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Mandarin Chinese 1

Chinese for Beginners

Wang Jun and An Na

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

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Read about what's good

what should give you pause

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

Practical beginner mandarin introduction

According to learners, Mandarin Chinese 1 is an excellent starting point for absolute beginners. Students say the instructors are engaging and provide clear explanations, and the course has a good, logical structure. Many appreciate the focus on practical dialogues and real-life situations, calling it a solid foundation for basic conversation. However, some note that the pace can feel fast in certain parts, and there is a need for more dedicated pronunciation practice or interactive speaking opportunities. The exercises are mentioned as sometimes being repetitive, though they reinforce learning. Overall, it is seen as a highly positive and practical first step.

Instructors explain well; structure is logical.

"The instructors explain things very clearly and the dialogues are very practical."

"Fantastic first step into Chinese! The structure is logical, building from simple greetings to more complex situations..."

"Videos are clear. My main feedback would be the lack of interactive speaking practice or more detailed feedback on pronunciation."

Focus on real-life situations and conversation.

"The dialogues are very practical. I loved the cultural tips! Pace was just right for me."

"Very useful for learning conversational basics. The 'real-life situations' approach is great."

"The focus on practical conversations is spot on. Highly recommend for anyone starting out."

Exercises reinforce but can be repetitive.

"I found the exercises a bit repetitive, but they do reinforce the material."

"However, the exercises were too simple, and I wished for more challenging material or ways to practice speaking actively."

"The exercises could be more varied. Overall, a positive experience."

Some parts feel too fast or overwhelming.

"It's okay, but moves quite fast in some parts."

"Found it quite difficult to keep up, especially with the tones... felt overwhelming each week."

"The pace felt slightly uneven, sometimes too slow, sometimes too fast. But the core content is valuable."

Insufficient practice for tones and speaking.

"I struggled with the tones and pronunciation, and the course didn't offer enough specific practice on this."

"lack of interactive speaking practice or more detailed feedback on pronunciation."

"I wished for more challenging material or ways to practice speaking actively."

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.

Browse courses on Vocabulary Building

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Create your own flashcards using new words
Review flashcards regularly

Four other activities

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Show all seven activities

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.

Browse courses on Dialogue Writing

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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.

Browse courses on Teaching Practice

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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:

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.

See salaries and explore the career path for Translator

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

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.

See salaries and explore the career path for Interpreter

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.

See salaries and explore the career path for Journalist

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.

See salaries and explore the career path for Linguist

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.

See salaries and explore the career path for Media 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.

See salaries and explore the career path for Peace Corps Volunteer

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.

See salaries and explore the career path for Professor

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.

See salaries and explore the career path for ESL Teacher

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.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Writer

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.

See salaries and explore the career path for Public Relations Specialist

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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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.

See salaries and explore the career path for Lawyer

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.

See salaries and explore the career path for Academic Librarian

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.

See salaries and explore the career path for Archivist

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

Here's a deal for you

What's inside

Syllabus

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Save this course

Reviews summary

Practical beginner mandarin introduction

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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