Learn Chinese Mandarin Language
So you need to learn Mandarin Chinese? Honestly, it’s not terrifying! This ancient and beautiful language is a work of art, and with a little background about how it works, you’ll find yourself more than equal to the task of learning it.
There are two sides of Mandarin Chinese pronunciation: tones and syllables. An example of a syllable is “ma.” But the syllable “ma” has no meaning in and of itself; the meaning is determined by the tone in which you say the word. So whenever you study a new word, you not only have to remember the syllables making up that word but the tone in which those syllables are pronounced. When you learn Mandarin Chinese, remember to choose an instructional method that emphasizes audio learning, because you need to be able to hear and imitate the various different tones.
How many different tones are there? Mandarin Chinese has four different tones – a flat tone, a rising tone, a dipping tone, and a tone that rises a little and then falls. These tones are not difficult to replicate, but because they are so critical to the way you learn Mandarin, it’s absolutely vital that you choose an instructional program with a strong audio component.
Now on to vowels and consonants! Mandarin Chinese has sixteen vowels and twenty-one consonants, many of which sound very different than their English counterparts. Your best bet as you learn Mandarin Chinese is not to assume that a Chinese “B” is pronounced exactly like an English “B”, but to listen carefully to the way the sound actually is pronounced, noting the differences rather than the similarities. Another tip is to try and “fake” a Chinese accent as you practice your conversations. Subconsciously, you will actually produce a better, more authentic accent that way!
But you may be wondering, “How can I learn Mandarin Chinese if I can’t read it? Don’t I have to learn to read the language first?” Look at it this way; when you were a toddler, did you learn to read English before you learned to speak it? Of course not! But at some point, you’ll find it helpful to be able to read some form of Mandarin Chinese, if only as a way to keep track of the words you’ve already learned.
This problem has a relatively simple solution! English-speaking students can learn Mandarin Chinese using a Romanized alphabet called Pinyin – in other words, they use the same alphabet used in English (plus a few diacritical marks) to accurately render Chinese syllables. Beginning students who use Pinyin to read and write Mandarin Chinese typically have no difficulty transitioning to Chinese characters as they progress in their studies.
So – are you ready to learn Mandarin Chinese now? Remember to choose a good audio-based method, practice your accent faithfully, and start off reading in Pinyin. You’re well on your way to speaking Chinese!
A good audio-based language course to use is Rocket Chinese Premium. It will help you learn Mandarin Chinese faster than any other way. Join Rocket Chinese today and learn to speak Mandarin Chinese fast.
