Here are some effective methods to improve your Mandarin listening.

1. Expand your Chinese Vocabulary

The lack of vocabulary will directly affect your listening, and accumulating abundant
vocabulary is the foundation of listening as well as learning Chinese. You will understand
most of meaning of conversations among you and your friends if you can comprehend
more than half words in them.
2. Practice the Correct Chinese Pronunciation
Having correct pronunciation is an excellent method to practice Mandarin listening. It is
easy to understand a meaning when what you listen to is the same as what you say. For
most Chinese learners, the most difficult part in Chinese pronunciation is the four tones.
You can get some tips about how to practice four tones here: How to Practice and Master
Mandarin Tones
3. Reading Chinese a Lot
Mandarin listening and reading practice should proceed simultaneously. Many people are
convinced that improving Mandarin listening is just about listening when in fact, reading
promotes listening ability a great deal. Because you will learn many new words and
grammar when reading books, you will quickly develop your skills.
4. Intensive Listening
It is better to listen to a single passage again and again rather than listening to a mass of
materials just one time. Find good listening resources is very important, because there are
tons of Chinese listening resources in the website. You can find the most useful Chinese
listening resource in this article: Best Listening Resources for Learning Chinese
5. Extensive Listening
Although intensive listening is important in mandarin listening practice, extensive listening
also has significant benefits. Listening to Mandarin at normal speed and from a variety of
sources including Chinese songs, Chinese movies or Chinese videos allows for listening
improvement.

How to Practice and Master Mandarin Ton

es
Posted by Fifi Yang on 2016-07-06 11:44:19 1873

The Chinese pinyin system includes three parts: shengmu (initial), yunmu
(final), and shenɡdiào (tones), and the tones in Mandarin are very important.
Even if the initial and final are the same but have a different tone, the meaning
will be different. So if you really want to master this language, you must learn to
make each tone very clearly, otherwise you may not be understood by Chinese
speakers.
There are four different tones and one “natural” tone in Mandarin. So
pronouncing each distinctly is important.
The first tone should be high and flat without any change. The mark is “-” .
The second tone should go up, as when asking a question. The mark is “/”.
The third tone goes down first then up. The mark is “√”.
The forth tone goes from top to bottom. The mark is “\”.
The natural tone should be very light and short; there is no mark for it.
When you practice the tones, here are some tips to help you:
1. Practice the four tones one by one.
Read all the same tones together in order to remember the position of tones. In
the beginning should be a single word, then a phrase, and last the whole
sentence.
For example, practice for the third tone:
Single word: wǒ 我(I); kǎ 卡(card); děnɡ 等(wait)
Phrase: nǐhǎo 你好 (hello); shǒubiǎo 手表 (watch); xiǎojiě 小姐 (Miss)
Sentence: Wǒ xiǎnɡ mǎi shuǐɡuǒ。我想买水果 。

2. After you understand how to pronounce each standard tone, the next
step is learning how to pronounce them in combination within words.
1+2: jīnnián 今年 (this year)
1+3: duōshǎo 多少 (how much)
1+4: jīpiào 机票 (ticket)
2+1: huíjiā 回家 (go home)
4+4+3: duìbùqǐ 对不起 (sorry)

3. Once you get a feel for the standard tones of Mandarin, try to read some
simple Chinese essays. Listen to a recording or follow along with a video
to make sure your pronunciation is correct. Also, watching a Chinese
drama or other Chinese TV show will be helpful to develop listening skills.
Listen to the tape and follow with the video to make sure your own
pronunciation is correct. Watch Chinese drama and TV show, to see how did
the Chinese talk.
 Tips on How to Get Started Learning Chinese by Yourself

Now that we’ve set those fears aside, it’s time to grab your cape and inner strength, as
we prepare for your wonderful journey in learning the Chinese language. Here are a few
tips that will help you get the most out of your learning:

