Pinyin for parents who never learned it

Short answer: pinyin is a pronunciation guide, not a second language. You only need four tone shapes and about six letters that differ from English. Read the pinyin as if it were Italian, not English.

The four tones

First tone is high and flat (mā). Second tone rises (má). Third tone dips and rises (mǎ). Fourth tone falls sharply (mà). The mark is printed above the vowel, so you never have to guess.

Letters that surprise English readers

• c = “ts” as in cats
• q = “ch” with a smile
• x = “sh” with a smile
• zh = “j” as in judge
• r = softer than English r
• ü = “ee” with rounded lips

How to read a Little NiHao page

Point at the pinyin above the character, say the syllable, then read the English line to confirm the meaning. Do not translate word by word. The illustration carries the sentence.

What to do when you are not sure

Skip it and keep the story moving. A slightly wrong tone on page 4 is less harmful than stopping the story. The same word will come back in another book.