Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Learning to Speak Chinese
• Method 2 of 3: Learning to Read and Write in Chinese
• Method 3 of 3: Immerse yourself in the language environment
• Tips
• Warnings

Learning Chinese is a feasible task. To better master the language, you need to communicate more often with native speakers. This will help you learn Chinese much faster. Since most people in China speak Mandarin (even if it is not their native language), it is best to focus on it.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Learning to Speak Chinese

1. 1 Learn some basic words. Start your language learning with a few simple and important words that you can use to start communicating. Of course, grammar and rules for constructing sentences are also important, but they won't help you if you don't have a vocabulary. Below is a small list of basic words:
   • Hello = nǐhǎo, pronounced [no hao]... Pronounced in the third tone. Listen to a native speaker for a sample.
   • Yes = shì, pronounced [shi]. Be sure to listen to the native speaker as the Russian transcription only gives a rough idea.
   • No = bú shì, pronounced[poo shi]
   • Goodbye = zài jiàn, pronounced [zai tien]
   • Morning = zǎoshàng, pronounced [zou shan]
   • Day = xiàwǔ, pronounced [shia woo]
   • Evening = wǎnshàng, pronounced [wang shan]
   • Head = tóu, pronounced [toe]
   • Legs = jiǎo, pronounced [tiao]
   • Arms = shǒu, pronounced [show]... Pronounced in a third tone, from neutral down to neutral again.
   • Beef = niúròu, pronounced [no roe]
   • Chicken = jī, pronounced [ty]
   • Egg = jīdàn, pronounced [ty dan]... "Dan" is pronounced in the fourth tone, which goes down, with effort (but not excessive!). Literally it means "chicken egg" and is used when talking about ordinary eggs. If you are talking about another bird's egg, its name will appear before "dàn".
   • Noodles = miàntiáo, pronounced [mianthyao]
   • Always, for each word, listen to audio performed by a native speaker. Most of the Chinese sounds cannot be accurately described using the Russian or Latin alphabet!
2. 2 Learn basic expressions. After you have learned the basic words, you can start memorizing the phrases you use most. With their help, you will be able to keep the conversation going. Below are a few expressions:
   • How are you doing? = nǐ hǎo ma? pronounced [no hao ma]
   • I'm good = wǒ hěn hǎo, pronounced [wo hyung hao]
   • Thanks = xiè xiè, pronounced [this this]
   • Please (as an answer to "thank you") = bú yòng xiè, pronounced [poo yong sieh]
   • excuse me = duì bu qǐ, pronounced [tui pu qi]
   • I do not understand = wǒ bù dǒng, pronounced [v poo tone (g)]
   • What's your last name? = nín guì xìng, pronounced [ning guay sin (g)]
   • What is your name? = nǐ jiào shén me míng zì, pronounced [ni tiao shen-ma min ji]
   • My name is _____ = wǒ jiào _____, pronounced [in tyao]
3. 3 Study the tones. There are tones in Chinese, which means that the meanings of words change depending on the tone (this also applies to words that are the same in spelling and pronunciation). If you want to speak Chinese, you need to learn the tones, no matter how difficult they seem. In Mandarin Mandarin, Mandarin, there are four basic tones along with a neutral tone:
   • First tone high, even. It should be pronounced in a relatively raising voice. There should be no vibrations in the sound. Let's take the word "ma" for example - the mentioned tone in the letter is denoted like this: "mā".
   • Second tone short, fast-rising. When pronouncing this tone, the voice rises from low to high, this happens when you say for example "ha!" Gives the impression of being over-asked. The second tone in the letter is denoted as "má".
   • Third tone has a descending-ascending form. The voice drops, then rises again. Gives the impression of a bewildered question. This tone in the letter is indicated as follows: "mǎ".
   • Fourth tone short, rapidly descending from the highest point to the lowest. It gives the impression of a categorical order. The fourth tone in the letter is denoted as "mà".
   • Fifth tone neutral. It is neither descending nor ascending. It is pronounced in a colorless voice. It is denoted like this: "ma".
4. 4 Work on your pronunciation. After mastering tones, listening to Chinese speech (Youtube is also suitable), you should learn how to apply tones in words.
   • Note that the same word can have completely different meanings, depending on the tone with which it is pronounced. For example, if you say “mā” instead of “má” it looks like you confuse the expressions “I want a cupcake” and “I want a coke” - two completely different meanings.
   • Therefore, as you memorize words, be sure to learn them with tone. Otherwise, you will simply not be understood.
   • Chatting with native speakers will improve your pronunciation. They will point out mistakes and correct you.
5. 5 Work on your grammar and sentence structure. Many people are mistaken when they say that there are few grammar rules in the Chinese language. There are enough rules in this language, they just differ from the rules of European languages.
   • Fortunately, you do not have to learn such difficult things as conjugation, concordance and tense of verbs, gender, cases, plurals of nouns. Chinese is an analytical language, which makes it very simple and straightforward in some respects.
   • When constructing a sentence, the Chinese use the following structure: subject-action-object. For example, the sentence “he loves cats” in Chinese is “tā (he) xǐhuan (loves) māo (cats)”.
   • However, the grammar of the Chinese language is very different from the grammar of any European language, so it is difficult to give. The grammar of the Chinese language includes classifiers, topic-commentary structure and types. However, you shouldn't delve into grammar until you've learned the basics of the language.

