How to pronounce the 3rd tone like a native - Learn Chinese with Yangyang

See how to say each sound in Mandarin with our FREE Video-based Pinyin Chart. It has 90+ video explanations for difficult Mandarin sounds and audio demonstrations for all 400+ pinyin syllables: goo.gl/hc63Jr
Learn to speak Mandarin with the Yoyo Chinese Beginner Conversational Course! 200 short video lessons, organized into a 6-month course, with interactive flashcards, audio reviews, and quizzes after each lesson. Watch the first lesson now: goo.gl/UwsX2R
The easiest way to learn Chinese tones: • Learn Mandarin Chinese...
Learn your first 3 Chinese characters in FIVE MINUTES: goo.gl/iVqnSr
Too easy for you? Check out the Yoyo Chinese Intermediate Conversational Course: goo.gl/pT9o6N
Watch a demo of Yoyo Chinese comprehensive online courses with Yangyang and Jason: • Yoyo Chinese Courses D...
Learn Mandarin with this famous Chinese love song: goo.gl/wzCsV2
The best way on the internet to learn to count to 10 in Mandarin: • Chinese Numbers: Learn...
Like Yoyo Chinese on Facebook: / yoyochinese

[@YoyoChinese]

Have a question about this lesson or learning Mandarin Chinese? Sign up a free account on our website www.yoyochinese.com and click the blue chat widget to talk to our Student Support team. 加油 (jiā yóu)! 😊

[@RNGD-jp7nk]

Thank you, beautiful! You have taught me that learning Mandarin is actually like a singing-language - based on tones/pitches as opposed to just general pronunciation like in English. It makes learning your language all the more fascinating and exciting. Thank you.

[@lacasa1361]

我终于学好了三声！我的中国朋友们一直抱怨我的三声发音 谢谢！

[@ryana-6762]

Wǒ ài nǐ Yangyang

[@user-qi7kk7su3l]

Hi, I've recently started watching your lesson and I really like it. Being a student of French faculty I've been learning Chinese myself on a free site already for a month and a half. I've already learnt there that 3rd tone is pronounced differently depending on the time of succeeding syllable but having watched your lesson I still confused. Is the syllable at the of a sentence considered as isolated one(nǐ(í)HǎO)? It just sounds that you pronounce it with the low flat tone too.

[@user-qi7kk7su3l]

Also, does "academical pronunciation" mean that the 3rd tone is more likely to be pronounced as falling-rising in formal speech or/and in speeches of politicians?

[@jaimebenito620]

This girl is one of the few teachers who actually know what she is talking about! (even most textbooks get this wrong). Listen to her!

[@tonywynn1437]

Jaime Benito de Valle Ruiz she is real teacher, not girl.

[@manuel5114]

@@tonywynn1437 As if those were mutually exclusive

[@tonywynn1437]

Manuel yes, girl and teacher are mutually exclusive. Totally agree!

[@chocoboblue99]

I see. No wonder native speakers thought I sounded strange. I was trying to pronounce the 3rd tones like idiot. lol I do see how if I don't pronounce the words correctly as written, it WILL SPEED UP the convo much faster.

[@Tonytony95461]

Literally the most helpful video. I've been learning for 2 years and this makes things clearer.

[@YoyoChinese]

Thank you for the positive feedback! Clear explanations make a HUGE difference when you are studying Chinese. If you like our approach to teaching Mandarin, check out our Beginner Conversational Course on YoyoChinese.com. Level 1 is FREE: goo.gl/JTGNNs 😊

[@davidkwan9205]

I learn something even though I am a native Chinese. LOL

[@zhaoqingxu1131]

David Kwan me too

[@IsraelMVega]

Best Chinese teacher ever

[@ho3wa]

You're so good at teaching! I can actually concetrate and learn a lot with this!! Thank you for the videos. Keep up the good work.

[@claudiaccasco]

Such a musical language... this is so helpful, thank you so much. You're awesome. Love your videos.

[@edschneider3546]

You're such a good Chinese teacher!

