Chinese Pronunciation

Here Ann and Felix will go through the entire range of pronunciation in the Chinese language. Using visual keys, useful tips and ways to practice you'll get mistaken for Chinese after passing this course. Each video name also indicates what's being taught so you can go to a specific video if you're looking for something.

About the Course and DominoChinese

We are the first foreign-run Chinese (Mandarin) teaching company in China with a completely new approach to teaching Chinese. Our courses are constructed by foreigners for foreigners, and also include the wide experience of our Chinese teachers.

In this course, you will learn the fundamental concepts upon which you can easily build your Chinese language learning. By the end of this course, you will be able to conduct a simple conversation in Chinese with basic expressions, as well as the relevant reading and writing skills.

Chinese is the most logical language there is and we hope to demonstrate to the world how to successfully navigate it. Through the ancient system of using pictograms, two words with separate meanings can join to form entirely new words. For example, learn the word for electricity (电), then add brain (脑) and you get computer (electric-brain). Replace brain with stairs (梯) and you get elevator (electric-stairs). 话 means speech and 'electric-speech' means telephone. Chinese is a clearly structured, logical language, and it is this logic that makes the learning experience feel like a puzzle that anyone can solve.

We teach entirely through videos, where we first explain concepts and then show them in practice through dialogues with strangers on the street. Videos are shortened down to 1-5 minutes and to make sure you are paying attention we will give you quizzes between the videos based on what you have just learned. Pass it and move on to learn about the next concept.

When you sign up we will also give you our coursebook that helps you review everything you learn much easier.

Your instructor in this course is Felix Lattman, who founded Domino Chinese in Guangzhou, China, after spending some years in the city and teaching himself Chinese. To him, Chinese made a lot more sense than it is generally credited with, and so he realised this language of 1.3 billion people should be very easy to learn as long as it is taught in the right way. In 2013, he started teaching Chinese to foreigners and within 3 months all of his students could converse in Chinese.

With Felix's approach to teaching Chinese combined with the other Chinese teachers' experience in the company, we hope to improve Chinese teaching everywhere in the world and make it fun, logical and much more like "a walk in the park" for anyone.

What's inside

Learning objective

Chinese pronunciation

Syllabus

Introduction

Learning Resources

Important advice

First consonants: ”b-p-m-f-d-t-n-l-g-h”

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Teaches foundational pronunciation skills for Chinese language learning, making it suitable for beginners with no prior knowledge

Incorporates a mix of videos, dialogues, and quizzes to enhance engagement and practical application of concepts

Provides a comprehensive overview of Chinese pronunciation, covering a wide range of sounds and their combinations

Emphasizes the logical structure of the Chinese language, making it easier for learners to understand and master pronunciation

Utilizes visual keys and practical tips to facilitate the learning process

Taught by Felix Lättman, who has extensive experience teaching Chinese to foreigners and has developed innovative methods to make learning easier

Reviews summary

Mastering core chinese pronunciation

According to students, this course offers an exceptionally clear and foundational approach to mastering Chinese pronunciation. Learners consistently praise the instructor's ability to break down complex sounds, making them accessible even for absolute beginners. The course's methodology, utilizing short video lectures, visual keys, and practical dialogues with strangers, is frequently highlighted as highly effective. While a few learners wished for more advanced practice, the general consensus is that it provides a solid basis for building confidence in speaking Chinese, particularly in tackling tricky initial and final sounds and tones. It's especially recommended for those seeking a thorough and logical introduction to Chinese phonetics.

Pace can be too basic or too fast depending on prior experience.

"I found some parts a bit too basic, but then some 'difficult' sections moved too fast for me."

"If you've already had some exposure to Chinese, you might find yourself skipping around a lot."

"Good for absolute beginners, but might not challenge those with previous knowledge."

Effectively teaches challenging and nuanced Chinese sounds.

"I finally understand the tricky 'q' and 'x' sounds!"

"I found some of the 'difficult' sections like 'r vs l' and the 'i' sounds to be particularly well explained."

"As someone who struggled with tones and initial sounds, this course was a game-changer."

Excellent for beginners building core pronunciation skills.

"This course is absolutely fantastic for nailing down Chinese pronunciation."

"A very solid foundation for pronunciation."

"It's good for absolute beginners, though I might skip some parts if I had prior exposure."

Utilizes short videos, quizzes, and real-world examples.

"The short videos are great, making it easy to fit into a busy schedule."

"The quizzes after each video are effective for reinforcing learning."

"The visual aids and practical examples, like talking to strangers, really helped me grasp the nuances."

Complex sounds are broken down into understandable parts.

"Felix's explanations are incredibly clear, breaking down complex sounds into manageable pieces."

"This course truly breaks it down. The focus on each sound individually and then combining them is brilliant."

"The approach of connecting sounds to visual cues made a huge difference for me."

Some learners desired more interactive exercises.

"I struggled a bit with this. While the explanations were clear, I felt the practice opportunities were limited."

"It's more theoretical than practical for me. I needed more interactive exercises rather than just watching videos."

"I wished there were more advanced practice exercises, but for fundamental pronunciation, it's very effective."

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 Chinese Pronunciation with these activities:

Review Basic Chinese Pronunciation

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Brush up on the fundamentals of Chinese pronunciation before starting the course to ensure a strong foundation.

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