SayMandarin is a free tool for checking and practicing your Chinese pronunciation and tones. It has built-in feedback from an advanced AI system. SayMandarin doesn't just give scores. It gives detailed feedback on how to improve your pronunciation.

How many times a day can I check my pronunciation?

30 times a day. Each press of the microphone button counts as one check. A five-word session counts as five checks. The counter resets every day at midnight UTC. The “Practice the four tones” trainer has no limits. You can use it even after your 30 checks are used up.

Do I need a separate microphone to use SayMandarin?

No, the built-in microphone on your computer or phone is enough.

Does SayMandarin work on my phone?

Yes, it works right in your browser. Open the site on your phone, tap the microphone, and start learning. You don't need to install a separate app.

How are you different from apps that give a score?

We don't give one overall score. We give you a plan. The breakdown shows what we heard in each syllable, sound, and tone, and ends with two or three steps based on your mistakes. Most steps have a link to an exercise or guide.

I've checked my pronunciation. What do I do next?

Follow the plan at the end of the breakdown. It has two or three steps on the sounds and tones you didn't get right, and most have a link to a guide or exercise. If there are no mistakes, the plan will suggest reading whole sentences aloud.

My browser is asking for microphone access. Is that safe?

Yes. The browser asks for permission so the site can hear you when you click the microphone. You can turn off access at any time in your browser settings.

I'm a complete beginner. Is it too early for me?

Just the opposite: this is the best time. It's critical to build your pronunciation foundation at the start, because relearning later will be very painful.

Where does my voice go? Do you store the recording?

The microphone turns on only after you click the button. In the “Practice the four tones” trainer, your voice is analyzed right in your browser and never leaves it. For all other checks, the recording and the text you were supposed to say are sent through our server to our partner, who returns the result. We don't store recordings.

🎤 Your AI pronunciation coach

Fix Your

Chinese Pronunciation

Get a personal learning plan and a set of exercises in one minute!

1Press the microphone and read the five example words aloud.
2Get AI feedback on your pronunciation and tones.
3Practice with exercises that help you work on your pronunciation mistakes. Free, no sign-up needed.

We don’t store your voice recordings.

1minute

to get your learning plan

Read five words with pinyin

1,000

sentences to practice your pronunciation

With feedback on every sound

396

syllables in the pinyin chart

Click a syllable and say it

∞

Chinese tone practice

No limits, works right in your browser

Made by someone who learned Chinese as an adult

Why I created SayMandarin

My name is Tony. I graduated from Beijing Language and Culture University. I’ve been teaching Chinese since 2015 and have worked at several Chinese companies.

After graduating from university, I left China and now work in another country. There are no native Chinese speakers around me, and I have little time for Chinese lessons with a teacher. A couple of months ago, I noticed that my Chinese pronunciation was getting worse because I wasn’t getting enough practice or feedback from native speakers.

My students had the same problem: they practiced a lot, but no one could give them feedback and assess how well they were pronouncing Chinese tones. Chinese friends are usually too polite to correct foreigners’ pronunciation, and lessons with a teacher aren’t always convenient.

So I created SayMandarin: a tool that already helps me and my students easily practice Chinese pronunciation and tones. Now it’s available to everyone, and I hope it can help you too.

Tony in a graduation gown next to a statue of Confucius — Me at my graduation from Beijing Language and Culture University, 2018

Why my method works

school Started from zero, with no ear for music

At first, Chinese people chuckled at my pronunciation, but about five years after I started learning, I was working at Chinese companies in Beijing and comfortably leading meetings in Chinese. Chinese has been part of my life since 2012. I spent five of those years (2014-2019) living in China.

record_voice_over Built by a learner, not a native speaker

I know exactly what difficulties foreigners face when learning Chinese because I’ve been through it myself. I built my product with as many of these struggles and obstacles in mind as possible.

handshake My experience plus AI

I don’t put an “AI” label on the product for trends or for marketing. I’m tired of the endless stream of mindlessly generated AI content too. My goal is different: to combine my own experience with new technology to make learning easier, and not only effective but also warm and human. Before I publish any content or feature on the site, I personally check it and test it on myself and my students first.

You’ll get

Detailed feedback from your personal AI coach, who helps you improve your Chinese pronunciation and tones every day

SayMandarin doesn’t just rate your pronunciation. It explains where you made a mistake and how to say it correctly. It picks exercises and guides for you based on your specific situation.

