Difference between revisions of "The "a" vowel"

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== Pinyin's Main "a" Vowel Sound ==
 
== Pinyin's Main "a" Vowel Sound ==
  
Although the "a" sound in Chinese can vary a little bit, and is slightly changed when followed by a "[[-n]]" or a "[[-ng]]" sound, it more or less sounds like the "a" sound in the English word <span class="enpron">"f<strong>a</strong>ther"</span> (and never like the "a" in <span class="enpron">"m<strong>a</strong>n"</span>).
+
Although the "a" sound in Chinese can vary a little bit, and is slightly changed when followed by a "[[-n]]" or a "[[-ng]]" sound, it more or less sounds like the "a" sound in the English words <span class="enpron">"<strong>a</strong>h"</span> or <span class="enpron">"h<strong>a</strong>"</span> or <span class="enpron">"f<strong>a</strong>ther"</span>.
  
 
In the syllables introduced below, that's the "a" sound you'll hear. You can click on the sounds in the chart fragment to hear audio.
 
In the syllables introduced below, that's the "a" sound you'll hear. You can click on the sounds in the chart fragment to hear audio.
  
== Pinyin's Alternate "a" Vowel Sounds ==
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When "a" combines with "i" below, it sounds like the English word <span class="enpron">"eye"</span>.
 +
 
 +
When "a" combines with "o" below, it sounds pretty much like the <span class="enpron">"ow"</span> in the English word <span class="enpron">"how"</span>.
 +
 
 +
== Pinyin Chart Fragment ==
  
This is some temporary holder text to move the pinyin chart down. This is some temporary holder text to move the pinyin chart down. This is some temporary holder text to move the pinyin chart down. This is some temporary holder text to move the pinyin chart down.  
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This is just a part of the full [[pinyin chart]], limited to the sounds we've covered so far.
  
 
{{#widget: Pinyin chart settings}}
 
{{#widget: Pinyin chart settings}}
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</tr>
 
</tr>
 
</table></div>
 
</table></div>
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== Pinyin's Alternate "a" Vowel Sounds ==
 +
 +
The letter "a" in pinyin can actually make different sounds as well, when it is part of the "[[-ian]]" and "[[-üan]]" finals. Those sounds will be covered in later sections of this guide.
 +
 +
For now, let's move on to [[the "e" vowel]].
  
 
[[Category:Pinyin]]
 
[[Category:Pinyin]]
 
{{Basic Pronunciation|A1|31|The vowel "a" in Mandarin isn't too hard, so let's start with that one. Now you can make actual syllables!|pinyin|ASP00004}}
 
{{Basic Pronunciation|A1|31|The vowel "a" in Mandarin isn't too hard, so let's start with that one. Now you can make actual syllables!|pinyin|ASP00004}}
 
{{Number in Series|2|Pinyin quick start  guide}}
 
{{Number in Series|2|Pinyin quick start  guide}}

Revision as of 17:23, 28 March 2015

The first vowel you want to learn in pinyin is "a." It can combine with all of those easy sounds you already learned in part 1 of this guide, so it's a great place to start.

Pinyin's Main "a" Vowel Sound

Although the "a" sound in Chinese can vary a little bit, and is slightly changed when followed by a "-n" or a "-ng" sound, it more or less sounds like the "a" sound in the English words "ah" or "ha" or "father".

In the syllables introduced below, that's the "a" sound you'll hear. You can click on the sounds in the chart fragment to hear audio.

When "a" combines with "i" below, it sounds like the English word "eye".

When "a" combines with "o" below, it sounds pretty much like the "ow" in the English word "how".

Pinyin Chart Fragment

This is just a part of the full pinyin chart, limited to the sounds we've covered so far.