 Familiarize yourself with the sounds. Familiarization is the key to learning any language. You
have to know how to distinguish someone who is speaking in Mandarin from those who are not.
Listen to anyone or anything that uses Mandarin, be it an audio book, a video or a mere
commentary. It’ll help you learn the basics of the Chinese language: the sounds and
the intonation. You’ll notice what sounds are most commonly used, and which are not present in
Mandarin.
 Look for the practical side of the language. Think about it. What’s your main motivation for
learning Chinese? Is it for business, for travel or just for the heck if it? Whatever your reasons
are, use it as motivation for you to continue learning. There will always be a time when you feel
discouraged or out of sorts. When that time comes, think of your reason for learning the
language. That will get you back on track. You can also gear your lessons toward these goals. If
you’re learning for travel purposes, acquaint yourself with the basic
Chinese travel and shopping phrases. Once you see the practical applications of the language,
you’ll want to keep on learning.
 Listen to the words and conversations over and over. Repetition is the best way to remember
whatever you’ve learned. You’ll be confused by everything you read or listen to at first, but
over time, it’ll slowly start to make sense. Repetition helps you understand. You don’t need
to look for the meaning of each character. Over time, you’ll understand what characters mean
through context clues.
 Combine your various interests with your learning. This will make it more fun! Don’t
keep your learning so serious to the point that it becomes a burden to you. Learning should be
enjoyable, so try to match it with your interests. If you’re into music, for example, use music to
learn Chinese. If you love reading, check out these interesting Chinese novels. If you’re a fan
of movies and TV shows, then use the Chinese counterpart. There are so many avenues of
learning available for you to discover!
 Practice every day. Never stop practicing. No matter how busy life gets, set aside time to
practice the things you’ve learned. It’ll help you remember them and encourage you to further
your learning.
The World Is Yours: 5 Effective Ways to Learn Chinese by
Yourself

Learning Chinese isn’t difficult at all if you know where to look and what to look for.
You’ll be happy to find out that there are, in fact, so many wonderful resources on the
web. Here are some of the best resources available today for learning Chinese by
yourself.

1. Use music videos

Using music is one of the best ways to learn a new language because it’s fun and
interesting! But why use music videos instead of just listening to Chinese songs? Well,
sometimes what’s going on in the music video can give you context to better understand
the song, and other times it’s a great peek into the culture. But the biggest benefit is
that you can have a preview of the Chinese characters and follow along with the lyrics.
The best way to learn Chinese from music videos is with FluentU. FluentU takes real-
world videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns
them into personalized language learning lessons. Every word of each video is carefully
annotated with an in-context definition, image and multiple example sentences. You can
even click on a word to see how it’s used in other videos across the site.
Watching these music videos will really help you become familiar with the
pronunciation, as intonations are learned over time with more exposure. So choose the
genre that best suits your taste. Not sure where to start? We’ve gathered the
best Mandopop songs and karaoke classics for you. If these work out well and you want
more, check out youku.com or tudou.com, which have a really comprehensive list of
videos.
2. Regularly meet with a conversation partner
When I was taking up Chinese in Beijing, I was fortunate enough to have a language
partner. I got to learn more Mandarin from her while she learned English from me: a
win-win situation! We get to cover more areas than the ones taught in class,
like slang and various expressions. I became familiar with their actual way of talking.

So if you have a friend who’s good in Mandarin, you can do that too. Chances are you’ll
have to look for a conversation partner, but it’s completely doable! Is there a university
near where you live, or a Chinese restaurant? Check there first. You can also look for a
Chinese conversation partner online—that’s becoming quite the trend nowadays.

You can check out mylanguageexchange.com or conversationexchange.com for skilled

online conversation partners. Interacting with someone in Chinese will greatly help you
appreciate the language because you’ll see the practical side of learning. It will motivate
you to expand your knowledge and walk on unfamiliar ground. Trust me, it’ll do you
wonders.
3. Watch Chinese shows with subtitles
Once you’ve covered the basics, watching Chinese shows is the next step. Whether it’s
dramas or variety shows, you’ll be exposed to new characters and vocabulary. Like with
music, pick the genre that you love most. There’s nothing more satisfying than getting
to learn something new while enjoying what you’re doing.

If you ask me, I suggest that you choose Chinese dramas that border on romantic
comedies. Why? They’re the easiest to understand! Talk shows or variety shows are
equally entertaining, but there’s a tendency for you to feel lost in their conversations. If
you’re not that familiar with Chinese current events and culture, you might not fully
understand what their humorous statements are all about.