[@ElijahSilverlight]

Whoa! I was trying like a fool or was looking like one before I found out about this video. I was deliberately trying to pronounce the 3rd tone as the swooping tone, and also was dumbfounded when I heard people who spoke Mandarin Chinese around using words with 3rd tone, and yet not having or sounding with the swooping tone. I was like HUH! I can't hear it. ~__~ Now with this video I am relived of my frustration and tension learning with the 3rd tone, especially the point when you mentioned 3rd tone shall be pronounced as it is when it is isolated or on its own, like 好 will be the swooping~ish tone, the rest if mixed will be the "low flat" tone. Just realised this haha. Thanks for the video, really a helpful one! :D 谢谢！

[@YoyoChinese]

Thank you for this terrific comment! I'm glad we've got you pronouncing the 3rd tone like a native speaker. 😊 加油 (jiā yóu)!

[@jgsh8062]

Oh!!!!!! I just thought that chinese people just pronounce it super fast! Been trying to work on it for ages! But I still don't quite understand when it's isolated

[@sullyflynn8746]

Oh my goodness. By the end of this it was just normal to me. I didn't even realise how much my third tone had changed! Thanks Yangyang.

[@diembui3379]

I really got it, yeah, so exited! I find that, the third tone in Chinese is just almost the same as " ` " tone in Vietnamese. Your video is so useful and I love it! Thank you!

[@YoyoChinese]

+Diem Bui Glad that you can make a connection with Vietnamese. Making connections will help your learning a lot!

[@theytookyourjob]

+Diem Bui tôi đồng ý, nhưng với 六 nghe gần giống dấu sắc

[@beatrizmilet3373]

Best video of the day. I was struggling a lot on pronouncing the third tone in every part of the speech hahahah Thank you!

[@LifeCoachNazer]

I have liked the practical explanation, a creative and innovative way to approach the tones.

[@YoyoChinese]

+Laurent Pernel So glad that it helps you! :)

[@catief1031]

Just realized while watching this video the way I pronounced 老师 usually is using the half third tone if I wasn't thinking about the tones and just repeating what I was hearing.

[@ColonelMarcellus]

Why in the name of all that's intellectual has the third tone been taught as a "dipping" tone? YangYang is the first to explain it as a "low-flat" tone. I will listen for it next time I go eat Chinese food.

[@jmer9126]

Thank you so much! I wish someone taught me this way when I learned Danish. The academic and everyday speech are so different.

[@YoyoChinese]

Thank you for the positive feedback... I really appreciate it! Our courses are really focused on making sure that students are prepared for real world conversations, especially when it comes to pronunciation. If you like these sample lessons here on our KZbin channel, I hope you'll check out our full courses on YoyoChinese.com. You can sign up and try the first 5 units of the Beginner Conversational Course for free to see if you want to study with us. Start here: goo.gl/JTGNNs

[@jean-remilapaire5221]

I love those lessons. A wonderful teacher. Everything becomes so clear. A million thanks. I am teaching myself Chinese and those Yoyo videos with Yangyang Cheng are immensely helpful.

[@YoyoChinese]

Thank you for the positive feedback... we really appreciate it! If you like these sample lessons on our KZbin channel, there are 1,000+ video lessons on our website, YoyoChinese.com, organized into 6 structured courses that build up your skills in the right order… with tons of great review features (including 10,000+ flashcards and quiz questions!). 🚀 You can try the first units of each of our courses on YoyoChinese.com for free, so you’ve got nothing to lose. Sign up now and check it out: goo.gl/XcnV8r

[@blessyou876]

Lady, you're a miracle! :-)

[@gusulan_girl4610]

This is so helpful! I know what the tones sound like in theory and on their own but I was having a hard time actually pronouncing them in an active full sentence, your explanation and examples were a great help. Thank you so much!!

[@YoyoChinese]

So glad you are enjoying learning Chinese with our videos! If you haven’t already, be sure to visit YoyoChinese.com for over 1,000+ fantastic video lessons that we’ve structured into 6 amazing courses and built into an interactive online learning platform! 😊

[@anasmirza346]

.Literally the most helpful video. I've been learning for 2 years and this makes things clearer.

[@techcontinuum7421]

You're an amazing teacher! This is the best explanation of 3rd tones and connecting them to other tones that I have ever heard!

[@emmaw4131]

This makes so much sense! Thank you!

