nàge shēngyīn hěn kěpà.

In Chinese, when an adjective works as the predicate, you usually do not use 是 before it.

So:

• 那个声音很可怕。 = That sound is scary.

Not:

• 那个声音是很可怕。 ✘

A useful pattern is:

• Noun + 很 + Adjective

Examples:

• 他很高。 = He is tall.
• 天气很冷。 = The weather is cold.

Chinese adjectives can act a bit like verbs, so they do not need a separate to be in this kind of sentence.

Not always. In many basic adjective sentences, 很 is often just a grammatical linker and does not have a strong very meaning.

So 那个声音很可怕 often just means:

• That sound is scary.

rather than necessarily:

• That sound is very scary.

Why? Because saying simply:

• 那个声音可怕

can sound more contrastive or emphatic, as if you mean That sound is scary (as opposed to something else).

So learners are often taught:

• 很 + adjective = the normal neutral way to make a description.

If you really want to emphasize very, you could also use words like:

• 非常可怕 = very scary
• 特别可怕 = especially scary
• 真可怕 = really scary / how scary

个 is a measure word (classifier).

In Chinese, when you use a number or a demonstrative like 这 (this) or 那 (that) before a noun, you usually need a measure word in between.

Pattern:

• 这 / 那 + measure word + noun

So:

• 那个声音 = that sound

Here:

• 那 = that
• 个 = general measure word
• 声音 = sound / voice

English says that sound, but Chinese usually needs the classifier:

• 那声音 is sometimes heard in casual speech or certain styles, but 那个声音 is the standard beginner-friendly form.

Yes. 个 is a very common general classifier, and it can be used here.

So:

• 一个声音
• 那个声音

are both natural.

Chinese does have many specific measure words, but 个 is often used as the default classifier, especially in everyday speech.

With 声音, other expressions are also possible in different contexts, but for a learner, 个 is perfectly fine and natural.

声音 can mean both sound and voice, depending on context.

In this sentence, it most naturally means:

• sound
• possibly noise
• sometimes voice, if the context is about a person speaking

For example:

• 那个声音很可怕。 could mean That sound is scary.
• If you are talking about a person’s speech, it could also mean That voice is scary.

So context tells you which English word fits best.

可怕 means scary, frightening, or terrifying.

It describes something that causes fear.

So:

• 那个声音很可怕。 = That sound is scary.

A very important comparison is:

• 可怕 = scary / frightening
• 害怕 = to be afraid / afraid

Examples:

• 这个故事很可怕。 = This story is scary.
• 我很害怕。 = I am afraid.

So in your sentence, 可怕 is correct because the sound is the thing causing fear.

That is the normal sentence order in Chinese when you are making a statement about something.

Pattern:

• Topic / subject + 很 + adjective

So:

• 那个声音 = the subject
• 很可怕 = the description

This is similar to English That sound is scary, except Chinese does not need is here.

So the structure is:

• 那个声音 很 可怕。
• That sound is scary.

Yes, in some contexts you can hear forms like:

• 这声音很可怕
• 那声音很可怕

especially in spoken Chinese.

But for learners, the safest and most standard pattern is:

• 这个声音
• 那个声音

because demonstratives usually take a classifier.

So:

• 那个声音很可怕。 is a very good standard sentence.

In careful pronunciation, it is:

• nàge

But in natural speech, many speakers pronounce it more like:

• nèige

This is common in everyday Mandarin.

So for learners:

• nàge is fine and standard to learn.
• Do not be surprised if native speakers say something that sounds like nèige.

That is just a common spoken pronunciation.

Yes, usually 那个声音 points to a specific sound already known in the conversation or situation.

It can mean:

• that sound
• that particular noise
• that voice over there / the one we just heard

So 那 makes it specific, just like that in English.

Compare:

• 一个声音很可怕。 = A sound is scary.
• 那个声音很可怕。 = That sound is scary.

Yes. If the sound is closer to the speaker, or if you want to say this sound, you can say:

• 这个声音很可怕。 = This sound is scary.

So:

• 这 = this
• 那 = that

The rest of the sentence stays the same.

Yes.

It can be literal:

• a strange noise in the dark
• an animal sound
• a frightening voice

It can also be more figurative or emotional:

• a creepy tone in someone’s voice
• a disturbing sound effect in a movie

So 那个声音很可怕 is flexible and natural in many situations.