Also, choose shows with subtitles. There are so many video streaming sites available in
the web; start with dramafever.com or maplestage.com. These are only some of the
more famous sites out there that feature shows with Chinese subtitles. Watching with
subtitles will greatly help your character recognition skills.
But if you prefer to really get to know each character, again you can check out
the FluentU videos. They explain every dialogue for you, character by character, and
you’ll learn the pronunciation in pinyin along with an accompanying English
explanation.
4. Listen to audiobooks

If you’ve noticed, all the references I’ve listed here so far target both your listening and
reading skills. That’s because it works best that way. You won’t get the most out of
your learning if you merely target one of them. It’s for this exact reason that audio
books will really help you out. Merely reading a book won’t do, you have to listen to
the words at the same time.

For starters, you can download Chinese course textbooks. Most of these have an
accompanying audiobook, so it’ll help you grasp the basics of the language. But if you
wish to stick to novels and comics, there is a wide range of topics and titles available
in 书声bar (Audiobook Bar), 天方听书网 (Tianfang Book Listening Web)
and verycd.com.
You can also check out these Chinese novels, but they’re only recommended if you’re
already in the intermediate level. These novels are purely Chinese characters; there’s no
pinyin or zhuyin to help you out.
5. Listen to podcasts
Finally, if you know where to look, podcasts can become your new on-the-go best
friend. There is a great variety of topics, as well as numerous podcasts focused on
teaching the Chinese basics to beginners. You can download these to start. But if you
can already manage, I suggest you pick podcasts that are geared towards specific
interests and Chinese culture. This will exposed you to a wider range of vocabulary—
words that aren’t normally covered in the former.
For a start, try 好简单 (How Easy) or 黑米公主 (Princess Remy). These are the
common favorites of both Chinese speakers and Chinese learners. They cover a variety
of topics from culture to arts to daily news. You can also try BBC news for more
detailed updates on politics, but be forewarned, you have to possess some intermediate
level of Chinese to listen to them. News has a totally different lingo.
If you’re looking for podcasts that are aimed at specific interests, you can check out the
iTunes store. Some of these include NBA 前线 (Front Line) for updates and reviews
about NBA, 电影不无聊 (Movies Are Not Boring) for all info about movies and
科学脱口秀 (Science Talk Show) for science related talk shows, among others.

And that completes the list! These five tools are sure-fire ways to learn Mandarin
Chinese by yourself.

Remember that you already have the superpowers within to make your mark in the
world, so use that power to learn Chinese on your own—and enjoy the journey!
Easy as ABC: 8 Foolproof Tips for Learning
Chinese Faster
Setting Concrete Goals

Many people will start learning a new language with very general goals, such as, “I
want to learn Chinese.” Unfortunately, this is not very helpful.

In order to be most effective, you will want to ask yourself why you’re learning
Chinese. Is it for fun or because you’re moving there in six months? Do you want to be
able to speak business Chinese for a job or communicate with your in-laws?
These questions are important to help you create a set of concrete goals that will guide
how you make your personalized learning plan. You may only be interested in speaking
Chinese, and this will shape how you spend your learning time. Our first two tips focus
on just that: setting concrete goals.
1. Identify Short-term and Long-term Goals

You should set long-term goals for where you want to be in a year, two years and five
years. Realistically think about how much time you can give to Chinese learning, and
use this as a base to build off of. You may have a long-term goal of reaching advanced
fluency in five years, which includes spending a year in China.

Then move your way to short-term goals, which can be monthly goals up to six months
out. For example, in six months you may want to be able to read an easy Chinese
book or be able to understand Chinese radio.

When setting these goals, make sure they are “SMART” goals. Goals are more likely to
be achieved when they are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely.
These five components work together to make much more effective targets.

For example, a goal such as “Improve my written Chinese” is not only too general, but
also hard to measure. A more specific and measurable goal would be “Learn to write
20 new characters this month.”

Try to review your short-term goals at least every month, if not every week. Don’t be
afraid to tweak your goals based on how well you’re doing so that you maintain a
realistic approach of what study techniques are working for you.

2. Choose Between Mandarin and Cantonese

You will also need to decide whether you want to learn Mandarin or Cantonese. It’s not
advised to learn both at once, as the two are different enough to be confusing. Mandarin
is the dominant dialect in not only Mainland China, but also Taiwan, areas of Singapore
and increasingly in Hong Kong.
Even though Cantonese is the main language spoken in Chinese communities in the
United States, Mandarin Chinese is quickly matching that. It’s also arguably easier than
Cantonese as there are less tones to master.
Creating a Specific Plan

A specific plan includes exactly what exercises you want to complete, how many
chapters in a book you plan to go over, or a certain amount of words you want to master
each day. The more detailed you are, the easier you will find it to follow on busy days,
or on those off-days you don’t feel like studying.

