LEARN CHINESE (MANDARIN) IN CHINA

For a foreigner, such as a native English speaker, learning the Chinese language is complex, especially with non English characters and accent intonations on most words.

Mandarin - is the national language of China and Taiwan, and is the dialect you should choose if traveling to those countries, or if you're learning Chinese for academic/business purposes. China's large population makes Mandarin the most spoken language on the planet.

Cantonese  - is the primary language of Hong Kong and China's Guangdong province. It is also the most common dialect spoken by Chinese overseas. Choose Cantonese if you're traveling to Hong Kong, doing business in Guangdong (a major economic region), or if you wish to speak with the majority of Chinese in the US, UK, Australia, or Canada.

What is the difference between Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese?

Simplified Chinese characters - are used in China and Singapore.

Traditional Chinese characters -  are used in Hong Kong and Taiwan, and will also be seen on most Chinese menus and newspapers found overseas (US, UK, Australia, Canada, etc).

How many Tones are there in Mandarin and Cantonese?

Note that the same word with a different pitch or intonation will give a different meaning.

Mandarin has 4-5 primary tones.

Cantonese has 6-7 primary tones.

How can you learn Mandarin in China?

1. Enrol in Language School - undergo intensive training in a classroom environment with a qualified Chinese Teacher, who is also fluent in English. This is a great way to fast track your development and skills in the Chinese language, within a group setting.

2. Personal Tuition - seek a personal tutor to teach you Chinese on a one to one, face to face, personal basis, with a lesson configured to your exact needs and interest. For example, just focus on learning numbers, ordering food or practicing accents.

3. Self-Learn - Learn online through a variety of free or paid APPS or online learning videos, such as on Youtube, or BBC Language learning.

4. Online Tutor - Learn Chinese in the comfort of your own living room via Skype, Facetime, Viber or other video conference calling software. This is ideal for busy professional who do not have time to travel to a class, but are pleased to engage with a Tutor online, at their convenience and leisure.

5. Electronic Dictionary - utilize an electronic English - mandarin dictionary for translation of words or phrases from Chinese to English and vice versa.

6. Chinese Speaking Meet Up - go to a Chinese speaking meet-up event and be forced to practice your limited Chinese among Chinese speakers from China and fellow expats.

7. Chinese Movies - see a Chinese movie, and pick up new words and phrases each time.

8. Chinese Radio/TV - learn new words through Chinese TV or radio broadcasts.

9. Chinese Newspaper - practice your understanding of Chinese characters by reading an article in a Chinese newspaper. Note that this requires an advanced and pre-existing knowledge of Chinese, and is clearly not suitable for beginners.


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