CORE CHINESE 1: Build Up Chinese Foundations by Practice from Udemy

What's inside

Learning objectives

Speak chinese at a basic level
Make your own variations of the chinese expressions

Understand the significant differences from english contained in the chinese language
Get used to chinese structure, verb and sentence automatically

Speak chinese at a basic level
Make your own variations of the chinese expressions
Understand the significant differences from english contained in the chinese language
Get used to chinese structure, verb and sentence automatically

Syllabus

Start learning Chinese with CORE CHINESE 1

Introduction

You will be able to form and speak Chinese present and past expressions with a few selected key words

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the expression "I am a student" in Chinese.

Grammar Points

Chinese doesn’t have an article unlike English.
There is no word space in Chinese unlike English.
You can learn Pinyin later when you get used to speaking Chinese.
Chinese has 4 kinds of tones which help clarify meanings in words. You have to get used to the tones by practice.

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following 3 basic expressions in Chinese.

I am busy : 我很忙
I am tired : 我很累
I am smart : 我很聪明

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following negative expressions in Chinese

I am not a student : 我不是学生
I am not good : 我不忙
I am not happy : 我不累
I am not hungry : 我不聪明

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following expressions in Chinese.

Are you a student? | 你是学生吗?
Are you busy? | 你忙吗?
Are you tired? | 你累吗？
Are you smart? | 你聪明吗？

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following expressions in Chinese.

I am in Beijing | 我在北京
I'm not in Beijing | 我不在北京
Are you in Beijing? | 你在北京吗?

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following expressions in Chinese.

There is a student in Beijing | 学生在北京
There isn't a student in Beijing | 学生不在北京
Is there a student in Beijing? | 学生在北京吗?

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following expressions in Chinese.

I do it | 我做那个
I go to Beijing | 我去北京
I don't do it | 我不做那个
I don't go to Beijing | 我不去北京
Do you do it? | 你做那个吗?
Do you go to Beijing? | 你去北京吗?

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following expressions in Chinese.

I am doing it | 我正在做那个
I am going to Beijing | 我在去北京的路上
Are you doing it? | 你正在做那个吗？

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following expressions in Chinese.

I did it | 我做了那个
I went to Beijing | 我去了北京
I didn't do it | 我没有做那个
I didn't go to Beijing | 我没有去北京
Did you do it? | 你做那个了吗?
Did you go to Beijing? | 你去北京了吗?

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following expressions in Chinese.

I was a student | 我之前是学生
I was not a student | 我之前不是学生
Were you a student? | 你之前是学生吗？
I was busy | 我之前很忙
I was not busy | 我之前不忙
Were you busy? | 你之前忙吗？
I was tired | 我之前很累
I was smart | 我之前很聪明

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following expressions in Chinese.

I was in Beijing | 我之前在北京
I was in Beijing yesterday | 我昨天在北京
I was not in Beijing | 我之前不在北京
Were you in Beijing? | 你之前在北京吗？
There was a student in Beijing | 学生之前在北京
There was not a student in Beijing | 学生之前不在北京
Was there a student in Beijing? | 学生之前在北京吗？

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following expressions in Chinese.

I was in Beijing | 我之前在做那个
I was not doing it | 我之前不在做那个
I was going to Beijing | 我之前在去北京的路上
I was not going to Beijing | 我之前不在去北京的路上

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following expressions in Chinese.

I have done it | 我做了那个
I haven't done it | 我没有做那个
Have you done it? | 你做了那个吗？
He has gone to Beijing | 他去了北京
He hasn't gone to Beijing | 他没有去北京
Has he gone to Beijing? | 他去了北京吗？

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following expressions in Chinese.

I have done it twice | 我做了那个两次
I have done it before | 我之前做了那个
I haven't done it before | 我之前没有做那个
Have you done it before? | 你之前做了那个吗？
Have you done it twice? | 你做了那个两次吗？

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following expressions in Chinese.

I have just done it | 我刚才做了那个
I have already done it | 我已经做了那个
I haven't done it yet | 我还没有做那个
I haven't done it yet | 我还没做那个

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following expressions in Chinese.

I have been to Beijing | 我去过北京
Have you been to Beijing? | 你去过北京吗？
I have never been to Beijing | 我从来没有去过北京

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following expressions in Chinese.

Have you ever been busy? | 你忙过吗？
I have never been busy | 我从来没有忙过
Have you ever done it? | 你做过那个吗？
I have never done it | 我从来没有做过那个

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following expressions in Chinese.

我在北京三年了 | I have been in Beijing for 3 year
我做了那个三年 | I have done it for 3 year
自从星期一之后我在北京 | I have been in Beijing since Monday
我一直在这里 | I’ve always been here

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following expressions in Chinese.