3. Make a Daily Learning Schedule

Your daily schedule should be catered to your goals and learning style. Some people
learn better through visualizations, while others may find that writing things down is
what helps them. Knowing how you learn can help you learn more effectively.

To really learn Chinese, you will need to be working on it daily. Once-a-week lessons
will be helpful, but are not enough. Short periods of learning are better than long
sessions. Our brains can only handle so much information, and repetition helps keep it
in your brain for the long-term.

To make sure you get in your daily learning, make a detailed schedule and stick to it.
Only plan a week out at a time, so that you can adjust when needed. Be sure to write
down specifics using a system that works best for you. If you prefer pen and paper,
write it in your planner; if you’re a smartphone addict, add the tasks to your calendar.

Remember, you’ll be much more likely to complete concrete tasks, such as “listen and
dissect a segment of China Radio International for 10 minutes” instead of vague tasks
like “study Chinese.”

The amount of time you spend on Chinese each day obviously depends on your other
commitments, but it’s better to start small—commit yourself to 15 minutes instead of an
hour, for example. Once you form the habit of daily study, you can increase the amount
of time, but for now the important part is daily interaction.

Another way to get daily practice is to add a Chinese review to your bedtime routine.
This can even be just a few minutes while you’re brushing your teeth, or reading in your
bed before you turn off the lights.
4. Use FluentU to Master Pinyin Basics
Chinese characters can be difficult to read, but ease your way in through to the
language by beginning with pinyin. Not only will this give you the foundation to be able
to type in Chinese, it also helps solidify your tones.
A resource that can be super helpful when learning pinyin is FluentU. FluentU is an
online immersion platform where you can learn Chinese through real-world videos—
like news, music videos, inspiring talks and cartoons.

And FluentU is more than just entertaining native videos with interactive subtitles,
it also boasts multimedia flashcards (in-context definition, image, audio, video and
example sentences), its unique Learn Mode, downloadable PDF transcripts and more.
FluentU is especially beneficial because you can always pause in trouble spots and write
down the pinyin until you understand it.

5. Find Activities That Combine Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing

One of the best ways to learn Chinese is to work on activities that combine different
areas of learning Chinese. It’s still a good idea to spend time focusing on the separate
categories of listening, reading, speaking and writing. However, in order to really
master the language, you will need a fusion of the four.

Some examples of activities that you can incorporate into your learning schedule
include the following.

Reading and Speaking:

The easiest way to combine reading and speaking is to read aloud. Reading aloud
ensures that you’re always practicing those tones and you can be critical in how you
sound to others when you talk. This can also help you choose your content, so you can
focus on your interests and topics you’d potentially talk about.

You can also make flashcards to carry along while you eat, grocery shop or are in
transit. Try categorizing these so they relate to what you’re doing at the moment. For
example, perhaps you have a list of breakfast foods for your mornings, a list of words
for types of transportation for when you’re on the road, and another list of Chinese
work-related terms in the office. You can silently speak the words to yourself if you’re
in a public setting.
Listening and Writing:
If you’ve been to any formal Chinese class, you’ve probably already been introduced to
the world of Chinese dictations, or 听写 (tīng xiě). The literal translation is “listen
write,” and that is exactly what it is. If you have a partner, you can easily trade off the
duty of testing. However, if you’re not that lucky but have a smartphone, try out this
Chinese dictation app (for Apple or Android) which spans elementary school levels of
first to fifth grade.
Another more informal way to get in your listening and writing is to simply listen to
Chinese talk radio or watch a movie and write down what you hear. FluentU is an
excellent tool for this method, since you can turn off the subtitles or look away when
writing, and then check with the transcript afterwards.
 Reading and Writing:

You may find this mundane at first, but practicing your reading and writing combined is
the best way to master those difficult characters. Since so many Chinese characters can
look similar, you really want to have a firm grasp on the little differences that can
completely change a character.

An easy way to do this is to read a sentence and write it down. For an extra challenge,
try to memorize what you read so that you can write it out without looking.

