I know a bit. I'm just about to finish the second year of a part-time (it's only a couple of hours a week) course at the local uni.

I don't worry too much about the tones, but that's because we pick it up from the teacher. We just learn to say the word correctly through mimicry, rather than learning the tones in each word. I think it would take too long to do that.

Probably the best way to learn is by listening and then speaking, rather than trying to get it right following instructions from a book or website.

When you're pronouncing them, do the following:

- high, level pitch
/ start high and go higher
V start high, fall, and then rise again
\ start high and then fall

I find listening to them harder. I can't really discriminate the tones very well, so I generally go on the context in which the word is used. And when anyone speaks at anything approaching normal speed, I'm completely baffled!