[@anonikamous]

This is the simplest and best explanation of Chinese tones I've come across. Thank you!!

[@YoyoChinese]

Thank you for the positive feedback! I really believe with clear explanations (and practice!), anyone can find success making these sounds. 加油 (jiā yóu)!

[@patryksliwa3425]

My Chinese Teacher teached me that rule but only when 3rd tone has 1,2,4 or neutral tone word behind itself. In other cases 3rd is just 3rd (of course except 3+3 because its = 2+3)

[@monsundo1376]

+Patryk Śliwa That seems to be correct

[@sakurairuna4201]

+Patryk Śliwa She said the exactly same thing in the video.

[@snowass6187]

I think what he's saying is at 10:18 in ni hao she makes the hao a low tone but it should be pronounced like a textbook (or isolated) 3rd tone? Since there is no character after hao?

[@gregolah8225]

I love how you simplify the tonals. I've tried different software, books, and audio. I've spent quite a bit of time in Hong Kong and China and could pick up the tones in both Cantonese and Mandarin. But, I could not understand the third tone. What books explain, just didn't match to native speakers. Thank you so much for explaining it as a native speaker! This lesson did a FANTASTIC job! I love your lessons!

[@YoyoChinese]

Hi Greg! This is my absolute favorite kind of feedback! When you've been struggling to learn Chinese for a long time, trying all kinds of different resources, it can feel totally hopeless. I love that I helped you have a breakthrough with the tones - a huge hurdle for Mandarin students. 加油 (jiā yóu)!

[@nataliedrescher553]

This teacher is awesome! Her way of explaning 3rd tone is absolutely groundbreaking! Thanks a lot!

[@jacobpreston5878]

Thank you so much for making these videos. These are incredibly helpful. The energy you bring to each video gets me pumped too!

[@YoyoChinese]

不客气 (bù kè qì) - you’re welcome - we're glad you enjoyed this lesson! If you like our approach to teaching Chinese, check out our Beginner Conversational Course on YoyoChinese.com. Level 1 is FREE: goo.gl/JTGNNs 😊

[@thefakejanetjackson9442]

Hey thank you for the videos :) I am going to china late this summer and have just started trying to learn Chinese. I thought I was doing a good job with accents/tones by just imitating chinese speakers, and then when I learned more about tones, especially 3rd tone, it made it a lot more challenging. Learning about how the 3rd tone is really pronounced explains alot about the differences between what I've heard and what I was learning. Thanks

[@noakim5676]

It has been a decade almost but this video just helped me too much

[@YoyoChinese]

Hello Now! So glad you are enjoying learning Chinese with our videos! If you haven’t already, be sure to visit YoyoChinese.com for over 1,000+ fantastic video lessons that we’ve structured into 6 amazing courses and built into an interactive online learning platform! 😊

[@noakim5676]

@@YoyoChinese thank u for answering

[@ahmedabdelmotey3875]

best person ever to explain tones, thank you so much for this

[@YoyoChinese]

Thank you for the positive feedback! I really believe clear explanations for everything you are learning - even how to make these sounds - is the key to making progress and really feeling comfortable speaking Chinese. If you like these sample lessons here on our KZbin channel, you can try the first 5 units of the Beginner Conversational Course on our website for free to see if you want to study with us. Start here with Lesson 1: goo.gl/JTGNNs

[@acelyaaksoy6242]

You're absolutely the best Chinese teacher! :) Keep it up.

[@mariai7822]

Thank you so much! I'm a Russian student, but it was easy for me to understand and remember! You are a very good teacher!

[@user-lo5kt4kn5q]

对不起，yoyo，我不能赞同你的观点。在词或者句子里的三声，还是需要变调的，比如：喜欢。只是它因语流音变变成了半三声，而且读起来比较快，但是绝对是有变调的，而不是您图片里所展示的low and flat的。我还是不能被说服，如果您有更好的文章来解说，恳请您把链接发给我，十分感谢！

[@ZONKAMANIA]

I'm really finding your explanation of tones to be one of the better explanations and it has really really helped me begin to grasp an understanding of how to hear/listen and sound the correct tone! Thanks for all your hardwork, dedication and fun learning!

