Learning Chinese
The Chinese language is the group of languages used by Chinese people in China and elsewhere. It forms part of a language family called the Sino-Tibetan family of languages.
Chinese includes many regional language varieties, the main one being Mandarin.
Mandarin is one of five major regional languages of China. It spreads wider than any other regional variations, from the whole northern part of China to Yunnan Province in the southwest corner of China.
Mandarin Chinese is a fairly complex language to learn, especially for English speakers. However, with commitment and daily practice, it is certainly possible to successfully master. Practice alone with your textbooks, with Mandarin-speaking friends, or online with the many online Mandarin schools that exist. Keep reading for a basic overview of the most important things you need to know about learning Mandarin Chinese.
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.