一 (yī) is pronounced with the first tone in a series of numbers or as part of an address or date. Otherwise, 一 becomes a fourth tone (yì). If it’s already followed by a fourth tone, it’s pronounced as a second tone (yí).
| Counting | 一、二、三、四 yī, èr, sān, sì one, two, three, four |
|---|---|
| Followed by 1st, 2nd, 3rd tone | 一点儿 yì diǎr a little bit |
| Followed by 4th tone | 一次 yí cì one time |
In English, when we say He eats slowly, the word slowly describes how he eats. To describe an action in Chinese, add 得 (de) plus an adjective right after the verb. And don’t forget that most adjectives require 很 (hěn).
你说得很快。
Nǐ shuō de hěn kuài.
You speak quickly.
我吃得很慢。
Wǒ chī de hěn màn.
I eat slowly.
他说得很好。
Tā shuō de hěn hǎo.
He speaks well.