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Sentence Guide

Tier 1 Practice Page

How to pronounce 我不是。 (wǒ bú shì.)

我不是。 means "I am not.". Use this guide to lock in the tone pattern, articulation target, and the mistake most learners still make.

Short answer

我不是。 is pronounced wǒ bú shì. and means "I am not.". The key target is sandhi yi bu, with the tone pattern Tone 3 + Tone 2 + Tone 4.

Why learners miss it

Learners often miss 我不是。 because many learners keep bù and miss the most common sandhi for 不.

Self-test

Record 我不是。, then check whether your pitch contour and articulation match wǒ bú shì..

Pinyin

wǒ bú shì.

Tone Pattern

Tone 3 + Tone 2 + Tone 4

Pronunciation Focus

sandhiYiBu

How to say it

Guided fix

How to shape this pronunciation

What to do

Say wǒ slowly first, then keep the target sound steady as you move through the rest of 我不是。.

What to avoid

Do not let the whole word flatten into one rushed shape. Keep the target consonant or tone contrast clear.

What to listen for

The key sound should stay distinct instead of collapsing toward the nearest easy English habit.

Quick self-check

Say wǒ bú shì. once slowly and once at normal speed. If the target sound disappears when you speed up, it is not stable yet.

Most common error

Error summary

Many learners keep bù and miss the most common sandhi for 不.

Focus area

SandhiYiBu

Difficulty

Easy

HSK Level

HSK1

Related pronunciation rules

Drill the same pattern in words

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