You are going to China and the mandarin language freaks you out? Chinese characters, different tones and different dialects give you an impression that it would take forever to master the language. Don’t be scared. Nothing is impossible unless you think it is. Let me share with you, Chinese beginners, some tips on how to tackle the mandarin language.
1. Be familiar and master the Pinyin pronunciation and conquer the four different tones. Pinyin is simply Chinese words in the Romanian alphabet so it’s easier for people to pronounce. It helps Mandarin learners become more fluent in listening and speaking at a faster pace. Once you have mastered Pinyin, you will be able to pronounce every spoken sound in the mandarin language.
2. Attend an intensive language class or at least study on a daily basis as soon as you arrive in China. If you really want to go far with learning Chinese, you should first build a solid foundation. The fastest and most efficient way to do that is to join a university course or a private class depending on your situation. Here is the comparison between taking university courses and private classes.
3. Become language buddies with non-English speakers who also want to learn Chinese. Why do I say so? Firstly, as your buddies are on the same level, you can speak basic, simplified Chinese without feeling embarrassed. Secondly, it’s not likely you’ll switch back to English because it might be uncomfortable for your buddies.
4. Follow a Chinese TV show you like, or listen to Chinese music. The locals like TV shows and they are good topics for daily conversation, too. So, you must get yourself up-to-date. There are shows that have English subtitles like my favorite, “Master Chef”. Listening to Chinese music is also another good way to improve your listening skills. Perhaps, you can even learn the songs’ lyrics and show off a bit at the next KTV evening (word of Karaoke – a common form of entertainment in China)
5. Take every chance you get to practice Chinese in everyday conversation and try to mimic the native accent. You have an advantage that Chinese people are fond of foreigners; but only those can speak, well, even little Chinese. Strangers on the street are willing to talk and help you if you approach them in their language.
6. Lastly, persistence is the key to success. Without pain, there is no real gain. You will, at some point in your learning, want to stop because you don’t feel like you’re improving. Don’t be a part of the 60% of new learners who give up after 2 or3 months. The trick is simply to stick to your study plan, laugh at your mistakes and have fun in practice (anytime you can).
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”. This is one of my favorite Chinese proverbs, and so it seems fitting that it should be applied to learning Chinese. It’s going to be a long journey, but it is perfectly possible to learn Chinese painlessly by doing what you enjoy: communicating, reading and listening to interesting things, watching movies, listening to music, and so on. The first step is always the most important one.
Written by
Hang Le
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