How did you learn pinyin?

[mayi]

How did you learn it, what is the best way you think that works, and what is the most consfuing part to you?

[mtokudome]

@mayi What aspect of pinyin are you specifically asking about?  To be able to read it? or pronounce it? etc.

 

There are some good free resources out there.  Here's a good list from hackingchinese.com

If you use iOS, there are some good apps as well:

Pinyin Trainer

AllSet Learning Pinyin

 

[AaronUK]

I used an app called Pin Pin on the Apple App Store. It has a ladies voice and goes through all of the sounds in each tone. It does require in app purchase to unlock all levels and male voice, that was about .99 in uk so not expensive.

 

Its useful since it has explanations for the sounds that might be difficult for English speakers.

 

I do feel beginning learning pinyin sounds in this way is a path to good pronunciation as although romanised alphabet is used, pronunciations do differ.  

 

The app has the benefits that once downloaded it’s offline and it also puts similar sounding syllables together to try and help you differentiate them. I wouldn’t be surprised if the online free resources are just as good if offline accessibility isn’t important for you.

[889]

If your native language doesn't use the roman alphabet -- Russian, Arabic, Korean, etc. -- then your Pinyin study techniques will probably be different.

[陳德聰]

Yeah I think as a literate English speaker, I got a lot of pinyin "for free", such that I never had to actively drill anything. Just made a mental note about z, c, zh, and x and the rest was trial and error. I remember the first pinyin test in my first class I literally just winged it and I think I got 問 wèn wrong because I spelled it "wùn" and that moment basically solidified how pinyin 'e' sounds most of the time.

[gwr71]

i used www.yoyochinese.com it has a pin yin chart with the voice of the moderator.

[Zbigniew]

I think I pretty well mastered Pinyin in the first week of learning. The only thing that gave me continued difficulty was the final "e". My pinyin guide forgot to mention that the "e" sound in 也 is different from what it is in 了, for example.

[gwr71]

for me is the c like cuo or cong.  even today I am troubled.