我今天做了那个 | I have done it today
我昨天做了那个 | I did it yesterday
我这周做了那个 | I have done it this week
我上周做了那个 | I did it last week
去年夏天我在北京 | I was in Beijing last summer

You will learn about how to express past perfect tense in Chinese

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following expressions in Chinese

我曾经做过那个 | I used to do it
我曾经在北京 | I used to be in Beijing

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following expressions in Chinese.

I am going to do it tomorrow | 我明天要做那个
Are you going to do it tomorrow? | 你今天晚上要做什么？
I was going to go to Beijing on Monday , but I didn't | 我本来星期一要去北京，但是我没有去。

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following expressions in Chinese

我有可能要去北京 | I will probably go to Beijing
我有可能在北京 | I will probably be in Beijing
我会很忙 | I will be busy
我们去北京好吗？| Shall we go to Beijing?

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following expressions in Chinese.

I will probably go to Beijing | 我有可能要去北京
I will probably be in Beijing | 我有可能在北京
I will be busy | 我会很忙
Shall we go to Beijing? | 我们去北京好吗？

Chinese doesn't have tenses like those of English, so you can express the mentioned expressions more simply in Chinese.

I will have done it
She will have gone to Beijing
I will have been in Beijing

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following expressions in Chinese.

I'll go to Beijing when I do it | 我做那个的时候要去北京
I'll be busy when I go to Beijing | 我去北京的时候会忙
I’ll do it if I go to Beijing | 我去北京的时候要做那个

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following expressions in Chinese.

I want to go to Beijing | 我想去北京
I want to be in Beijing | 我想在北京

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following expressions in Chinese.

I want to be a student | 我想成为学生
I want to be smart | 我想变得聪明

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following expressions in Chinese.

I can go to Beijing | 我可以去北京
I can be in Beijing | 我之前可以去北京
I can be smart | 我可以变得聪明

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following expressions in Chinese.

I could go to Beijing someday | 总有一天我可以去北京
I could do it all morning | 整个上午我可以做那个
I could have gone to Beijing | 我本来可以去北京

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following expressions in Chinese.

She must be a student | 她肯定是学生
She must be busy | 她肯定很忙
She must be doing it | 她肯定在做那个
She can't be a student | 她不可能是学生

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following expressions in Chinese.

I may go to Beijing | 我可能去北京
She may be in Beijing | 她可能在北京
She may have gone to Beijing | 她可能去了北京
She may have done it | 她之前可能是学生

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following expressions in Chinese.

I have to go to Beijing | 我必须要去北京
I have to be in Beijing | 我必须要在北京
What do you have to do? | 你必须要做什么吗?
When do you have to go? | 你什么时候必须要去呢?
Why do you have to go? | 你为什么必须要去呢?
Where do you have to go? | 你必须要去哪里？
I don't have to do it | 我不需要做那个
I must go to Beijing | 我一定要去北京

Lecture Goal

You will be able to speak and understand the following expressions in Chinese.

I should go to Beijing | 我应该去北京
I should be in Beijing | 我应该在北京
I should have gone to Beijing | 我本应该去北京

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Focuses on building a solid foundation in basic Chinese grammar and sentence structure, which is essential for beginners to start communicating effectively

Highlights the differences between English and Chinese grammar, which helps English speakers avoid common mistakes and understand the nuances of the Chinese language

Emphasizes practice and repetition to help learners internalize Chinese sentence structures, which is a proven method for language acquisition and fluency

Utilizes a small set of carefully selected words to maximize learning efficiency, which allows learners to focus on mastering core concepts rather than memorizing extensive vocabulary

Organizes lessons around grammatical concepts, which provides a systematic framework for understanding and applying Chinese language rules

Includes phonics instruction to help learners develop accurate pronunciation, which is crucial for clear communication and comprehension in Mandarin Chinese

Reviews summary

Practical foundation in chinese grammar

According to learners, this course is a largely positive starting point for absolute beginners wanting to build a strong foundation in basic Chinese grammar and sentence structure. Students praise the clear explanations and the structured, repetitive practice method, finding it effective for internalizing sentence patterns and achieving the goal of speaking basic expressions. While the vocabulary is intentionally limited, reviewers feel this focus helps master the fundamental structure. Some mention the pronunciation guidance could be improved, but overall, the course is considered highly effective for its stated goal of building grammatical foundations through practice.

Vocabulary is small but focused.

"The limited vocabulary means you master the structure, but you'll need another course for more words."

"Using only a few words helps focus on grammar, but you won't be able to say much beyond the basics."

"I appreciate the focus on a small set of words initially; it reduces overwhelm."

Excellent starting point for new learners.

"As someone completely new to Chinese, this course was the perfect introduction."

"It builds the foundations brick by brick, making it accessible."

"If you've never studied Chinese before, this is a great place to begin."

Repetitive practice builds automaticity.

"The practice drills, although repetitive, really helped me internalize the sentence patterns."

"Repeating the structures felt boring at times, but I can actually speak basic sentences now."

"This practice method is key to making the structures automatic, as the course promises."

Explains Chinese grammar clearly.

"The grammar explanations are really clear and easy to follow, especially comparing it to English."

"I loved how the course breaks down sentence structures bit by bit."

"Understanding the 'why' behind the sentences is made very simple here."

Some found tone practice insufficient.

"While the grammar is good, I wish there was more focus and practice on pronunciation and tones."

"Phonics sections are there, but integrating tone practice into the sentences felt lacking."

"Getting the tones right is hard, and the course could offer more targeted practice on this."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in CORE CHINESE 1: Build Up Chinese Foundations by Practice with these activities:

Review Pinyin Basics

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Strengthen your understanding of Pinyin to improve pronunciation and comprehension of spoken Chinese.

Browse courses on Pinyin

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Review the Pinyin chart and audio examples.
Practice pronouncing each sound individually.
Practice minimal pairs to distinguish similar sounds.

Read 'Basic Chinese: A Grammar and Workbook'

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Deepen your understanding of Chinese grammar with a structured workbook.

View The Chinese Lexicon on Amazon

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Read each chapter carefully.
Complete the exercises in the workbook.
Review the grammar explanations and examples.

Sentence Structure Drills

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Reinforce your ability to form correct Chinese sentences through repetitive practice.

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Create flashcards with sentence patterns.
Practice forming sentences using different vocabulary.
Record yourself speaking and review for errors.

Four other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all seven activities

Help Other Students in the Forums

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Solidify your understanding by explaining concepts and answering questions from other students.

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Regularly check the course discussion forums.
Answer questions clearly and concisely.
Provide helpful examples and explanations.

Create a Short Chinese Dialogue

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Apply your knowledge by writing and recording a short dialogue using vocabulary and grammar from the course.

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Choose a topic for your dialogue.
Write the dialogue using learned vocabulary and grammar.
Record yourself and a partner speaking the dialogue.
Share your dialogue with classmates for feedback.

Explore 'Remembering Simplified Hanzi'

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Learn a mnemonic system to aid in memorizing Chinese characters.

View Melania on Amazon

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Read the introduction to understand the methodology.
Work through the lessons, creating stories for each character.
Review the characters regularly to reinforce memory.

Compile a Vocabulary List

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Create a personalized vocabulary list with example sentences to aid in review and retention.

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Gather all new vocabulary words from the course.
Write example sentences for each word.
Organize the list by topic or lesson.

Career center

Learners who complete CORE CHINESE 1: Build Up Chinese Foundations by Practice will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Language Teacher

Language teachers instruct students in the grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and cultural nuances of a particular language. A solid grasp of the language's fundamentals is essential. This course may those hoping to become language teachers by providing a structured approach to building a foundation in Chinese. With its emphasis on organized practice, phonics, and basic expressions, the course covers essential elements of the Chinese language. The course's focus on practical application makes it potentially useful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Language Teacher

Translator

A translator converts written material from one language into another. This role demands a strong foundational understanding of both the source and target languages. This course, with its focus on building basic Chinese expressions, may help those aspiring to become translators by familiarizing them with fundamental sentence structures and grammatical concepts. The course emphasizes organized practice and covers essential verbs, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, and conjunctions. This can be valuable in a translator's work.

See salaries and explore the career path for Translator

Interpreter

An interpreter conveys spoken messages accurately between individuals who speak different languages. The ability to understand and speak fluently is crucial for this role. This course can assist aspiring interpreters by providing structured practice in forming and speaking basic Chinese expressions. The course's emphasis on phonics and pronunciation, alongside its coverage of fundamental grammar, may prove helpful. This course may give you the confidence and familiarity needed to begin your journey toward becoming an interpreter.

See salaries and explore the career path for Interpreter

Tour Guide

A tour guide leads groups of tourists, providing information and insights about destinations. Being able to communicate with people from different backgrounds is essential. This course may be helpful for those seeking to become tour guides, by providing a foundation in basic Chinese expressions. By teaching you how to make and speak simple sentences, the course may equip you with the ability to communicate with Chinese-speaking tourists. With this course, you open many doors to becoming a tour guide.

