Chinese is one of the most spoken and studied languages.

Chinese is the second most spoken language only next to English and has approximately 1172 million speakers across the globe. It is also among the top most studied languages worldwide.  

Unlike English or many other languages which have an alphabet that makes learning to read and write easy, Chinese is a language of characters and tones, one of the reasons why it is considered to be a difficult language to learn.

However, with many learning options available online these days, you can choose to learn Chinese from the comfort of your own space.

The learning resources that you choose can play a major role in your progress towards learning Chinese. Thus, it is important to understand your style of learning and choose the resources accordingly.  

The ability to speak in Chinese is why many people choose to learn the language. However, you can become proficient in the language over a period of time if you focus on all the aspects which are speaking, listening, reading and writing.

To practice listening

Audio podcasts and books

You can listen to audio podcasts or books which can be accessed on your phone and practice listening. This is very important because you learn vocabulary as you practice listening. To be able to pronounce correctly, it is important that you practice active listening. With podcasts and audiobooks, you have the flexibility to pause, read the transcripts while listening or even go back to something which you want to revise.

Radio

Radio is a great way of practicing listening skills while keeping yourself updated with the latest happening around you. As you listen to the events of the day you can also get acquainted with the more commonly used words.

To practice speaking

Find a tutor

You can join an online Chinese language course where you get to learn from a teacher directly. This gives you an opportunity to practice the language through speaking. The teacher can correct and guide you wherever necessary and even help you understand the language with respect to the cultural aspects.

Find a partner to speak through a language exchange program

Online language exchange programs help you find a native Chinese speaker who can help you practice the speaking the language. This allows you to learn the language as the natives speak using colloquial, slang and other aspects which you may miss in learning material.

To practice reading and writing

Initially Chinese characters may baffle you. However, if you can focus on the characters which are used the most and find creative methods like mnemonics or flashcards that suit your learning style, you will be able to learn the Chinese characters.

You can start with children’s storybooks or cartoon books which are interesting and at the same time easy to practice.

Depending on what is your priority when it comes to learning Chinese you can choose the learning resources. If you are interested in speaking Chinese, learning the characters and practicing reading and writing can wait.

Every individual learns in a different way. Try to understand what works for you and start with that because if the resources that you choose do not support your learning, you may feel frustrated.

Learning Chinese can be challenging, fun, engaging and empowering and with the right resources you can definitely achieve your goal.

If you are interested in learning Chinese online, you can also book a free demo session with Multibhashi.