Tone pair 3-2
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Level
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In series Tone pairs
- 1. Tone pair 1-1
- 2. Tone pair 1-2
- 3. Tone pair 1-3
- 4. Tone pair 1-4
- 5. Tone pair 1-0
- 6. Tone pair 2-1
- 7. Tone pair 2-2
- 8. Tone pair 2-3
- 9. Tone pair 2-4
- 10. Tone pair 2-0
- 11. Tone pair 3-1
- 12. Tone pair 3-2
- 13. Tone pair 3-3
- 14. Tone pair 3-4
- 15. Tone pair 3-0
- 16. Tone pair 4-1
- 17. Tone pair 4-2
- 18. Tone pair 4-3
- 19. Tone pair 4-4
- 20. Tone pair 4-0
This page will cover some examples of the 3-2 tone pair, which Sinosplice rates as a "7" on a difficulty rating of 1-7 (easiest to hardest).
Practice this tone pair using the words below. Once you can say them reliable in isolation (as just a tone pair), try putting them in longer sentences while keeping the tones accurate.
Contents
3-2 Tone Pair Diagram
It helps many learners to see the two tones side by side.
One point to note here, though, is that the third tone in this context doesn't actually rise much. It's more important that the third tone be low. Focus on the lowness of the third tone in this pair rather than the rise, and your pronunciation will sound much better. Let the rise feel like part of the second tone. Pay attention to this when you listen to the audio examples on this page.
3-2 Tone Pair Words (A2)
If you're just getting started with tone pairs, these simple two-syllable words and phrases are a good place to start. If these are too easy, you may want to move onto the longer (B1) phrases below.
| Audio | Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 以前 | yǐqián | before, previous; ago | |
| 小时 | xiǎoshí | hour | |
| 好玩 | hǎowán | fun | |
| 美国 | Měiguó | the United States | |
| 法国 | Fǎguó | France |
Source: AllSet Learning's "Tone Pair" Pronunciation Pack (used with permission)
3-2 Tone Pair Phrases (B1)
| Audio | Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 来法国 | lái Fǎguó | to come to France | |
| 回美国 | huí Měiguó | to return to the United States | |
| 几小时 | jǐ xiǎoshí | several hours | |
| 法国和美国 | Fǎguó hé Měiguó | France and the USA | |
| 可能很好玩 | kěnéng hěn hǎowán | might be very fun |
Source: AllSet Learning's "Tone Pair" Pronunciation Pack (used with permission)
3-2 Tone Pair Combos
| Audio | Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| (coming) | 很忙 | hěn máng | very busy |
| (coming) | 很强 | hěn qiáng | very strong |
| (coming) | 很长 | hěn zhǎng | very long |
| (coming) | 很红 | hěn hóng | very red |
| (coming) | 很油 | hěn yóu | very oily |
Source: Sinosplice's Mandarin Chinese Tone Pair Drills (used with permission)
Sources and further reading
Videos
- AllSet Learning video on YouTube: Chinese Pronunciation Practice: A2 Tone Pair 3-2
- AllSet Learning video on YouTube: Chinese Pronunciation Practice: B1 Tone Pair 3-2
Websites
- Sinosplice: The Process Of Learning Tones
- Sinosplice: Mandarin Chinese Tone Pair Drills, New Feature: Mandarin Chinese Tone Pair Drills
- Hacking Chinese: Focusing on tone pairs to improve your Mandarin pronunciation
- About.com: How tone pairs can improve your Mandarin pronunciation
