FORELAN: Foreign Language

Rules on Tone Change

Part 2
Produce the tones of ‘yi’ and ‘bu’ correctly
Tone Change (bu)
 Bù (not)

A 4th tone syllable by itself

 But…
nd
It becomes a 2 tone when
th
followed by another 4 tone
4th tone 4th tone
2nd tone 4th tone
 Examples

1. bù hē (not drink)
2. bù máng (not busy)
3. bù hăo (not good)
4. bù chī (not eat)
5. bù xĭ huān (not like)
 Examples

1. bú shì (is/are/am not)

2. bú qù (not go)
3. bú yào (not want)
4. bú duì (not correct)
5. bú è (not hungry)
Tone Change (yi)
 yī (one)

When read alone or, or counting, or calling

st
out numbers, it is read with the 1 tone.
 Examples

1. yī (one)
2. shí yī (eleven)
3. èr shí yī (twenty-one)
4. dì yī (ordinal number – first)
 yí

When followed by a 4th tone, it is

nd
read with a 2 tone
 Examples

1. yí cì (one time)
2. yí ge (one + measure word “ge”)
3. yí gòng (total; the sum)
4. yí qiè (everything)
 yì

When followed by a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd

th
tone, it is read with a 4 tone
 Examples

1. yì tiān (one day)

2. yì qĭ (together)
3. yì tóng (together)
4. yì băi (a hundred)
1. yī tiān 7. bù kàn
2. yī tóng 8. bù qù
3. yī qĭ 9. bù shì
4. yī cì 10.bù hăo
5. yī miàn 11.bù néng
6. yī jiàn 12.bù hē
1.nĭ hăo 7.nĭ yào 13.yī kàn
2.wŏ hăo 8.wŏ de 14.yī miàn
3.yŭ fă 9.jiĕ jie 15.yī yàng
4.xiăo jiĕ 10.yī 16.yī tiān
5.nĭ kàn 11.shí yī 17.yī bái
6.nĭ shuō 12.yī cì
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIjEYCkFVl4