Is Learning Chinese Difficult?

Chinese is only hard if you don’t have the right mentor to ensure that you acquire the solid foundation you need. If you try learning alone without the guidance of a native speaker, you risk not learning the tones correctly and emphasizing the wrong vocabulary early on.

◆ Learn how to use pinyin. Pinyin is essential during the early stages of learning. It allows students to focus on their pronunciation while also enabling them to read and write. Learning pinyin will help lay the foundation for sound pronunciation down the line.

◆ Practice using the four Mandarin tones. It is absolutely essential to learn the different tones if you wish to speak the language correctly.

◆ To improve your vocabulary, memorize 10 basic Chinese words each day. No matter what language you’re learning, the more words you have at your disposal, the sooner you’ll become fluent.

◆ Visit Chinese learning websites to expand your knowledge of Chinese idioms, culture and customs. Do some exercises to strengthen what you’ve learned.

◆ Don’t be afraid to ask for help or practice with a native speaker. You can add native Chinese speakers who want to learn English on your Skype and do language exchanges with them.

◆ Watching TV shows and films will help you practice your listening. You can also learn some trendy words and expressions.

◆ Persistence is the key! Even if you think you’ve learned something, keep reviewing it! You might find you’ll forget it quicker thank you expect.