Scott
Mandarin 3rd tones

I'm sure this has been discussed many times, but constant searching and finding different answers hasn't helped me at all.

 

This is my first post on iTalki.  It's short but will help me out a lot.

 

How would you say these third tones (hopefully these sentences also make sense):

 

我可以给你打电话吗 (wǒ kě yǐ gěi nǐ dǎ diàn huà ma)

你比我小  (nǐ bǐ wǒ xiǎo)

你比我小很多  (nǐ bǐ wǒ xiǎo hěn duō)

 

Thanks!

 

Apr 29, 2014 7:18 PM
Comments · 9
1

我可以给你打电话吗 (wǒ kě2 yǐ gěi2 nǐ2 dǎ diàn huà ma)
你比我小 (nǐ bǐ2 wǒ2 xiǎo)
你比我小很多 (nǐ bǐ2 wǒ xiǎo2 hěn duō)

 

Those with "2" need to be changed to the second tone in speech.

 

Simply put, the rules are as follows:

1 Never pronounce two consecutive third tones.

2 For any word made up of two characters whose original tones are both the third tone, never pronounce the first and the second characters in the 3rd and 2nd tones respectively.

3 Keep as many characters in their original tone, i.e. the 3rd tone, as possible, if you don't violate the two rules above.

May 1, 2014

我 可以 给你 打 电话吗 (wǒ kě2 yǐ gěi2 nǐ2 dǎ diàn huà ma)
你 比我 小 (nǐ bǐ2 wǒ2 xiǎo)
你 比我 小很多 (nǐ bǐ2 wǒ xiǎo2 hěn duō)

 

I need to add that the second rule is true of phrases made up of two characters, such as "给你" and "比我", too. 

 

I don't know what makes you think I've broken any of the rules.

May 1, 2014

sorry stet that

May 1, 2014

so you've broken most of your rules?

May 1, 2014

中文为母语的人有什么清楚的看法?你能推荐一下?除了可和比以外哪个第三声词应该改变?你觉得百分之百中国人同意吗?

April 30, 2014
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