Tone: 1 2 3 4 1234 [Show more Settings]

Additional Settings

Show Text: IPA Zhuyin Wade-Giles

Text Size: Small Medium Large

Chart Mode: Audio Links (disables audio)

-a- -a -ai -ao -an -ang
b-
ba
[pɑ]
ㄅㄚ
pa
bai
[paɪ̯]
ㄅㄞ
pai
bao
[pɑʊ̯]
ㄅㄠ
pao
ban
[pan]
ㄅㄢ
pan
bang
[pɑŋ]
ㄅㄤ
pang
p-
pa
[pʰɑ]
ㄆㄚ
p'a
pai
[pʰaɪ̯]
ㄆㄞ
p'ai
pao
[pʰɑʊ̯]
ㄆㄠ
p'ao
pan
[pʰan]
ㄆㄢ
p'an
pang
[pʰɑŋ]
ㄆㄤ
p'ang
m-
ma
[mɑ]
ㄇㄚ
ma
mai
[maɪ̯]
ㄇㄞ
mai
mao
[mɑʊ̯]
ㄇㄠ
mao
man
[man]
ㄇㄢ
man
mang
[mɑŋ]
ㄇㄤ
mang
f-
fa
[fɑ]
ㄈㄚ
fa
fan
[fan]
ㄈㄢ
fan
fang
[fɑŋ]
ㄈㄤ
fang
d-
da
[tɑ]
ㄉㄚ
ta
dai
[taɪ̯]
ㄉㄞ
tai
dao
[tɑʊ̯]
ㄉㄠ
tao
dan
[tan]
ㄉㄢ
tan
dang
[tɑŋ]
ㄉㄤ
tang
t-
ta
[tʰɑ]
ㄊㄚ
t'a
tai
[tʰaɪ̯]
ㄊㄞ
t'ai
tao
[tʰɑʊ̯]
ㄊㄠ
t'ao
tan
[tʰan]
ㄊㄢ
t'an
tang
[tʰɑŋ]
ㄊㄤ
t'ang
n-
na
[nɑ]
ㄋㄚ
na
nai
[naɪ̯]
ㄋㄞ
nai
nao
[nɑʊ̯]
ㄋㄠ
nao
nan
[nan]
ㄋㄢ
nan
nang
[nɑŋ]
ㄋㄤ
nang
l-
la
[lɑ]
ㄌㄚ
la
lai
[laɪ̯]
ㄌㄞ
lai
lao
[lɑʊ̯]
ㄌㄠ
lao
lan
[lan]
ㄌㄢ
lan
lang
[lɑŋ]
ㄌㄤ
lang
s-
sa
[sɑ]
ㄙㄚ
sa
sai
[saɪ̯]
ㄙㄞ
sai
sao
[sɑʊ̯]
ㄙㄠ
sao
san
[san]
ㄙㄢ
san
sang
[sɑŋ]
ㄙㄤ
sang
g-
ga
[kɑ]
ㄍㄚ
ka
gai
[kaɪ̯]
ㄍㄞ
kai
gao
[kɑʊ̯]
ㄍㄠ
kao
gan
[kan]
ㄍㄢ
kan
gang
[kɑŋ]
ㄍㄤ
kang
k-
ka
[kʰɑ]
ㄎㄚ
k'a
kai
[kʰaɪ̯]
ㄎㄞ
k'ai
kao
[kʰɑʊ̯]
ㄎㄠ
k'ao
kan
[kʰan]
ㄎㄢ
k'an
kang
[kʰɑŋ]
ㄎㄤ
k'ang
h-
ha
[xɑ]
ㄏㄚ
ha
hai
[xaɪ̯]
ㄏㄞ
hai
hao
[xɑʊ̯]
ㄏㄠ
hao
han
[xan]
ㄏㄢ
han
hang
[xɑŋ]
ㄏㄤ
hang

Pinyin's Alternate "a" Vowel Sounds

The letter "a" in pinyin can actually make different sounds as well, when it is part of the "-ian" and "-üan" finals. Those sounds will be covered in later sections of this guide.

For now, let's move on to the "e" vowel.