Sandhi in real speech

Priority rules

Master three beginner rules: tone-3 + tone-3, 不 before tone 4, and 一 before different tones.

You will still see dictionary tones in writing; spoken forms follow sandhi.

These three rules cover a huge share of early listening.

Third-tone chains

你好、很好、很早、可以 are daily drills.

Say them in greeting speed, not only citation speed.

If three tone-3s chain, apply rules left-to-right in learner practice and listen to models.

不 and 一 in sentences

Put sandhi into full lines: 我不是老师。我们一起去。

Isolation drills alone will not transfer—finish with sentences.

Mark sandhi in your notes while speaking.

Listening transfer

In dialogues, listen for bú and ní rather than waiting for textbook isolation tones.

Shadow café and classmate reads with sandhi awareness.

When confused, check whether a sandhi rule applies before assuming you misheard the word.

Practice tips

• Shadow short phrases, not only isolated syllables.
• When in doubt in slow practice, still apply the big three sandhi rules.
• Finish every tone session with 2–3 full sandhi sentences.
• Revisit 你好 / 不是 / 一个 daily for a month.