) – book

     • 车 (chē) – car

   • Second Tone Practice:

     • 谁 (shuí) – who

     • 美 (měi) – beautiful

     • 开 (kāi) – to open

   • Third Tone Practice:

     • 很 (hěn) – very

     • 得 (děi) – must

     • 女 (nǚ) – female

   • Fourth Tone Practice:

     • 不 (bù) – no/not

     • 看 (kàn) – to look/watch

     • 大 (dà) – big
       

3. Flashcards:

   • Write down each character and its Pinyin on one side of a flashcard, and the tone number on the other.

   • Spend 20 minutes per tone, repeating each word aloud, focusing on pitch accuracy.
     

4. Practice 3-5 Word Pairs for Each Tone:

   • Repeat these word pairs multiple times for each tone:

     • First Tone: 天 (tiān), 书 (shū), 车 (chē)

     • Second Tone: 谁 (shuí), 美 (měi), 开 (kāi)

     • Third Tone: 很 (hěn), 得 (děi), 女 (nǚ)

     • Fourth Tone: 不 (bù), 看 (kàn), 大 (dà)
       

Study Block 2: Vocabulary Expansion and Tone Application in Sentences (1 hour)

Goal: Apply tones to real-life vocabulary and construct basic phrases with correct pronunciation.

1. Learn and Practice New Vocabulary (10-15 words)
   Below are new words that use different tones and help build up your vocabulary. Write each word with its Pinyin and character, paying attention to the correct tone:

   • 第一 (dì yī) – first

   • 昨天 (zuó tiān) – yesterday

   • 明天 (míng tiān) – tomorrow

   • 爸爸 (bà ba) – dad

   • 妈妈 (mā ma) – mom

   • 医生 (yī shēng) – doctor

   • 老师 (lǎo shī) – teacher

   • 朋友 (péng yǒu) – friend

   • 医院 (yī yuàn) – hospital

   • 商店 (shāng diàn) – store/shop
     

2. Contextual Usage:
   Create simple sentences using these words, ensuring that you pronounce them with the correct tones.

   • 我是老师 (Wǒ shì lǎo shī) – I am a teacher.

   • 我的爸爸很忙 (Wǒ de bà ba hěn máng) – My dad is very busy.

   • 我们明天去商店 (Wǒ men míng tiān qù shāng diàn) – We will go to the store tomorrow.

   • 她是医生 (Tā shì yī shēng) – She is a doctor.
     

   Practice Tip:

   • Say each sentence aloud, focusing on tone accuracy for each word.

   • Record yourself, then compare your pronunciation with native speaker audio or use pronunciation tools (like Forvo or Google Translate).
     

3. Vocabulary Practice with Contextual Flashcards:

   • Create yourself sentence flashcards by writing the sentence with tone marks on one side and the translation on the other.

   • Example:

     • Side 1: 我是学生 (Wǒ shì xué shēng) – I am a student.

     • Side 2: I am a student.
       

Study Block 3: Listening and Pronunciation Practice (30 minutes)

Goal: Improve listening and pronunciation using native speaker audio and tone drills.

1. Listening Practice with Tone Apps or Other Resources:

   • Use tone practice apps such as HelloChinese or ChineseSkill for listening and mimicking native speakers.

   • Choose listening exercises where you hear new words and sentences, and repeat them immediately after listening.
     

2. Pronunciation Practice:

   • Listen to native speaker audio and try to repeat the words and phrases with the same intonation and rhythm.

   • Focus on word pairs (similar to the ones practiced earlier), as they will help you differentiate the tones more clearly. For example:

     • 第一 (dì yī) vs. 昨天 (zuó tiān)

     • 妈妈 (mā ma) vs. 爸爸 (bà ba)
       

Study Block 4: Writing and Review (30 minutes)

Goal: Reinforce character writing, tone accuracy, and vocabulary retention.

1. Write Each Phrase/Word 10 Times:

   • Choose 5-10 new words from the vocabulary list above and write them 10 times each.

   • Focus on getting the characters correct, but also remember to include the correct tone marks above the Pinyin.

2. Review Your Work:

   • After writing, speak the words out loud as you review them to reinforce both writing and pronunciation.

   • Review the vocabulary in context by repeating full sentences you've learned.
     

Break and Recap (5-10 minute breaks every 25 minutes)

During study blocks, take short breaks to rest your mind. Stand up, stretch, or drink some water. Mental fatigue can impact pronunciation accuracy, so it's important to take breaks regularly.

Summary for Day 2:

1. Tone Practice: Focus on new words and use flashcards to practice each of the four tones with accuracy.

2. Vocabulary Expansion: Learn new words with varying tones and practice using them in sentences.

3. Listening and Speaking Practice: Use apps and audio recordings to refine your pronunciation and tone recognition.

4. Writing Practice: Reinforce your learning by writing pinyin for each new word and phrase with the correct tone marks and speaking them aloud.
   

By the end of Day 2, you'll be more confident with Mandarin tones and have expanded your vocabulary to include essential words and basic sentences. Keep practicing and reviewing regularly to build muscle memory and improve fluency