6. Work with a Chinese-speaking Partner to Master the Tones

Having a Chinese-speaking partner is key to getting the proper feedback you need as a
non-native speaker. Besides, even while just spending time together casually and
speaking Chinese, you can try these two slightly more formal exercises to boost your
verbal skills to the next level:
 Chinese Dictations: As mentioned above, dictations not only help you with writing Chinese,
they also enforce the tones into your brain so that you automatically connect it with either the
pinyin or the character.
 Specific Vocabulary Practice: It can be daunting when starting out with a language partner, as
your Chinese speaking skills are probably still in the early stages. Don’t let this hinder you from
finding someone to practice with. Instead, be specific on what you want to learn in that hour,
and try coming in prepared with a list of words you want to go over together. This way you’re
mastering the tones for the vocabulary you need, and you won’t feel as if the session is too
open-ended.
Acting on a Clear Execution
This is where you put your goals and plans into action. Be consistent with when you
study each day, so that it becomes a part of your daily habits. If you’re having trouble
sticking to a stringent schedule, try adding in some more relaxing days through
watching a Chinese movie or TV drama.
7. Focus on Phrases Instead of Individual Vocabulary

It can be easy to make the mistake in the beginning of simply working on vocabulary.
Vocabulary is excellent and a crucial part in learning any language, but without any
context, you’re still as lost as when you began.

For every character you learn, add a phrase or sentence that uses the character
to provide the proper context. When you recognize different phrases and sentences, it
will be much easier for you to start using them in relevant conversations as well.

8. Ease Up on the Grammar (at First)

Lastly, don’t be daunted by Chinese grammar; it’s something that will come with time.
In the beginning, simple Chinese sentences can be formed in a similar way to how you
think in English.
Since Chinese grammar can be quite difficult, first focus on other aspects, then slowly
add in grammar to the mix. You will eventually need to understand the specific nuances
in Chinese grammar, but you’ll want to spend the majority of your time in the beginning
on mastering the tones, pinyin and basic vocabulary.

Learning Chinese doesn’t have to be as hard as playing Beethoven. Even though it’ll
take time and effort, with a solid plan and faithful daily practice, you’ll find
yourself improving faster than before!

1. Understand that Chinese, while difficult, can also be very easy

to learn.

Most people believe that Chinese is one of the most difficult languages
in the world. In some senses, this is true. The Chinese writing system
is non-alphabetic, comprising thousands of pictographs called
“characters,” which need to be studied and internalized through rote
memorization and constant reading and writing over a long period of
time. Additionally, Chinese is a “tonal” language, meaning that
changing the shape of one’s voice over a single syllable can actually
generate multiple words with multiple meanings. The most famous
example in Mandarin Chinese is the syllable “ma” which, depending on
how it is pronounced, might mean “mother,” “hemp,” “horse,” or the
verb “to scold.”• This is a feature of the spoken language which does
not exist in the same form in Western languages, and therefore can
pose great challenges to many non-Asian students.

However, what most non-Chinese do not realize is that the language

boasts one of the easiest grammars in the world. Sentence structure
largely mirrors that of English (subject + verb + object). Verbs exist in a
single form, with no conjugations whatsoever. There is no gender, no
plural nouns, and while mechanisms do exist to express tense (e.g.
past/present/future), they are much simpler than those of any Western
language. North American students who are much more familiar with
both Spanish and French would instantly find Chinese grammar
refreshingly basic, and much more accessible than those languages.

2. Learn Mandarin, not Cantonese.

There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of regional and local

spoken Chinese dialects which have developed over the long period of
China’s classical history when transportation was rudimentary,
broadcast media non-existent, and most people lived and died within a
small radius of their birth places. Although speakers of all Chinese
dialects share the same, non-phonetic written language, many of the
dialects are mutually unintelligible when spoken, giving rise to the
unique ability of Chinese speakers from different regions to write to
each other, even when they cannot speak with each other. Among
Chinese who have emigrated, the two most common spoken dialects
are Mandarin and Cantonese. Historically, Cantonese dominated
within the largest Chinese communities in the United States and
Canada due to a century of Chinese immigration rooted in the southern
Chinese regions of Guangdong (Canton) Province and Hong Kong.
However, with the recent massive influx of Mainland Chinese,
Mandarin-speaking immigrants in the last 20+ years, Mandarin will
soon match, and eventually overtake, Cantonese to become the
dominant spoken Chinese dialect in North America.

