Tone changes: 你好, 不 and 一
Tone changes: two third tones in a row, 不 bù → bú, and 一 yī → yí / yì
Part of the free A0 Chinese course (about HSK 1–2). Examples are in Simplified characters with pinyin; press the speaker to hear one with your device's Chinese voice.
Tones are not always said exactly as the dictionary gives them. A few very common changes happen when syllables meet. They are automatic for Chinese speakers, and they make speech smoother. There are three to learn, and you will use them in your very first sentences. (The tones themselves are in The four tones.)
1. Two third tones in a row
When a third tone comes just before another third tone, the first one is said as a second tone (rising).
| Written | Said | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 你好 nǐ hǎo | ní hǎo | hello |
| 很好 hěn hǎo | hén hǎo | very good |
| 水果 shuǐguǒ | shuíguǒ | fruit |
| 可以 kěyǐ | kéyǐ | can; may |
Pinyin still writes the dictionary tone: always nǐ hǎo, never ní hǎo. You read the rule, you don't see it.
- 你好！(Nǐ hǎo!)Hello!
- 我很好。(Wǒ hěn hǎo.)I'm very well.
With three or more third tones in a row, it depends on how the words group. In wǒ hěn hǎo, 很好 belongs together, so 很 rises: wǒ hén hǎo, with 我 just low; in quick speech you will also hear wó hén hǎo. Don't worry about longer chains yet; the two-syllable rule is the one to get right.
2. 不 (bù, not) becomes bú before a fourth tone
不 is a fourth tone, bù. But before another fourth tone it becomes a second tone, bú. Before tones 1, 2 and 3 it stays bù.
| Before | Said and written | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 4th tone: 是 shì | 不是 bú shì | isn't |
| 4th tone: 去 qù | 不去 bú qù | not go |
| 4th tone: 客 kè | 不客气 bú kèqi | you're welcome |
| 1st tone: 喝 hē | 不喝 bù hē | not drink |
| 2nd tone: 忙 máng | 不忙 bù máng | not busy |
| 3rd tone: 好 hǎo | 不好 bù hǎo | not good |
In this course, as in most textbooks, 不 is written as it is said: bú shì, bù máng. (Dictionaries always print bù, so you may see bù shì elsewhere.)
- 他不是老师。(Tā bú shì lǎoshī.)He isn't a teacher.
- 我不忙。(Wǒ bù máng.)I'm not busy.
- 不客气！(Bú kèqi!)You're welcome!
3. 一 (yī, one) has three tones
- yī when it stands alone, when you count, and at the end of a number: 一 yī, 十一 shíyī (eleven), 第一 dì-yī (first).
- yí before a fourth tone: 一个 yí gè (one, with the measure word 个), 一样 yíyàng (the same).
- yì before tones 1, 2 and 3: 一天 yì tiān (one day), 一年 yì nián (one year), 一本书 yì běn shū (one book).
Like 不, 一 is written as it is said in this course.
- 我有一个哥哥。(Wǒ yǒu yí gè gēge.)I have an older brother.
- 我买一本书。(Wǒ mǎi yì běn shū.)I'm buying a book.
- 我们一起去吧！(Wǒmen yìqǐ qù ba!)Let's go together!
Quick memory hook: 不 and 一 both turn into a rising tone before a falling one. Numbers are in Numbers 0–99 and your age, and you'll say 不客气 again in Hello, thank you, sorry, goodbye.
Common mistakes
ní hǎoin writing: say ní hǎo, but write nǐ hǎo. The third-tone change is never written.bù shìin speech: before the fourth tone shì, 不 is said bú.bú hǎo: 好 is a third tone, so 不 stays bù: bù hǎo.yī gèin speech: before 个 (gè), 一 is yí: yí gè.yí běn: 本 is a third tone, so 一 is yì: yì běn.- Changing 一 when counting: in 一、二、三 and 十一, it stays yī.
Practice
- How is 你好 (nǐ hǎo) actually said?Options: ní hǎo: the first third tone rises · nǐ hǎo: two full dipping tones · nì hǎo: the first one falls
Show the answer
ní hǎo: the first third tone rises — Third tone + third tone: the first becomes a second tone.
- In this course, how is 你好 written in pinyin?Options: nǐ hǎo (dictionary tones) · ní hǎo (as it is said) · ni hao (no tone marks)
Show the answer
nǐ hǎo (dictionary tones) — The third-tone change is said, never written.
- Write the pinyin of 不是 (isn't), with the tone 不 really has here: _____
Show the answer
bú shì — 是 shì is a fourth tone, so 不 becomes bú. You may also type bu2 shi4.
- Which tone does 不 have in 不去 (not go)?Options: Second: bú qù · Fourth: bù qù · Neutral: bu qù
Show the answer
Second: bú qù — 去 qù is a fourth tone, so 不 rises: bú.