The Mandarin language has 21 consonants and 16 vowels. They can be combined together to create more than 400 mono-syllabic sounds.
Many of the sounds of Mandarin are not used in English. Although they may be similar to English, you should try to hear the differences and work on getting the correct pronunciation.
Here is a chart of the 37 sounds of Mandarin with a sound clip of each. Practice these as much as you can – they will provide the foundation for proper Mandarin pronunciation.
