<p>In the "我很好" (wo hen hao), you would definitely go with "3-2-3". "wo3-hen2-hao3". Say "很好" first, and then add "我" in the front, without changing the tone.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-09-14T22:58:51.067Z
2014-09-14T22:58:51.067Z
leoliang
<p>The classic sentence for multiple tone 3s is “Old Li buys good wine.”</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>老  李   買   好   酒   </p>
</blockquote>

<p>In citation form they are all tone 3s, of course:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>lao3   Li3     mai3    hao3    jiu3</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Which ones change to tone 2?  It basically depends on how fast you are speaking.  If you are speaking slowly and carefully, only the tones that are within a phrase will assimilate.  Here these are “lao Li” and “hao jiu”.  So in careful speech it would be:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>lao2   Li3 mai3    hao2    jiu3</p>
</blockquote>

<p>At a faster speed, you will have two tone 3s in a row assimilate, resulting in something like 2-2-3-2-3 or 2-3-2-2-3.  And at a really fast speed, all of them except the last will be affected:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>lao2   Li2 mai2    hao2    jiu3</p>
</blockquote>

<p>For more information see the linguistics thesis in the link below, starting at the bottom of page 6.</p>

<p><a href="http://roa.rutgers.edu/files/1063-1209/1063-LEE-0-0.PDF" rel="noreferrer">Vivian Lee MA thesis</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-09-15T02:16:51.510Z
2014-09-15T02:16:51.510Z
neubau
<p>If there are two third tones in a row, e.g. ni3hao3, the first one is pronounced as a second tone, i.e. ni3hao3=ni2hao3. At least, that's what I was told in a course. What happens with more consecutive third tones, e.g. with wo3 hen3 hao3?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-09-14T20:01:06.507Z
possible duplicate of [How does tone sandhi apply in people's names?](http://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/1875/how-does-tone-sandhi-apply-in-peoples-names) . The questions are different but the answer covers your scenario.
NS.X.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-09-14T20:19:05.117Z
In your question, the sandhi output is 'wo3 hen2 hao3' because the sentence should be parsed as wo3/hen3 hao3
user58955
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-09-15T02:47:26.660Z
I don't think this should be closed, as my answer is different from the answer in the question about names.  Anyway, it's good to have a question about the general case.  Google the sample sentence I've given and you will see that there's quite a bit of discussion by linguists on this topic.
neubau
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-09-16T02:25:43.367Z
possible duplicate of [我(也)很好 and tone sandhi](http://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/269/%e6%88%91%e4%b9%9f%e5%be%88%e5%a5%bd-and-tone-sandhi)
Claw
<tones><sandhi>
What happens with tone sandhi with consecutive third tones, e.g. wo3 hen3 hao3?
# What happens with tone sandhi with consecutive third tones, e.g. wo3 hen3 hao3?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-09-14)

If there are two third tones in a row, e.g. ni3hao3, the first one is pronounced as a second tone, i.e. ni3hao3=ni2hao3. At least, that's what I was told in a course. What happens with more consecutive third tones, e.g. with wo3 hen3 hao3?

**Tags:** tones, sandhi

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: possible duplicate of [How does tone sandhi apply in people's names?](http://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/1875/how-does-tone-sandhi-apply-in-peoples-names) . The questions are different but the answer covers your scenario.  
> **username_2**: In your question, the sandhi output is 'wo3 hen2 hao3' because the sentence should be parsed as wo3/hen3 hao3  
> **username_3**: I don't think this should be closed, as my answer is different from the answer in the question about names.  Anyway, it's good to have a question about the general case.  Google the sample sentence I've given and you will see that there's quite a bit of discussion by linguists on this topic.  
> **username_4**: possible duplicate of [我(也)很好 and tone sandhi](http://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/269/%e6%88%91%e4%b9%9f%e5%be%88%e5%a5%bd-and-tone-sandhi)  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2014-09-15. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

The classic sentence for multiple tone 3s is “Old Li buys good wine.”

> 老 李 買 好 酒

In citation form they are all tone 3s, of course:

> lao3 Li3 mai3 hao3 jiu3

Which ones change to tone 2? It basically depends on how fast you are speaking. If you are speaking slowly and carefully, only the tones that are within a phrase will assimilate. Here these are “lao Li” and “hao jiu”. So in careful speech it would be:

> lao2 Li3 mai3 hao2 jiu3

At a faster speed, you will have two tone 3s in a row assimilate, resulting in something like 2-2-3-2-3 or 2-3-2-2-3. And at a really fast speed, all of them except the last will be affected:

> lao2 Li2 mai2 hao2 jiu3

For more information see the linguistics thesis in the link below, starting at the bottom of page 6.

[Vivian Lee MA thesis](http://roa.rutgers.edu/files/1063-1209/1063-LEE-0-0.PDF)


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### Answer by username_5 on 2014-09-14. Score: 0

In the "我很好" (wo hen hao), you would definitely go with "3-2-3". "wo3-hen2-hao3". Say "很好" first, and then add "我" in the front, without changing the tone.


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