Mandarin Chinese
Introduction: Mandarin Chinese is spoken by the majority of people in the People’s Republic of
China and is the official language. It is properly known as “poo-tong-hwoa”, which literally
means “common speech”. The population of China is about 1.3 billion. This means that more
people speak Mandarin Chinese than any other language, including English.
ALPHABET IN MANDARIN CHINESE IN PINYIN FORM
Consonants/ Bb Pp Mm Ff Dd Tt Nn Ll Gg Kk
Initials
Hh Jj Qq Xx Zhi Chi Shi Rr Zi Ci Si
Aa Oo Ee (əə) IE ie AI ai EI ei AO ao OU ou AN an EN en
Vowels
/ Finals ANG ENG ER er YI yi Uu UE ue
ang eng ϋ
DIFFERENT TONES IN MANDARIN CHINESE
The word Ma in Mandarin sounds exactly as in English but have several meanings depending on Mā
__ whether or not the vowel rises or falls in pronunciation.
/ First tone: A high tone reflects high pitch. Má
\/ Second tone: Rising tone is reflected in mid to high pitch as in asking “What?” in English. This symbol Mǎ
tilts upward to reflect this tone.
\
Third tone: The only tone which goes in two directions. It starts downward to the low range then
Mà
rises. This symbol is placed below the baseline and tilts upward.
Fourth tone: The falling tone is similar is similar to saying “Stop!” in a commanding way. The symbol
simply tilts downward.
Lesson 1 Dì YῙ Kè “INTRODUCING YOURSELF WITH ESSENTIAL WORDS, PHRASES AND CHARACTERS”
Vocabularies: Shēng Zì
Hello! = Nǐ haǒ! Hi. = Haì Father = Bà-ba
How are you?/ Are you fine?= Nǐ hǎo mā? / Nǐ haí hǎo mā? Mother = Mā-mā
I’m fine. = Wǒ hen haǒ. / Wǒ haí haǒ. Older brother = Gē-gē
Thank you. = Xìe xìe./ Duo xìe/ Xìe xìe nǐn./ Xìe lè. Older sister = Jǐe-jie
I’m just okay. = Yī bān bā. Younger brother = Dì-dì
How about you?/ And you?= Nǐ ne? Younger sister = Meì meì
Yes. = Shì / Duì Uncle= Bó fù
No/ Not. = Bú Auntie= Bó mǔ / A-yí
I’m not very well (fine).= Bù tai haǒ. Grandfather= Yé yē
See you later. = Yí hui’er jiàn. Grandmother= Nǎi naī
Good morning.= Zǎo./ Zǎo án./ Zǎo shàng hǎo. Teacher= Lǎo-shi
Good afternoon.= Wǔ án./ Xià wǔ hǎo. Student= Shúe-sheng/ Xúe-sheng
Good evening. = Wǎn shàng hǎo. Classmates=Tóng-súe men
Good night. = Wǎn án. Friend= Péng-yǒu
Good bye. = Zaì jiàn. Friends= Péng-yǒu men
Nice to meet you.= Gao xìng rèn shi nǐ.
PERSONAL PRONOUNS POSSESIVE PRONOUNS
SINGULAR PLURAL SINGULAR PLURAL
I/ me = Wǒ We= Wǒ men My/ mine = Wǒ de Our(s)= Wǒ men de
You= Nǐ You= Nǐ men Your(s)= Nǐ de Your(s)= Nǐ men de
He, she, it = Ta They/ them= Ta men His/him, her(s), its = Ta de Their= Ta men de
“THE GUIDELINES IN FILIPINO AND ENGLISH ON HOW TO READ PROPERLY THE SET LETTERS”
I. GUIDELINES HOW TO READ THE SET OF CONSONANTS/ INITIALS SOUNDS:
Note: The letters Bb to Hh are read with an invisible sound like a Tagalog Aa at the end.
1. Bb is read like Pa, but it must not be aspirated or there is no air coming out from your mouth.
2. Pp is read like Pa, and it must be sound aspirated; where it is read like and English Pa.
3. Mm is read like Ma; where it is read like English Ma.
4. Ff is read like Fa; where it is read like English Fa.
5. Dd is read like Ta; but it must not be aspirated or there is no air coming out from your mouth.
6. Tt is read like Ta; where it is read like English Ta.
7. Nn is read like Na; where it is read like English Na.
8. Ll is read like La; where it is read like English La.
9. Gg is read like Ka; but it must not be aspirated or there is no air coming out from your mouth.
10. Kk is read like Ka; where it is read like English Ka.
11. Hh is read like Ha; where it is read like English Ha.
Note: The letters Jj to Xx are read with an invisible Ii (sound it out like a Tagalog Ii).
1. Jj is read like Tsi; where it is read like in Filipino (Tagalog) Tsinelas.
2. Qq is read like Tssi; and it must be sound aspirated; where it is read
like in Filipino (Tagalog) Tsinelas or Tsimis.
3. Xx is read like Ci; where it is read like English Ci.
Note: The letters Zi to Shi are read with an invisible Rr (sound it out like English Rr).
1. Zhi is read like Tzir; where it is read like in English word Church.
2. Chi is read like Tzzir; where it is read like in English word Church and it must be sound
aspirated.
3. Shi is read like Shir; where it is read like in English word Shearing.
4. Rr where it is read like in English letter sound Rr.
Note: The letters Zi to Si are read with an invisible tz (sound it out like English tzar).
1. Zi is read like Tzi; where it is read like in English word Tzarism.
2. Ci is read like Tzzi; and it must be sound aspirated; where it is read like in
English word Tzarism.
3. Si is read like in English letter sound Ss.
II. GUIDELINES HOW TO READ THE SET OF VOWELS/ FINALS SOUNDS:
Note: The following set of letters are read like Filipino (Tagalog) letters or English letter
sounds. These could be easily identify with the following description below.
1. Aa is read like in Filipino (Tagalog letter Aa or English short sound Aa.)
2. Oo is read like in Filipino (Tagalog letter Oo or English short sound Oo.)
3. Ee is read like in English pronunciation symbol (əə) sound.
4. IE ie is read like Ye.
5. AI ai is read like English letter Ii.
6. EI ei is read like English letter Aa.
7. AO ao is read like Filipino (Tagalog) AW.
8. OU ou is read like an expression Oh.
9. AN an is read like English word ANna.
10. EN en is read like English word AN an, but the opening of the mouth is not much big
11. ANG ang is read like Filipino (Tagalog) word ANG ang.
12. ENG eng is read like Filipino (Tagalog) word ANG ang, but the opening of the mouth
is not much big.
13. ER er is read like English word ER er.
14. Yi yi is read like English word Yi yi.
15. Uu is read like in Filipino (Tagalog letter Uu or English short sound Uu.
16. UE ue with the symbol ϋ is read like English word Yie yie. And the lip is in a pointed position.
