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Mandarin Chinese 1

Chinese for Beginners

Mandarin Chinese 1: Chinese for beginners is a beginner's course of Mandarin Chinese. It uses lectures, short plays, interactive exercises and cultural tips to help learners build a fundamental capability of oral Chinese in real-life situations. At the end of the 5-week course, the learners will reach the following proficiency:

♦ 150 words

♦ 20 language points

♦ handling 5 real-life situations

This is a beginners' course, therefore no prerequisite is required.

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What's inside

Syllabus

Lesson 1 Nǐ hǎo 你好 Hello! Part 1

Learning how to greet people; Learning how to introduce one's name and nationality

Lesson 1 Nǐ hǎo 你好 Hello! Part 2

Lesson 2 Xiànzài jǐ diǎn ？现在几点？ What's the time? Part 1

Learning how to express numbers; Learning how to express time: the time, years, month and dates

Lesson 2 Xiànzài jǐ diǎn ？现在几点？ What's the time? Part 2

Lesson 3：Nǐ mǎi shénme? 你买什么？ What do you want to buy? Part 1

Learning how to talk about money; Learning the expressions used in shopping

Lesson 3：Nǐ mǎi shénme? 你买什么？ What do you want to buy? Part 2

Lesson 4 Nǐ jiā yǒu jǐ kǒu rén ？你家有几口人? How many people are there in your family? Part 1

Learning how to talk about family, occupations and age.

Lesson 4 Nǐ jiā yǒu jǐ kǒu rén ？你家有几口人? How many people are there in your family? Part 2

Lesson 5 Nǐ xiǎnɡ chī shénme? 你想吃什么? What would you like to eat? Part 1

Learning how to order and talk about food.

Lesson 5 Nǐ xiǎnɡ chī shénme? 你想吃什么? What would you like to eat? Part 2

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Provides a comprehensive study of a specific topic

Builds a strong foundation for beginners

Uses hands-on activities that make learning immersive

Develops skills that are highly relevant to industry

Exposes learners to unique perspectives that may add color to other topics

Requires learners to purchase a subscription

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Reviews summary

Mandarin for beginners

learners say that Mandarin Chinese 1: Chinese for Beginners is well received for its engaging assignments. Easy to understand and informative, the curriculum comprises comprehensive vocabulary, grammar, listening, speaking, and reading components. Designed for beginners, this course effectively teaches essential communication skills for real-world scenarios. Moreover, it seamlessly incorporates Chinese culture into the learning experience, providing a well-rounded understanding of the language and its context.

perfect for those new to Mandarin

"I have never a basic skill but I understand very much."

"It's really good! I learned a lot of useful stuff that I'd never thought I would."

"This was a really good course for beginners, i learned a lot."

teaches real-life usage of Mandarin

"The course content will suit anyone who wants to use Mandarin in the workplace/ future work place."

"This course helped me to start to understand Chinese."

"It is a perfect start for introductions and getting your feet wet to learning Chinese."

"It's great but later it got a bit too fast with the videos... I love the cultural tips they are very cool to know about!"

integrates Chinese culture into the lessons

"The course has easy videos. The material extra for writing is the best."

"Nice explanations on how expressing time, talking about age, ordering food in Chinese and etc. Great cultural tips regarding Chinese etiquette"

"An interesting course for curious people, an opportunity for language learners."

"So I learned more things from here. Not only about the Chinese language but I really like Chinese culture and food too."

provides in-depth knowledge of Mandarin

"Excellent course, I want to keep learning and improve my mandarin chinese"

"It's fantastic. I learn apresentation and talk basic at chinese in 5 weeks. I'm happy."

"I like the real life interaction and application. I hope to see more of this kind of lessons."

"I already have a little knowledge of Mandarin as I took a short basic class in my school, and this course just helped me solidified what I've learned there."

occasional issues with audio or pronunciation

"The "final" for Course 1 is speaking & peer feedback comments and your comments in return. This is WITHOUT knowing if your pronunciation is at all satisfactory, since there has been NO feedback along the way. This is why I've taken away a ★."

"The audio submission, and most people sound like under 10's on the audio, but I guess that is nothing new."

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 Mandarin Chinese 1: Chinese for Beginners with these activities:

Review Pinyin

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Refresh your knowledge of pinyin to establish a firm foundation for pronunciation and character recognition.

Browse courses on Pinyin

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Review the pinyin chart
Practice pronunciation aloud
Listen to audio recordings of native speakers

Practice Pronunciation with YouTube Videos

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Supplement your classroom learning by watching YouTube videos that focus on accurate pronunciation.

