Free Mandarin pronunciation checker
Free Chinese Pronunciation Test: check every word you say
Read five short Mandarin sentences aloud, with pinyin under each one, or type any word you want to check. You get a score for every word, an overall score with accuracy, fluency and completeness, and a list of words to practise first.
Read this aloud:
我妈妈想买一匹马，可是马太贵了。
Pronunciation: Wǒ māma xiǎng mǎi yì pǐ mǎ, kěshì mǎ tài guì le.
Listen for: The four tones (mā, mǎ, mà)
Tap to record
Your recording is sent securely for scoring and is not stored by Flalingo.
Scores come from a standard native-speaker model for this language, so regional accents may score a little lower.
How to check your Chinese pronunciation
Each sentence in this Chinese pronunciation test is built around something learners find hard: the four tones, third-tone changes, aspirated consonants, zh, ch, sh and r, and the ü sound. Read it aloud and a speech model trained on native Mandarin speakers compares every word you say with the text.
You get an overall score from 0 to 100, plus accuracy, fluency and completeness. Every word gets its own score, so you can see which ones sound off and start there. You can also type your own Chinese text, up to 160 characters, and check it the same way.
How the test works
Read five sentences aloud
Each sentence is short and built around sounds that learners of this language find hard. You can also type your own text, up to 160 characters, or tap one of the hard words to try.
AI scores every word
A speech-assessment model trained on native speakers compares what you say with the text. It scores accuracy, fluency and completeness from 0 to 100, and gives every word its own score.
Get your report
Each word is coloured by how close it was, and you see a short list of words to practise first. Record a sentence again to check your progress, then share your score with a friend.
The hardest parts of Mandarin pronunciation
The four tones and the neutral tone
Every syllable has a tone, and the tone changes the meaning: 妈 mā (mother) is high and level, 麻 má (hemp) rises, 马 mǎ (horse) dips low, and 骂 mà (to scold) falls. Some syllables are short and light with no tone of their own, like the second ma in 妈妈 māma or 了 le.
Third-tone changes
When two third tones meet, the first one becomes a rising second tone: 你好 nǐ hǎo is said ní hǎo. Before other tones, the third tone usually stays low without rising again. 一 yī and 不 bù change their tones too, depending on the next syllable.
Aspirated and unaspirated consonants
In pinyin, b, d, g, j, z and zh are unaspirated: no puff of air, even though they look like voiced English sounds. P, t, k, q, c and ch come with a strong puff. Compare 爸 bà (dad) and 怕 pà (to fear), or 肚 dù (belly) and 兔 tù (rabbit).
zh, ch, sh and r
For zh, ch, sh and r, curl your tongue tip up toward the roof of your mouth, just behind the ridge: 这 zhè, 吃 chī, 是 shì, 人 rén. For j, q and x the tongue stays flat, with the tip behind your lower teeth, so 是 shì and 戏 xì sound clearly different. Pinyin r is closer to the s in 'pleasure' than to English R.
The ü sound
Ü is an 'ee' said with tightly rounded lips: 女 nǚ (woman), 绿 lǜ (green), 鱼 yú (fish). After j, q, x and y the dots are left out in pinyin, so 去 qù and 学 xué also have ü, not u. Keep your tongue in the 'ee' position and move only your lips.
What your pronunciation score means
| Score | Level | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 90–100 | Excellent | Your words are clear and close to a native speaker. Try longer or harder sentences to keep improving. |
| 75–89 | Good | Easy to understand. A few words still stand out, so practise them one at a time. |
| 60–74 | Fair | Mostly understandable, but people may ask you to repeat some words. Start with the words in your practice list. |
| 0–59 | Needs work | Some words may be misunderstood. Slow down, practise the flagged words on their own, then say them in short phrases. |
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is this Chinese pronunciation checker?
It uses a speech-assessment model trained on native Mandarin speakers. The model lines up your recording with the text, scores every word for accuracy and rates your fluency and completeness. It scores each word as a whole and does not show a separate tone score. Look for words that get flagged again and again rather than worrying about one low score.
Which Chinese does the test use?
The test uses standard Mandarin Chinese (Putonghua) as spoken in mainland China, with simplified characters. It does not test Cantonese or other Chinese languages. If you learned Mandarin in Taiwan, a few words may score slightly lower where the standard pronunciation differs.
How can I improve my Chinese pronunciation?
Learn tones in pairs of syllables, not one by one, because that is how you will hear and say them. Practise aspirated pairs like b and p, and the zh, ch, sh versus j, q, x contrast. Read aloud with pinyin every day, copy native audio and retake the test to see which words improve.
Is the Chinese pronunciation test free?
Yes. The test and the word checker are free and you don't need an account. To keep it free for everyone, there is a small daily limit on checks.
Are Chinese tones hard to learn?
Tones feel strange at first if your language does not have them, but most learners can hear and make all four within a few weeks of regular practice. The harder part is keeping them right in fast, connected speech. Practise common two-syllable words and short phrases, and exaggerate the tones at first.
What is the difference between j, q, x and zh, ch, sh?
For j, q and x the tongue is flat and the tip rests behind your lower teeth, with your lips spread as for 'ee'. For zh, ch and sh the tongue tip curls up toward the roof of the mouth. Compare 鸡 jī (chicken) and 知 zhī (to know), or 西 xī (west) and 诗 shī (poem).