Method 2 of 3: Learning to Read and Write in Chinese

1. 1 Learn pinyin. It is a system for recording sounds in Chinese using Latin letters.
   • This system is very suitable for beginners to learn Chinese. So less time is spent studying traditional hieroglyphs. With the help of pinyin, you can learn to read and write Chinese without resorting to hieroglyphs. There are many pinyin materials and tutorials out there.
   • However, it should be noted that not all Latin letters can convey the true pronunciation. Therefore, you should study pinyin with the help of a teacher or appropriate video and audio materials.
2. 2 Learn to read some Chinese characters. Despite the fact that it is not necessary to be able to read hieroglyphs, many learners of this language still try to learn this in order to get to know Chinese culture better.
   • Learning hieroglyphs is not an easy task. To read a newspaper, you need to know about 2000 thousand hieroglyphs - and this is just the beginning. In general, there are over 50,000 characters in the Chinese language (many of them are not used today).
   • The main benefit of learning kanji is that it opens the door to other languages, including Cantonese, Japanese, and Korean. All of these languages ​​use a simplified form of Chinese characters in writing, but the speech is different.
3. 3 Learn to write hieroglyphs. If you've learned how to read hieroglyphs, you will most likely want to learn how to write them. It is a challenging skill that will take patience and creativity to master.
   • To get started, you will have to study the table of radicals. These are separate strokes from which the hieroglyph is formed. There are a total of 214 radicals in the Chinese language, some of which are meaningful in themselves, while others take on meaning if they are attached to other radicals.
   • It's important to consider the direction of the strokes when you write them. For example, from top to bottom, left to right, and a horizontal stroke is written before vertical. If you do not follow these rules, the hieroglyph will be written incorrectly.
4. 4 Read texts in Chinese. If you want to improve your reading skills in Chinese, you should devote 15-20 minutes a day to it.
   • For starters, you can use children's books or textbooks (they are often published in pinyin). You should also look for useful materials on the Internet.
   • Practice anytime, anywhere. Read Chinese labels and signs. Ask a Chinese restaurant for a Chinese menu.
   • Once you have learned to read well, you can switch to newspapers (printed in hieroglyphs). In addition to improving your reading, you will become more familiar with the culture and society of the PRC.
5. 5 Write something every day. To master your writing better, write hieroglyphs or use pinyin daily.
   • You can keep a diary in which you write simple expressions in Chinese. For example, what is the weather like today, how you are feeling, or what you are doing. If there is nothing personal in the diary, you can ask a Chinese teacher or just a Chinese friend to read it and point out any mistakes.
   • You can find a friend on the Internet and correspond with him. Your correspondence may be useful for him, if he is interested in the Russian language. Ask a pen pal to correct mistakes in your emails and send them back.
   • We also recommend making simple lists in Chinese. For example, lists of products to buy. Or post stickers around your home with Chinese names for specific items.