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Search for beginner-friendly pronunciation videos
Follow along with the pronunciation exercises
Record yourself and compare to the native speaker

Flashcard Practice

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Reinforce your vocabulary and character recognition through regular practice with flashcards.

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Create your own flashcards using new words
Review flashcards regularly

Four other activities

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Conversation Exchange with a Language Partner

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Enhance your speaking and listening skills by engaging in conversations with a language partner.

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Find a language exchange partner
Schedule regular conversation sessions
Take turns practicing speaking and listening

Create a Short Dialogue in Mandarin

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Apply your language skills by creating a dialogue that demonstrates your understanding of grammar and vocabulary.

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Choose a common scenario or topic
Write out the dialogue in both Chinese and English
Practice speaking the dialogue aloud

Assist in Teaching Introductory Mandarin Classes

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Deepen your understanding of the language while giving back to the community by assisting in Mandarin classes.

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Find a local organization or school that offers Mandarin classes
Contact the organization and express your interest in volunteering
Assist the teacher with lesson preparation and student support

Start a Mandarin Language Blog

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Enhance your writing skills and share your language journey by creating a blog dedicated to Mandarin learning.

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Choose a blogging platform and set up your blog
Write regular posts on various Mandarin-related topics
Engage with readers and respond to comments

Career center

Learners who complete Mandarin Chinese 1: Chinese for Beginners will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Media Correspondent

Media correspondents report on news and current events for media outlets. The skills learned in this course may help you to better understand the culture and politics of China, and to more effectively report on news from China.

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Professor

Professors teach and conduct research at colleges and universities. The skills learned in this course may help you to better understand the Chinese language and culture, and to more effectively teach and conduct research on China.

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Journalist

Journalists write and report on news and current events. The skills learned in this course may help you to better understand the culture and politics of China, and to more effectively write and report on news from China.

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Interpreter

Interpreters help people who speak different languages to communicate. The skills learned in this course may help you to better understand the culture and language of China, and to more effectively interpret between Chinese and English speakers.

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Translator

Translators convert written material from one language to another. The skills learned in this course may help you to better understand the Chinese language and culture, and to more effectively translate written material between Chinese and English.

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Linguist

Linguists study human language. The skills learned in this course may help you to better understand the structure and function of the Chinese language, and to more effectively study other languages.

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Foreign Correspondent

Foreign correspondents report on news from other countries. The skills learned in this course may help you to better understand the culture and politics of China, and to more effectively report on news from China.

See salaries and explore the career path for Foreign Correspondent

Peace Corps Volunteer

Peace Corps Volunteers serve in developing countries to promote peace and understanding. The skills learned in this course may help you to better understand the culture and people of China, and to more effectively promote peace and understanding in China.

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Technical Writer

Technical Writers create instruction manuals and other technical documents. The skills learned in this course may help you to better understand the Chinese language, and to more effectively create technical documents for Chinese speakers.

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ESL Teacher

ESL teachers help non-native speakers of English to learn to speak, read, and write in English. The skills learned in this course may help you to better understand the challenges that non-native speakers of English face, and to more effectively teach them.

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Lawyer

Lawyers represent clients in legal matters. The skills learned in this course may help you to better understand the legal system in China, and to more effectively represent clients from China.

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Public Relations Specialist

Public Relations Specialists help organizations to build and maintain a positive public image. The skills learned in this course may help you to better understand the Chinese media landscape, and to more effectively build and maintain a positive public image for Chinese organizations.

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Management Consultant

Management consultants help businesses to improve their performance. The skills learned in this course may help you to better understand the business culture in China, and to more effectively work with Chinese businesses.

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Academic Librarian

Academic Librarians help academic, corporate, and government researchers find, evaluate, and use information effectively. The skills learned in this course may help you to better understand the information needs of academic researchers and students, and to more effectively help them to find the resources they need.

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Archivist

Archivists manage historical documents. The skills learned in this course may help you to better understand various historical contexts, and to more effectively organize and manage historical documents.

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Reading list

We've selected 18 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 Mandarin Chinese 1: Chinese for Beginners.

The Chinese Lexicon

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Provides a step-by-step guide to learning Mandarin Chinese. It uses a variety of methods, including grammar explanations, vocabulary lists, and exercises.

Mandarin Chinese 1

Chinese for Beginners

What's inside

Syllabus

Good to know

Save this course

Reviews summary

Mandarin for beginners

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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