Some of the most common questions I am asked by my students are:"How can I learn Chinese faster?" "The written Chinese is so different from the spoken one, is it necessary to learn them at the same time?"
I hope this article will help you to learn Chinese with less frustration, and make you enjoy learning Chinese!
Actually, I have three tips for learning Chinese:
1. Learn Chinese characters
Learn Chinese characters is the first step of learning Chinese. Before you know how to speak Chinese, you must learn some new Chinese characters and remember these Chinese characters.
Chinese characters are not created at random; there are actually rules behind their formation. Only if you have a deep understanding of the rules can you read more fluently, understand more clearly and pronounce correctly. Studying unrelated characters will only waste your time and energy. So the best way of learning Chinese characters is to study themed vocabulary. Study them based on their meaning, similar pronunciations and radical components.
2 Reading aloud is a great way.
I was recently speaking with a student who is preparing to attempt the HSK test, which is often considered the "gold standard" of Chinese proficiency tests. We were discussing what strategies she could use to help familiarize herself with the different sounds and tones used in Mandarin. One technique she used was to record herself saying words out loud and then listen back to her recordings to hear where she could improve her pronunciation.
3 Memorizing & be consistent
Learning is a process of memorizing new information while practicing. If you want to become fluent in Chinese, memorizing must be your first step.
Don't study on and off or skip a lesson because you feel it's too hard. Consistency is key to memorization. Make it a habit to learn the language.
If you have any questions about the methods and resources mentioned in my tips, please leave a message below. I’m looking forward to your coming to Mandarin inn to learn Chinese.