We give you a plan, not just a score

Two or three learning tips based on the sounds and tones you had the most trouble with. Many of the tips include direct links to guides with detailed explanations of the theory and tools for practice (this section is constantly updated).

Your plan

Fix sh → s. It slipped on 2 words. zh, ch, sh: how to pull the tongue back →
Tone 3 keeps coming out as 2. Train your tones in pairs, 20 minutes a day →
Then say it inside a whole sentence. Practice reading sentences out loud →

Tips on how to fix a sound

We don’t just show you the mistake. Most sound errors come with a short tip on what to do with your tongue, lips, or breath.

Lift the tip of your tongue a little higher and further back. Aim just behind the ridge above your top teeth. No need to curl it.

A small daily habit

Your plan works best with a little practice each day. About 10 minutes on tones and sounds, plus a guide now and then, can help you see progress sooner.

Check→Plan→Practice→Check again

More useful resources

Start exploring our tools for practicing Chinese pronunciation by reading one syllable. If you practice every day, you’ll soon be able to read Chinese sentences fluently with the right intonation, a clear rhythm, and correct tones.

Read in Chinese

Read short Chinese sentences aloud and get a detailed breakdown of your pronunciation and tones. Free, no sign-up needed.

Try it

Practice the four tones

Say a tone and get a diagram showing which tone you said. Unlimited exercises.

Try it

Tone pair chart

An interactive chart of basic Chinese words for practicing tone combinations. Suitable for HSK levels 1 to 3.

Try it

How to pronounce zh, ch, sh

A guide to pronouncing difficult sounds. Learn how to move your tongue to get the sounds right. Put the theory into practice by saying words into the microphone.

Try it

A guide to pronouncing the syllable xu and the difficult sound ü

An interactive chart where you can practice pronouncing xu in the most common Chinese words.

Try it

Relax your jaw!

I explain why a tense jaw holds your pronunciation back and offer exercises for practice.

Try it

More guides: Chinese tones Mandarin pronunciation

The tools on this site will be especially useful to you if:

You studied Chinese for a while, then spoke to a Chinese person for the first time, and they didn’t understand you or kept asking you to repeat yourself. It was unpleasant, and you don’t want it to happen again.
You’re learning Chinese on your own and don’t always know where to go next. You don’t always have time for lessons with a teacher, but you need ongoing pronunciation checks and regular practice of Chinese sounds and tones, with feedback.
You’re studying Chinese at a university (in your own country or in China). You don’t always get enough attention from your teacher in class, and you want to improve your pronunciation to do well on exams and stand out among your classmates.
You’re preparing for the HSKK speaking test and worry that you haven’t had much practice yet and your pronunciation isn’t good enough. You’re using outdated practice tools that don’t give you feedback.

Frequently asked questions

What is SayMandarin?
SayMandarin is a free tool for checking and practicing your Chinese pronunciation and tones. It has built-in feedback from an advanced AI system. SayMandarin doesn’t just give scores. It gives detailed feedback on how to improve your pronunciation.
How many times a day can I check my pronunciation?
30 times a day. Each press of the microphone button counts as one check. A five-word session counts as five checks. The counter resets every day at midnight UTC. The “Practice the four tones” trainer has no limits. You can use it even after your 30 checks are used up.
Do I need a separate microphone to use SayMandarin?
No, the built-in microphone on your computer or phone is enough.
Does SayMandarin work on my phone?
Yes, it works right in your browser. Open the site on your phone, tap the microphone, and start learning. You don’t need to install a separate app.
How are you different from apps that give a score?
We don’t give one overall score. We give you a plan. The breakdown shows what we heard in each syllable, sound, and tone, and ends with two or three steps based on your mistakes. Most steps have a link to an exercise or guide.
I’ve checked my pronunciation. What do I do next?
Follow the plan at the end of the breakdown. It has two or three steps on the sounds and tones you didn’t get right, and most have a link to a guide or exercise. If there are no mistakes, the plan will suggest reading whole sentences aloud.
My browser is asking for microphone access. Is that safe?
Yes. The browser asks for permission so the site can hear you when you click the microphone. You can turn off access at any time in your browser settings.
I’m a complete beginner. Is it too early for me?
Just the opposite: this is the best time. It’s critical to build your pronunciation foundation at the start, because relearning later will be very painful.
Where does my voice go? Do you store the recording?
The microphone turns on only after you click the button. In the “Practice the four tones” trainer, your voice is analyzed right in your browser and never leaves it. For all other checks, the recording and the text you were supposed to say are sent through our server to our partner, who returns the result. We don’t store recordings.