For non-Chinese seeking to learn the language, Mandarin is the clear

choice. Mandarin, the predominant dialect in Northern China, is the
official language of politics, education, and media in both Mainland
China and Taiwan, and it is one of the four official languages of
Singapore. Even in Hong Kong, which historically has been a
Cantonese-speaking area, Mandarin use is now ubiquitous since the
return of China’s sovereignty in 1997. In Mainland China, the Chinese
word for “Mandarin” translates as the “common language,” and outside
of the Mainland it is most often referred to as the “national language”
— both these terms are indicative of the broad reach which a
competency in Mandarin can afford a speaker. Fortunately, for
students of Chinese, Mandarin is also arguably the easiest of all the
Chinese dialects to learn, owing to a “tonal” structure which is much
simpler than that of Cantonese and most other dialects.

3. Speak first, then decide if you need to read and write.

Given the complexity of the Chinese written language, contrasted to

the comparative simplicity of the grammar, prospective students of
Chinese would do well to focus on learning to speak first, and only then
tackle the written language if their studies or business require them to
do so. While the tonal character of the spoken language is a challenge,
this can be mastered fairly quickly, in contrast to the many years
needed to achieve a working familiarity with the several thousand
written characters that most educated Chinese adults have learned. Of
course, most Chinese language programs simultaneously teach both
the spoken and written language. It is up to the individual student to
decide where to emphasize his or her needs.

4. If you do decide to write Chinese, consider learning

“simplified” characters.
 There are two major Chinese writing systems currently in use in the
world — “traditional” or “complicated” Chinese characters, and
“simplified” Chinese characters. Traditional characters are the
characters which evolved from ancient Chinese pictographs, and which
have been used throughout most of Chinese history to modern times.
Many of these characters are, at the same time, both beautiful and
complex, requiring students of Chinese to spend many hours and
nights practicing intricate “stroke orders” to properly form words.
Beginning in the middle of last century, the government in Mainland
China began to promulgate an alternate system of Chinese writing
called “simplified” characters in an effort to dramatically increase
written literacy throughout the country. For many characters, this
system significantly reduces the number of brush or pen strokes
required to form specific words, thereby enabling students to more
quickly commit the characters to memory.

Today, simplified characters are the official script of both Mainland

China and Singapore, while traditional characters are still the norm in
Taiwan, Hong Kong, and within most Chinese immigrant communities
throughout the world. While I would still encourage students of Chinese
who intend to spend many years developing and refining their abilities
to begin by learning traditional characters (and only then overlay a
knowledge of simplified characters), anyone seeking to accelerate his
or her acquisition of the written language would do well to begin with
the simplified script.

5. Take your studies seriously.

Unlike many Western languages which share some common linguistic

roots with English and which can often be learned fairly quickly with a
large amount of self-study, acquiring a basic competency in a
language as different from English as Chinese requires a high level of
commitment and perseverance. Practically speaking, this means that:

 Unless you have an unusual aptitude for learning foreign languages, you
probably won’t learn Chinese in a once-a-week, one-hour private session.
Rather, start by looking for an established Chinese language program or
workshop. Universities and dedicated language schools are a good place to
start. Some colleges even offer intensive courses that cram a full year of basic
Chinese into 4-8 weeks. Do your homework to find the best program.
 If you still seek a tutorial, merely looking for a native speaker of Chinese to
study with does not always mean you will obtain the best instruction. Chinese
immigrants constitute the single largest Asian American
 population, representing 3+ million people nationwide, many of whom would be
happy to teach new students of Chinese. However, teaching Western students
to overcome the unique hurdles of the language is a special skill. If you decide
on private lessons, look for a native-speaker with proven professional or private
teaching credentials, as well as a roster of former student references.
 Finally, practice, practice, practice. The good news is that those 3+ million
Chinese Americans are our neighbors. Once you have developed basic
conversational skills, go into the top Chinese communities of our country and
speak. Order a lunch, buy a book, chit-chat about the weather, or ask for
directions — even if you don’t need any! Westerners who have mastered
Chinese will also unanimously confirm that real fluency comes only when one
has spent some time in a Chinese-speaking region of Asia. So, get ready for
your next business trip, take advantage of the many short-term or long-term
Chinese language courses available in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, or
Singapore, or just plan a personal or family adventure to Asia.
One of those very famous Chinese sayings says, “A journey of a
thousand miles begins with a single step.“ Well, it definitely does not
need to take a “thousand miles” to learn Chinese, but now, more than
ever, is the time for more Americans to take that first step