[@YoyoChinese]

Hi Eric! Thank you for the positive feedback! 加油 (jiā yóu)!

[@d-deries3419]

Very helpful for me. I was not sure how to pronounce the third tone but now I am very clear about the third tone. I will recommend you if who want to learn chines. Thank you so much Yangyang Cheng :)

[@YoyoChinese]

Thank you for the positive feedback... I really appreciate it! For more help with the 3rd tone, check out this blog post "How to Pronounce the 3rd Tone Like a Native Speaker: bit.ly/2O9KP5D

[@navyogita5383]

Thanks for this video,I was having problem with learning third tone words,very useful :) Lǎoshī, xièxiè

[@manveennagpal6088]

Bro apne no. Dedo learning chinese need your help!

[@fabriciomikalajunas5017]

hey Yangyang, firstly I want to thank you for this incredible job teaching Chinese.... has been 5 weeks I am studying and when you said that people can pronounce the 3th tone in different ways when we have 3, 4 or more words together my mind just blew up 😵😵 I really like to learn this marvelous language and I hope to be able to understand when Chinese people use this rule because I am worried right now, I am reading better but in the listening part, I am completely lost, as a foreigner I want to watch interviews, shows or simple videos without any problem but I am just in the beginning, I hope to increase my skills with your videos, have a good week 🤗🤗

[@lilthlee6022]

I am beginning of beginner of beginning and this is my first video of yours I have been wanting to learn Mandarin or Chinese for so long you the way you teach is amazing I was so enthralled you're very good teacher please keep up the great work I'm going to continue to watch your videos and learning more and hopefully speak fluent Chinese and Mandarin

[@cheyomi]

Thanks for explaining this. I always wondered where the "rising" sound went when listening to people speak mandarin. :)

[@magicale940]

I'm 8 years later but this video is the one that truly helped me, 谢谢老师😭

[@celestialknight2339]

1:39 🤣🤣🤣🤣 I knew you wanted to say that hahaha, great video. Xie Xie ni

[@bonniekam8305]

Thanks Yang Yang!

[@ChrisBadges]

One of the few videos out there watching many many times. Thank you, Yanyang!

[@LJnandSrada]

Thank you for this video. I was very confused. I would hear what our teacher said was the third tone, but it didn't sound right. It sounded like you told us is the way the tone actually sounds instead of how he told us it should sound. You have helped me a great deal. Thank you, again.

[@YoyoChinese]

+Antau L'Jn Yay! We're so happy that the 3rd tone makes sense to you now! :)

[@MrExadidas]

Thanks for making this pronounciation easier for us.

[@Felbssmusic]

Thank you so so so so much for this. Explained brilliantly.

[@shahfuddinshukor1994]

This video is so helpful! Thank you so much

[@qbox4277]

I have been confused for quite a while now. But having seen your videos has just swept all that confusion. Your explanation is mind blowing. I couldn't be more thankful.

[@YoyoChinese]

+Jay Joven Amazing, Jay! It's such a pleasure to help make sense of Chinese for you! Let us know if you ever run into anything that we don't cover here! :) Happy studies.

[@andrewhoffmann2077]

Teaching myself Chinese and your videos have been a lifesaver

[@YoyoChinese]

So glad we can help you learn this language! If you haven't read it yet, check out this blog post we wrote with tips for successful self-study: goo.gl/Edwpuu 加油 (jiā yóu)! 😊

[@andrewhoffmann2077]

Great! 谢谢!

[@nayyabenayat7075]

You are amazing teacher!

[@goldtheone]

I tell you, you have uncovered the Pandora's box! Now I know how to pronounce the third tone. thank you from Italy

[@birdkako7290]

難怪老外講話都怪怪的，原來他們都把第三聲講完，太好玩啦haha

[@douglasnewman4163]

So good! Incredibly helpful. Thank you so much!

[@235degrees]

thank you very much fou your very useful tips, i am learning chinese and this video is really great.

[@YoyoChinese]

235degrees You're welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@quienesxu]

Thank you for this lesson, very helpful. 您 很 那么 美丽

[@YoyoChinese]

不客气 (bù kè qì)! If you like the sample lessons here on our KZbin channel, you can try the first 20 lessons of the Beginner Conversational Course on our website for free to see if you want to study with us. Start here with Lesson 1: goo.gl/JTGNNs

[@ashleyaguirre7339]

Amazing explanation and examples thank you so much laoshi!!