Method 3 of 3: Immerse yourself in the language environment

1. 1 Practice with a native speaker. The best way to learn Chinese is to communicate with a Chinese person; this will improve your pronunciation and conversational expressions, which you won't find in textbooks.
   • If you have a Chinese speaking friend, ask him to give you an hour or two weekly. A friend will be happy to help you with a cup of coffee at your expense!
   • Don't you have a Chinese-speaking acquaintance? Find them online. You can enroll in Chinese language courses.
   • If the above doesn't work, find a native speaker online. Your communication can be made mutually beneficial: he will pull up Russian, and you - Chinese. You can communicate through various video messengers, find the option that suits both of you.
2. 2 Listen to audio in Chinese. Listen to Chinese speech more often. You can listen to the recordings even while on the road.
   • It's okay if you can't repeat every word that is spoken in the recording. The main thing is to listen carefully and memorize the words and phrases most important for communication. Gradually, you will begin to understand the language better.
   • This method is great for people who are constantly on the move. Travel time can be spent listening to Chinese lessons while driving or sitting on the train. You can listen to lessons while playing sports or cleaning the house.
3. 3 Watch movies, cartoons in Chinese. Watching movies and cartoons in Chinese also immerses you in the language environment. It is also a good way to practice tone and sentence construction.
   • Start with short cartoons or Youtube videos. You can rent a Chinese movie. You will need subtitles at first, but try to understand the speech without them. Pay attention to what percentage of what you hear you can understand.
   • For best results, stop the movie after certain phrases and try to repeat them. This will improve your accent.
4. 4 Don't be afraid to be wrong. The biggest obstacle to learning Chinese (as well as any other foreign language) is the fear of making a mistake.
   • You need to overcome your fears or even accept them in order to speak this language well.
   • Remember, language learning is not complete without mistakes. And you will definitely come across this. Errors are part of the process, however.
   • Remember, don't aim for perfect Chinese. Strive to improve your knowledge and speaking skills. Make mistakes - they are a springboard on the way to learning a language.
5. 5 You can go to China. The best way to immerse yourself in the language environment is to visit China.
   • China is an amazingly diverse country, from the busy bustling streets of Beijing to the mesmerizing Great Wall of China. Every traveler finds something of his own here. If you want to experience Chinese culture, try a variety of Chinese delicacies, visit the ruins of ancient buildings and the sites of epic battles.
   • Countries with many Chinese speakers are also suitable, such as Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines. Before buying your ticket, make sure you are ready to explore the variety of dialects (which are very different).
   Specialist Answer Question

   "What are some good websites or apps to help you learn Chinese?"

   
   

   

   Godspeed chen

   Translator and Native Chinese Godspeed Chen is a professional translator from China. Has been working in translation and localization for over 15 years.

   SPECIALIST'S ADVICE

   Answer Godspeed Chen, Chinese translator: “A really useful site is HS Chinese. If you are looking for Chinese language learning app, try Hello Daily. They are both very good. "

Tips

• Don't expect to master the language quickly. Many people find it difficult to study it.
• Just knowing how to listen and speak will help too.
• Chinese is not an easy language, challenge yourself!
• Find a site with Chinese pronunciation so you know for sure how to pronounce it.
• There are many dialects in Chinese, but when it comes to writing, it is almost the same everywhere.
• Many words, even those containing only one syllable, are pronounced in different tones. That is why it is better to listen to native speakers.
• Check out the site for video tutorials on pronunciation of tones.
• The way Chinese words look like should not be perceived only from an aesthetic point of view. Many characters are repeated, which can help define words. For example, in words related to metal, the character 金 is written on the left.

Warnings

• Putonghua (Mandarin) and Cantonese are the main dialects of the Chinese language. In colloquial speech, they are completely different (with some exceptions). Cantonese has six tones. Mandarin is spoken in most of mainland China, while Cantonese is spoken mainly in Hong Kong and Macau. If you speak Mandarin, conversational Cantonese can be difficult to understand (and vice versa), so be careful when choosing cities to visit.