Find a Chinese tutor near you in Portsmouth

Mandarin has four main tones, and when two third tones appear in a row, the first one shifts to a second tone.

This is the pattern:

• The classic example is 你好 (nǐ hǎo), which becomes "ní hǎo" in natural speech.
• Words like 可以 (kěyǐ) also shift: the first tone rises to make pronunciation smoother.
• Mastering this rule helps your Mandarin sound more fluent and less robotic.

The reason: two dipping tones in sequence are awkward to pronounce, so the language naturally adjusts.

The average price for a Chinese lesson in Portsmouth is around £18/h per hour.

Prices differ depending on:

• The student's level, from complete beginner to advanced or business Chinese
• Your teacher's background, including certifications and years of experience
• How lessons are delivered, such as video calls, home visits, or classroom settings
• Session duration and how often you meet, with packages typically reducing the hourly rate

Many tutors offer the first lesson free, so you can test their teaching style before committing.

Chinese numbers 1-10 each have a single character and a distinct tone, making them straightforward to memorise.

The complete list from one to ten:

• 一 (yī) = 1, 二 (èr) = 2, 三 (sān) = 3
• Four is 四 (sì), five is 五 (wǔ), six is 六 (liù)
• Seven is 七 (qī), eight is 八 (bā), nine is 九 (jiǔ), ten is 十 (shí)

Tones matter here: mixing up sì (four) and shí (ten) changes meaning entirely.

Practise saying these aloud daily until the tones become automatic.

Chinese tutors in Portsmouth receive an average rating of 5⭐ out of 5, reflecting strong student satisfaction.

This score comes from 6 authentic student reviews.

Students often praise tutors for clear explanations of tones and characters, patience with beginners, and structured lesson plans.