Hacking Chinese

A better way of learning Mandarin

Articles tagged with ‘Pronunciation’ Page 2

  1. Improving your Chinese pronunciation by mimicking native speakers

    The best way to improve your Chinese pronunciation is to mimic native speakers. But why, and how exactly should you go about it?

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  2. Student Q&A, September 2023: Listening more than once, assessing pronunciation and the merits of flashcards

    Is it good to listen to the same passage more than once? How do you assess progress with pronunciation? And are flashcards really all that good for learning Chinese?

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  3. Get to know your Chinese voice to level up your speaking ability

    Have you listened to a recording of yourself speaking Chinese, only to find that your voice sounds unfamiliar and strange, like another person? Then you’re not alone!

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  4. How learning some basic theory can improve your Mandarin pronunciation

    Listening, mimicking and getting feedback is the best way to learn Chinese pronunciation, but unless you’re a small child or extremely talented, adding some theory to the mix can also be helpful.

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  5. Don’t try to improve everything at once when learning Chinese

    To communicate in Chinese, many skills need to work in unison, but trying to improve all of them at once is a recipe for frustration. Instead, limit your focus to make progress and stay motivated!

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  6. Standard pronunciation in Chinese and why you want it

    What should you learn if your friends and your teacher tell you different things? How should you navigate the space between standard pronunciation and regional accents? Standard pronunciation will help you communicate, but a regional accent might help you fit in.

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  7. Learning the neutral tone in Mandarin

    The neutral tone in Mandarin Chinese can be tricky to learn. How is it pronounced? Is it a fifth tone? And how do you know when it should be used?

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  8. 7 ways to write Mandarin tones

    There are many ways of writing down the tones of Mandarin beyond the standard tone marks. Which are they and what pros and cons do they have for learners?

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  9. How to learn Chinese pronunciation as a beginner

    Pronunciation is an important, yet often neglected part of learning Chinese. The earlier you get the sounds and tones down, the better, but how should you approach learning these things as a beginner?

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  10. A guide to Pinyin traps and pitfalls: Learning Mandarin pronunciation

    When learning to pronounce Mandarin, you need to learn both the sounds and how they are written, usually with Pinyin. Did you know that many student errors actually come from a poor understanding of Pinyin, rather than the sounds themselves being difficult? Welcome to my guide to Pinyin traps and pitfalls.

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