All you need to know is how to pronounce the consonents (initials) and vowels (finals) in the Chinese language. Initials (声母) are like consonants and finals (韵母) are like vowels. But there are compound finals (复韵母) where a "medial" is paired with the final, such as:
Initial Final
m a = ma 马
m ai = mai 买
For this post, I will dispense with medials, you don't need to care. Just think of everything as either a simple or complex final. We start with initials, with many of them having no equivalents in English. Consider this complete set:
b p m f d t n l g k h j q x zh ch sh r z c s w y
b as in bai = purse your lips and let the sound out as if you are making a bubble. This "b" is not pronounced as in English "bat" as that would be a hard "b"
p, m, f = exactly as you would pronounce them in English "pen", "men" and "fish"
d as in dai = again unaspirated t as in stop, let out the sound without saying it as in "dog"
t, n, l = exactly as you would pronounce in English "ten", "nine", "love"
g as in gong = unaspirated k, as in skill, and not as in girl
k, h = exactly as in English "kite" and "house"
j as in jie = no English equivalent; in the English "j" (as in Joe), your lips are rounded, instead you make a smile with jaws clamped in the Chinese "j"
q as in qi = No equivalent in English. Like cheek, with the lips spread wide with ee. Curl the tip of the tongue downwards to stick it at the back of the teeth and strongly aspirate. Note that "qü " would sound more like the English "ch"
x as in xi = No equivalent in English. Like she, with the lips spread and the tip of your tongue curled downwards and stuck to the back of teeth when you say ee.
zh as in zhi = No equivalent, like the "j" in joke except unaspirated
ch and sh = exactly as in English "chair" and "share"
r and s = exactly as in English "rat" and "sit"
z as in zi = No equivalent, similar to suds in a toneless syllable
c as in ci = No equivalent, similar to the German "z" as in "zwei"
w and y = exactly as in English "water" and "you"
The only syllable-final consonants in Standard Chinese are -n and -ng, and -r, which is attached as a grammatical suffix.
nan 男
neng 能
er 二
Here come the finals (vowels). Vowels or "finals" are pretty easy, with the exception of the ü sound which does not exist in the English language. The thing about finals is when you stick a "y" or "w" in front, they sound different, we could call them exceptions if you like. Here's what I mean:
i as in ci, ri, zi, zhi, shi, chi, si = No equivalent, similar to the German "oe" except your mouth is not so open
Exception: yi is pronounced "yee"
a = just like "father" (paired with the initials b p m f d t n l g k h zh ch sh r z c s w y)
e = just like the French and German "e" except stretched, like "duh" (paired with the initials d t n l g k h zh ch sh r z c s)
Exception: ye is pronounced "yeh"
ai = like the English "eye" (paired with b p m d t n l g k h zh ch sh z c s w)
ei as in hei = like the English "hey" (paired with b p m f d n l g h z w)
ao as in bao = like "cow" (paired with b p m d t n l g k h zh ch sh r z c s y)
ou = like "mow" (paired with b p m f d t n l g k h j zh ch sh r z s y)
an as in nan = like "nun" except the vowel a is stretched (paired with b p m f d t n l g k h j zh ch sh r z s)
Exception: yan is pronounced like the English "tan"
en = like "taken" (paired with b p m f n g k h zh ch sh r z c s w)
ang = like the German "angst" (paired with b p m f d t n l g k h zh ch sh r z c s w y)
eng as in peng = like "ung" (paired with b p m f d t n l g k h j q x zh ch sh r z c s w)
er = on its own, not paired with any initials
ia as in jia, qia and xia = like the English "yeah"
ie as in bie = like the English "yeh" (paired with b p m d t n l j q x)
iao as in biao = like the English "meow" (paired with b p m d t n l j q x)
iu as in jiu = like the English "ewe" (paired with m d n l j q x)
ian as in bian = like the English "yen" (paired with b p m d t n l j q x)
in as in bin = like "been" (paired with b p m n l j q x y)
iang as in liang = i + ang (paired with n l j q x)
ing as in bing = i + ng (paired with b p m d t n l j q x y)
u as in bu = like "boo" (paired with b p m f d t n l g k h zh ch sh r z c s w)
ua as in gua = u + a (paired with g k h zh ch sh)
uo as in tuo = u + o (paired with d t n l g k h zh ch sh r z c s)
o as in bo = like above, except shorter (paired with b p m f)
uai as in kuai = u + ai (paired with g k h sh)
ui as in kui = u + ei (paired with d t g k h zh ch sh r z c)
uan as in duan = u + an (paired with d t n l g k h zh ch sh r z c s)
un as in cun = like "oon" (paired with d t n l g k h zh ch sh r z c)
uang as in huang = u + ang (paired with g k h zh ch sh)
ü as in yü = like the German "über" or French "lune"(paired with j q x and y)
ue (or üe) = ü + eh (paired with j q x and y)
uan as in yuan = ü + an like English "an" (paired with j q x y)
un as in yun = ü + n (paired with j q x y)
iong as in xiong = ee + ou + ng (paired with q and x)
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If you're not already turned off by all those consonants and vowels, you're on your way on to a great journey! I love the language, yes, I do, in spite of all those years of torture and exams. It's a beautiful, deep and subtle language that should never be ruined by stupid exams and dull teaching methods. But no matter how I resented the way we had to learn it, I am at least grateful for what it gave me in the end.
Wait till you get to China.
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