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Customer Service Representative

A customer service representative assists customers by answering questions, resolving issues, and providing information about products or services. This role requires strong communication skills and the ability to understand and respond to customer needs. This course may assist those interested in becoming customer service representatives by providing a foundation in basic Chinese expressions. The course's emphasis on practical application and sentence construction may enable you to communicate effectively with Chinese-speaking customers. This is especially true with more and more customers in China.

See salaries and explore the career path for Customer Service Representative

Localization Specialist

A localization specialist adapts content to suit a specific target market, taking into account linguistic and cultural differences. This role requires a deep understanding of the target language and its cultural context. This course may be useful for those interested in becoming a localization specialist by providing a foundation in basic Chinese expressions and grammar. By learning to make and speak Chinese expressions with a few selected words, you may gain a better understanding of how the language works.

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Global Project Manager

A global project manager oversees projects that involve teams or stakeholders from multiple countries. This requires strong communication, coordination, and problem-solving skills, as well as an understanding of different cultures and business practices. This course may be helpful for those interested in becoming global project managers by providing a foundation in basic Chinese expressions. With this tool, you may communicate more effectively with Chinese-speaking team members or clients and build stronger relationships.

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Subtitler

A subtitler creates written subtitles for videos or films, ensuring accurate and accessible translation of dialogue. This role requires proficiency in both the source and target languages. This course, with its systematic approach to building basic Chinese expressions, may be useful for subtitlers by providing a foundation in sentence structure and grammatical rules. The course's emphasis on organized practice helps with the automatic recall needed to generate subtitles. As a subtitler, you may find this especially useful.

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Immigration Officer

An immigration officer is a government official responsible for enforcing immigration laws and regulations. This often involves interviewing individuals, reviewing documents, and making decisions about who is allowed to enter or remain in a country. Having even a basic fluency of the Chinese language helps you communicate with and assist people from China. This course ensures you have the tools necessary to become an immigration officer or any role in which you handle international migrants.

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International Aid Worker

An international aid worker provides assistance to people in need, often in developing countries or areas affected by conflict or natural disasters. This may involve providing medical care, distributing food and supplies, or helping to rebuild infrastructure. Being able to speak the local language may help aid workers communicate with the people they are trying to help, understand their needs, and build trust. This course may be helpful for those interested in becoming international aid workers by providing a foundation in some Chinese expressions.

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Foreign Correspondent

A foreign correspondent reports news from a foreign country, providing insights into political, economic, and social events. This role requires strong journalistic skills and an understanding of the local language and culture. This course may assist aspiring foreign correspondents by providing a foundation in basic Chinese expressions. You may be able to conduct interviews and gather information from local sources. In turn, this may improve your reporting.

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Intelligence Analyst

An intelligence analyst gathers and analyzes information to assess threats and opportunities. This role often requires advanced analytical skills and knowledge of foreign languages and cultures. This course may benefit aspiring intelligence analysts by providing a foundation in basic Chinese expressions. You may be able to monitor communications and gain insights into potential security threats. While fluency is critical, this course serves as a solid foundational building block to becoming an Intelligence Analyst.

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International Business Consultant

An international business consultant advises companies on strategies for expanding into foreign markets. This role requires a strong understanding of international business practices, cultural differences, and foreign languages. This course may be helpful for those interested in becoming international business consultants by providing a foundation in basic Chinese expressions. It could help to establish rapport and build relationships with Chinese-speaking partners and clients. With this course, you may be able to conduct basic communication.

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Market Research Analyst

A market research analyst studies market conditions to examine potential sales of a product or service. This role requires understanding consumer behavior and market trends. This course may be useful for aspiring market research analysts by providing basic knowledge of the Chinese language. You may be able to conduct surveys and gather data from Chinese-speaking populations. Understanding simple expressions allows for nuanced insights. This course makes you a more effective analyst.

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Diplomat

Diplomats represent their country's interests abroad, engaging in negotiations, fostering relationships, and promoting cultural understanding. This prestigious career typically requires an advanced degree and extensive knowledge of international relations and foreign languages. Even though this course does not focus on international relations, it may benefit aspiring diplomats by providing an introduction to the Chinese language. Basic conversational skills may help facilitate initial interactions and demonstrate cultural sensitivity. You may find this course helpful in your progression towards becoming a diplomat.

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Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in CORE CHINESE 1: Build Up Chinese Foundations by Practice.

The Chinese Lexicon

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Provides a comprehensive overview of Chinese grammar, which is essential for understanding the structure of the language. It reinforces the grammar-oriented approach of the course. The workbook exercises offer ample opportunities to practice and solidify your understanding of the grammatical concepts. It useful reference for understanding the nuances of Chinese grammar.

The Chinese Lexicon

Paperback

$$$

The Chinese Lexicon: A Comprehensive Survey

Kindle Edition

$$$