[@Smidztv]

Hello Yangyang, i love your videos, my girlfriend is Chinese, she speaks perfect English, but i've always wanted to learn a new language, so i thought this is a great opportunity, i eventually want to surprise her when i can speak fluent Chinese, hehe, would be fantastic to see how surprised she would be, anyways back on topic, i think you're a fantastic teacher and you're also very beautiful, thank you for your great content :)

[@amandaliu7439]

No wonder I thought that I don't say the 3rd tones, it sounds like the second tone to me when I speak it!!!

[@rei0go50]

Thank you very much! I always mess up with the third tone. :3

[@francescosalvi4888]

Hi, I want to thank you for this lesson which really open my mind... I noticed that there is similar sound between the third tone and the neutral in bisyllabic words... for example the word 电脑 or 机场, when they are pronounced fastly... So I wonder if there is difference between the 3° tone and 5° tone in words such as 电脑, 地方, 机场 ... Hope you really can reply and solve this nightmare for me, and if you really can I will join your courses for sure!!

[@ericrichard4940]

What an excellent teacher

[@affordableballroom5789]

You are wonderful! Thank you, Yangyang!!

[@elenik845]

Finally understood the third tone, thanks so much!

[@YoyoChinese]

加油 (jiā yóu)!

[@luisarauz5609]

great channel, I wish you created your channel 5 years ago when I took Chinese in 12th grade...

[@kfir_krak]

这个课非常帮我! 感谢!

[@LiLiyan121]

Thanks your the best teacher I've found seriously, and I feel happy that I finally found someone's font is as bad as I am I get you girl ahahhaha no offense but it's just like my font awh I feel relieved, and jaiyo keep teaching your the best !!~

[@saiphenay]

Aw! This video is so helpful. Thankssss

[@YoyoChinese]

Thank you for the positive feedback... I really appreciate it! Tones are not as difficult as you'd think when you get clear explanations. If you like these sample lessons, I hope you'll check out our full courses on YoyoChinese.com. You can try the first units of any for free, so you’ve got nothing to lose. Sign up now and check it out: goo.gl/XcnV8r

[@benjamincai4901]

Wonderful lesson very enlightening

[@YoyoChinese]

Thank you for the positive feedback... I really appreciate it!

[@TheWindycityguy]

Thank you for the video. I love a lot of words to practice from your video.

[@piercelong6016]

Thanks so much! Now I have some kind of idea on saying (Not hearing) tones!

[@musicwithhasala8033]

it was very helpful...thanks❤

[@petersudden3836]

Amazing video! Thanks so much :D

[@joofbing]

Wow this is awesome! I'm trying teach my friend the 3rd tone but so far no progress. This video helps! Brilliant!

[@murrrr8288]

Where is the other video on more than three 3rd tones in row? Thanks this is the best video I've seen about the topic!!

[@YoyoChinese]

Check out the other lessons (1,000+ videos with 10,000+ flashcards and quiz questions) here on our website: goo.gl/XcnV8r

[@sebthi7890]

my tip to understand the sound of the third tone is: listen to Oprah Winfrey, she is the queen of the third tone. She cultivated the fashionable way of talking called vocal fry. This sound is produced with an activity of the so called false vocal folds. Sounds complicate and it is little tricky for a non American speaker... good luck... listen to Oprah and try it 😄

[@khursheedali1000]

I like you your all video

[@juliandhimasprayoga7397]

U deserve more subscriber 😣

[@minak.992]

That lesson was really helpful. Thank you so much. Keep going on with the good word. Wô aì xué hanyû.

[@YoyoChinese]

Thank you for the positive feedback... I really appreciate it! If you like the sample lessons here on our social media, you can sign up on our website and try the first 20 lessons of the Beginner Conversational Course for free to see if you want to study with us. Start here with Lesson 1: goo.gl/JTGNNs

[@akiraikura]

very interesting way of learning...using curves...

[@antiquesoftheorient9014]

Amazing! Many thanks I am a new fan.

