Learn Mandarin Chinese Tones the Fun Way! - Beginner Conversational - Yoyo Chinese.

Today, we're gonna talk about tones. Well, I know, since I started teaching Chinese many years ago, I know that tones have a really bad reputation. People just generally find tones really intimidating, thinking that tones are extremely difficult to learn, because you know, in English, you don't have tones. And that is absolutely not true. Not only you do have tones in English, you're actually using it every single day. For example, when you say what, or when you say no, you're actually using tones. So not only you do have tones in English, you actually have the equivalent to all four Chinese tones. And so the most effective way to learn Chinese, is actually learn the Chinese tones, is to actually to be aware of when and how you already use tone already, and then just apply that in the new way. Alright? So today, I'm gonna help you build that bridge and help you find the equivalent in English that matches the four Mandarin Chinese tones. Before we talk about four tones, I want you to identify your normal speaking voice range. Do you know what that means? Ok, so the reason we do that is because lots of people get confused when talking about tones. They think speaking Chinese tones is like singing, so you go to your singing voice. That is not true. You still speak your normal speaking voice. So let's do that. So think about this, if your friend asks you, what would you like to help me move this weekend? And you say, maybe. That's pretty much the highest point of your voice speaking range. And let's say, maybe. Repeat after me, maybe, maybe, may. Alright, good. You find the highest point. Now let's find the lowest point. So the lowest point is pretty much when your friend asks you, what did you have for lunch yesterday? So you're saying, I don't know. So you're like, you're thinking, right? You go down to the lowest part of your voice, so you say, and that is the lowest part of your voice. Ok, great. And so let's look at this chart. On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 representing the highest point of your voice range and number 1 representing the lowest part of your voice range. So maybe is pretty much here, and uh is pretty much here, right? Ok, great. Now you find the range. So whatever you say is pretty much within that range. Now let me give you some good news. You already mastered 2 mandarin chinese tones. What are they? The first tone, maybe, and the third tone, uh, let me explain. The first tone in mandarin chinese is just a high flat tone. So it's like when you say maybe, right? May, alright? And then you just stay there for like half or one second. That's the first tone. Repeat after me. May, may, may, first tone. And then you already learned the third tone. The third tone is pretty much like a low flat tone at the very bottom. And repeat after me. Uh, I'm thinking, what did I have for lunch yesterday? Uh, uh, that's the third tone, alright? Uh, ok. Maybe, first tone high flat tone, and uh, low flat tone. You already got 2 tones. Ok, so now let's talk about the other 2 tones. You probably already know that there are 4 tones in mandarin chinese, plus a neutral tone, which we'll talk about in just a bit. Now I'm gonna conquer the other 2 tones, the second and the fourth tone. First, repeat after me these english words. What? Huh? Yes? Alright, you do it. What? Huh? Yes? There you go, you're speaking the second tone, alright? The chinese second tone is just when you say what? It's like a rising tone, rising tone, ok? What? Hmm? Hmm? Second tone, alright. So now you already know all the 3 tones. Maybe, what? Uh, ok, repeat after me. Maybe, first tone, may, first tone, high and flat. What? Hmm? Second tone, and uh, what did you have for lunch yesterday? Uh, I don't know. Uh, third tone, 1, 2, 3, repeat after me. Maybe, what? Uh, one more time. Maybe, what? Uh, good, last one. See, you're almost there, great. Repeat after me. No, sure, yeah. So these are very emphatic and it's like a downward falling tone, right? So say no, sure, yeah, ok? So that's the fourth tone. So the fourth tone is a downward tone and it's like when you say no, hmm, hmm, alright. Gosh, you already mastered 4 mandarin chinese tones within what, like 2 minutes? So the tip, the trick to think about each tone is to really drill this in your mind, ok? Each time you think about one chinese tone, associate that tone with an english word and how you say it. And then you'll get the tones out. In english, when you have different tones, you're expressing emotions or attitudes. But in chinese, they have different meanings. So you need to associate how you say these english words with a specific chinese tone. The first tone will be maybe, hmm, what? Uh, no. So that'll be the first, second, third and fourth tone. Repeat after me. Maybe, what? Uh, no. Maybe, what? Uh, no. Maybe, what? Uh, no. Maybe, what? Uh, no. Great job, ok. Now I want you to say it. 1, 2, 3. Maybe, what? Uh, no. Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm. Maybe, what? Uh, no. Ok, great. Alright, so now you know what the four tones are and their associated english sounds. Hi, thanks for watching my video. Now you know that chinese tones are really not that difficult to learn because you can find similar sounds in english. Well, if you want to practice more tones with me, please click here to download the lecture notes and audio practice mp3 for free on our website. Or you can click here to go to the next lesson or you can click down below to subscribe to our awesome channel. We have new videos coming out every week. Alright, xià cì jiàn, zài jiàn. Bye-bye.