Tone practice

Mandarin tone pairs: written tones, spoken changes

Tone pairs are a useful bridge from a single sound to a sentence. The key is to distinguish the tones written in pinyin from the changes you hear in connected speech.

Updated November 11, 2026 · Practical guide

By The Elo Team

Start with the word, then listen in context

A two-syllable word does not always sound like two isolated dictionary tones. Third-tone sandhi changes a third tone before another third tone. Many familiar words also contain a neutral tone. Listen to a reference for the whole word before deciding that an ordinary connected pronunciation is a mistake.

Example	Written pinyin	What to practise
今天	jīntiān	First + first: both syllables have first tones.
谢谢	xièxie	Fourth + neutral: the second syllable is normally light.
你好	nǐ hǎo	Written third + third; in this phrase the first is commonly spoken as a rising tone: ní hǎo.
我去	wǒ qù	Third + fourth: the first syllable normally stays low, without a full rise.

Do not force every third tone into a full dip

The falling-rising shape taught for an isolated third tone is not required on every syllable in normal speech. Before a non-third tone, a third tone is commonly low or low-falling: often called a half third tone. Before another third tone, the first commonly changes to a rising tone. A missing final rise can therefore be normal. Consider the neighbouring syllables and the phrase boundary.

A three-step practice loop

Listen to the whole word and identify its written tones. Say the word once slowly.
Repeat at a comfortable pace, preserving neutral syllables and connected changes rather than stressing every syllable equally.
Put the word into a sentence, then use the same sentence to answer a small question.

For example, move from 谢谢 (xièxie) to 我要一杯拿铁，谢谢。 — “I would like a latte, thank you.” Then ask for a different drink. The point is to carry a familiar pronunciation into an exchange, not to sing a perfectly drawn contour.

Use a check as a next step

A short recording can help you notice a pattern, but one sentence cannot certify tone control across every context. Repeat a useful phrase and ask for qualified feedback when you cannot hear the difference. Elo’s reference-sentence tool is separate from open AI Coach conversation practice. Conversation notes are prepared after the recording and transcript are ready. They may take time or be limited if parts of the conversation are missing. Text alone cannot prove a pronunciation error.

Sources and editorial notes

Written by The Elo Team. This is Elo’s own learning guide, not an independent product ranking or an official exam publication. Sources were checked on November 11, 2026.

FAQ

Should I write ní hǎo or nǐ hǎo?

Dictionary-style pinyin normally keeps the underlying tones as nǐ hǎo. A teaching example may show ní hǎo to explain the spoken change. Label which representation you are using.

Is 谢谢 a fourth-plus-fourth practice word?

For ordinary standard pronunciation, use xièxie: fourth plus neutral. Choose a different example if you want to practise two full fourth tones.

Should I practise pairs or full sentences?

Use pairs to focus your listening, then put them into a sentence. A clear isolated word is a starting point, not proof that the same pattern is stable in conversation.

Take one useful idea into a conversation.

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