Step 1: Learn Pinyin

The first step you need to take is learning how to pronounce words in Chinese.
I’m sure you’ve encountered many words like Xinjiang or Qin Shihuang and
have no idea how they are pronounced.
The secret to pronouncing Chinese words – and reading Chinese characters for
that matter – is to start by learning pinyin.
Pinyin is the most commonly used system for writing Chinese using roman
letters. For example, 我是中国人 in pinyin is wǒ shì zhōngguó rén. Each
character in Chinese represents one syllable and can be spelled out
phonetically in pinyin.
Notice the little marks above each syllable? The marks represent the tones.
There are four tones in Chinese and a neutral tone. They are represented by (¯
´ ˇ ` ) above the letters.
One thing to be aware of when learning pinyin is that it is not pronounced
exactly like we would read it in English. For example, ‘shi’ is NOT pronounced
like ‘she’ and instead sounds like ‘sure’.
The good news is there are plenty of great apps to teach you pinyin for
download on your smartphone or tablet. You can also have a look at this online
pinyin table with audio (which you can download).

Step 2: Find Some Learning Materials

Have a look at my resources page for some of the best tools for learning
Mandarin Chinese. Download some of the applications and try them free to get
started. I also highly recommend taking a free Chinese class with certified
instructors on TutorMandarin and eChineseLearning.

Step 3: Start listening to Chinese During Your Commute

It’s also important to start listening to Chinese as much as possible. We learned

our native language through listening and you should apply the same strategy
to learn Mandarin Chinese.
To start building listening comprehension, try ChinesePod, as they have over
400 lessons for newbies that you can download onto your phone and listen to
on your way to school, work, or hanging out with friends.

Step 4: Get Your Head Around Tones

As Mandarin Chinese has significantly fewer sounds than English, tones are
essential to convey different ideas with the same syllabic sound. Don’t listen to
any learners who claim that tones do not matter. Having lived in China for five
years, I can assure you that speaking in proper tones is essential!
Chinese people simply won’t understand you if you don’t learn tones or get
them wrong too much while speaking Mandarin Chinese. Using the wrong tones
in your spoken Chinese is similar to putting the emphasis on the
wrong syllables in English.
Like all skills, speaking with tones comes with proper practice and listening
carefully to native speakers and listening exercises.
TutorMandarin goes over tones pretty well in their trial class and will get you
started in both understanding and practicing them. Skritter also has a great
function built into their app to help you remember tones as you learn new
characters.

Step 5: Don’t Immediately Dive into Chinese Characters

Forget about Chinese characters for now. I would suggest beginning to learn
them once you are confident you have the basics like pinyin down or are about
1 or 2 months into studying. Don’t blow learning characters off too long though
as eventually you can sink into the habit of reading everything in pinyin.
Once you start learning characters, start with the goal of understanding how
Chinese characters work as a system rather than rote memorization.
Outlier-Linguistics has a fantastic dictionary that shows you the meaning part
and sound part of each character. Through understanding each character you
are better suited to recalling it in reading as well as writing.
Skritter is another great tool for learning Chinese characters. Not only can you
study characters from vocab lists from the most popular textbooks available, but
the algorithms Skritter uses allow you to learn new characters in less than a
minute and remember 95% of what you learn.

Step 6: Mimic Native Speakers

When learning a language, you need to mimic the way native speakers and the
way they speak.
A good technique for pronunciation and speaking practice is to play an
individual recorded sentence and then try to repeat it yourself.
Try recording yourself with an application such as Audacity and compare
yourself to native speakers. Don’t try to say things really fast as a beginner
though! Try to repeat things that are recorded slowly.

Step 7: Practice every day

Start small with 30 minutes of studying Chinese per day. You want to study only
as long as you are having fun and enjoying the process. The more you study,
the faster you will improve. But the more you enjoy studying, the more you will
study.
It is far better to do 30 minutes a day than to do 3 or 4 hours in a single sitting
once a week and risking burnout. Do your best to make learning Chinese part of
your daily ritual.
Check out my post on one-month challenges for how to make learning a
language a habit as additional motivation for studying Chinese.

Final Thoughts | Learning Chinese

Last thing is to be consistent in how you learn. Once you find a method of
learning, you want to stick to it. By sticking to a regular routine, you are more
likely to remember what you have learned and be able to expand on your
knowledge of Chinese with new content.
Now what are you waiting for? Stop procrastinating and start learning Chinese
today!