[@YoyoChinese]

We're glad you are enjoying learning Chinese with us! Level 1 (40+ lessons) of our Beginner Conversational Course is FREE, so start now with Lesson 1: goo.gl/57UzGM

[@londonbustourview]

The explanation on the 3rd tone is very interesting. Indeed, there seem to be a difference between / changes occuring from what's on the official text book and what's been in use in real life. It does not mean the text books are wrong, maybe the linguists and their researches has to catch up with reality. The tones of Chinese language today might have evolved a bit since 1958 when pinyin was officially set up for the first time. The point is the native speakers aren't that sensitive to their own language''s changes, campared to sensitive and sharp learners of/from other languages. Worth noticing point about the 3rd tone.

[@thomasbonsack2565]

Thank you very much!!! Your videos help a lot!!!

[@YoyoChinese]

Thank you for the positive feedback! When you are starting to learn Mandarin, it really helps to get clear explanations of how to pronounce all these sounds and tones, and how the grammar works. If you like these sample lessons on our KZbin channel, I hope you'll check out our full courses on YoyoChinese.com. Focusing your studies on a structured course that builds up your skills in the right order is the key to finding success learning Chinese. 🚀 You can try the first units of any of our courses on YoyoChinese.com for free, so you’ve got nothing to lose. Sign up now and check it out: goo.gl/XcnV8r

[@thomasbonsack2565]

@@YoyoChinese thank you so much, I will take a look. I am learning chinese all on my own. Without teachet or school. I don't have any problems doing HSK3 or 4 exams, but for these exams you don't need to speak. In December I wanted to give it a try and do the HSKK intermediate. Lets see how I perform 😉😉!!! Thank you again and greetings from Spain

[@YoyoChinese]

You can do it... 加油 (jiā yóu)!

[@thomasbonsack2565]

@@YoyoChinese well I promise I will do my very best... It will be funny and a great experience as well... as long as I dont say any bad words by accident! 😉

[@andrekurniawan9202]

I learn something new today, you are such a good teacher :)

[@YoyoChinese]

Thank you for the positive feedback. I'm glad I'm helping you learn Mandarin... 加油 (jiā yóu)! 😊

[@shiro1hi757]

That's very helpful!

[@sorbunsong6934]

thank u so much❤️

[@ellevehaler1758]

YOU ARE THE BEST TEACHER!!

[@YoyoChinese]

Thank you for the positive feedback... I really appreciate it! 😊

[@UnveiledMoonlight]

谢谢

[@tardistardis8]

你很好老师，谢谢。

[@josetadeuangeli3522]

very good

[@kaktotak8267]

So basically 3rd tone is like one of those dropped notes in blues and metal, and the fancy temporal pattern is only there to emphasize that it's low.

[@animated780]

your way of teaching is very beautiful like you.

[@LiLiyan121]

Really I was losing hope when I was trying to understand pinyin and someone who thought me the tones and I couldn't realize the difference between them I thought I won't speak Chinese whoever now because of you I can read and write in pinyin and I understand and speak the tones kinda cause I asked a question down there in Jeremy S. Comment please answer me ;-; comments

[@hoshirawr]

Thank you so much! 谢谢! Great work, it's so helpful! Now I'm off to practise! :3

[@polyglotuniversity9114]

We approve of this video.

[@tarpintarpin5626]

THANKS

[@YesuAiNimen]

The very beginning of this video confirmed what I already knew just from paying attention to natural Mandarin conversation. The third tone gets "half assed" and I always wondered because I would learn a new word that uses 3rd tone and practice it as faithfully as I could, but then I would hear my girlfriend not use it that way herself, but then she would CORRECT ME when I did what she did!

[@YoyoChinese]

That’s awesome that you picked up on the nuance of the third tone all by yourself! 💪🏼 Most Chinese teachers fail to teach this clearly, but we really worked hard to make sure our lessons cover this well and help our learners develop native-like pronunciation. 😊👍🏼

[@muthlong8823]

THANK. YOU. SO MUCH. MSS. YANG. YANG. FOR. TEACH. ME. IN. CHINESE,I AM. VERY. ,HAVE. A GREAT. DAY. SEE YOU,,

[@jovanrodriguez7796]

Amazing