The%20following%20consonants:%20p,%20f,%20t,%20k,%20h,%20q,%20x,%20c,%20s,%20ch%20and%20sh%20are%20aspirated%20sounds.%20If%20you%20put%20your%20palm%20in%20front%20of%20your%20mouth%20when%20you%20are%20reading%20out%20these%20letters,%20you%20will%20feel%20the%20air%20being%20exhaled.%20Read%20the%20following%20consonants%20after%20me%20in%20the

1

Consonants

• The following consonants p, f, t, k, h, q, x,
  c, s, ch and sh are aspirated sounds. If you put
  your palm in front of your mouth when you are
  reading out these letters, you will feel the air
  being exhaled. Read the following consonants
  after me in the first tone - you will be
  practising your vowels as well.

2
Consonants

• bo

3
Consonants

• po

4
Consonants

• mo

5
Consonants

• fo

6
Consonants

• de

7
Consonants

• te

8
Consonants

• ne

9
Consonants

• le

10
Consonants

• ge

11
Consonants

• ke

12
Consonants

• he

13
Consonants

• ji

14
Consonants

• qi

15
Consonants

• xi

16
Consonants

• When you read out the following letters close
  your teeth, but not too tightly. Place your
  tongue so that it is just vibrating against the
  back of your upper front teeth. N.B the vowel
  i should NOT be pronounced in this case. The
  (here soundless) letter i is placed after z, c
  and s in written Pinyin as a vehicle for
  indicating the tones.

17
Consonants

• zi
• When you say z you should feel a buzz behind
  your upper front teeth.

18
Consonants

• ci
• Blow the air out as you make a short buzzing
  sound. Your tongue should be looser than in z.

19
Consonants

• si
• Close your teeth and blow over your tongue.

20
Consonants

• N.B the vowel i should NOT be pronounced in
  this case. The (here soundless) letter i is
  placed after zh, ch and sh in written Pinyin as a
  vehicle for indicating the tones.

21
Consonants
r

• ri
• Roll your tongue back in the roof of your
  mouth. It should just touch your hard palate as
  you say r.

22
Consonants
zh

• zhi
• Roll your tongue back in the roof of your
  mouth. The tip of your tongue should stay
  pressing up towards your hard palate. Squeeze the
  air out over your tongue.

23
Consonants
ch

• chi
• Roll your tongue back in the roof of your mouth.
  The tip of your tongue should stay pressing up
  towards your hard palate. Blow the air out over
  your tongue, making a slightly harder sound than
  in zhi.

24
Consonants

• shi
• Roll your tongue back in the roof of your
  mouth so that it just touches your hard palate as
  you say sh.

sh