1. Duolingo

Duolingo’s gamified approach to language learning makes it a favourite among users. The app offers interactive lessons, vocabulary exercises, and pronunciation practice for Mandarin Chinese learners. With its bite-sized lessons and progress tracking, Duolingo keeps learners motivated and engaged.

2. HelloChinese

HelloChinese is a dedicated app for learning Mandarin Chinese. It provides comprehensive lessons covering vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structures. The app’s interactive exercises, audio pronunciation, and writing practice contribute to a well-rounded language learning experience. Grab HelloChinese here!

3. Pleco

Pleco is an essential Chinese-English dictionary app for Mandarin learners. With a vast database of characters, words, and example sentences, Pleco is a valuable resource for understanding Chinese characters and meanings. The app also offers character recognition and stroke order animations. Get Pleco now!

4. Tandem

Tandem connects language learners with native Mandarin speakers for authentic language practice. Through text, voice calls, and video chats, learners can engage in real conversations, improving their speaking and listening skills. Tandem also fosters cultural exchange and networking opportunities. Download Tandem.

5. Anki

Anki is a powerful flashcard app that allows users to create personalized decks for vocabulary and character practice. Its spaced repetition algorithm ensures effective vocabulary retention, making it a useful tool for reinforcing Mandarin Chinese knowledge. Get Anki now!

6. Memrise:

Memrise focuses on vocabulary building and memorization through interactive games and quizzes. The app offers a variety of Mandarin Chinese courses created by users, making it a diverse and engaging platform for language learning. Download Memrise here!

7. LingoDeer

LingoDeer is designed specifically for Asian language learners, including Mandarin Chinese. Its well-structured lessons cover grammar, vocabulary, and sentence patterns. The app’s user-friendly interface and interactive exercises make it suitable for learners of all levels. Grab LingoDeer now!

8. Drops

Drops offers visually appealing and fast-paced language learning through word games. The app introduces essential Mandarin Chinese words and phrases with vibrant visuals and audio pronunciation, making vocabulary acquisition enjoyable and effective. Get Drops now.

9. ChineseSkill

ChineseSkill uses game-based learning to help beginners grasp Mandarin Chinese. The app covers topics like greetings, numbers, and everyday phrases. Its visual aids and audio pronunciation make language learning engaging for newcomers. Click here!

10. HelloTalk

HelloTalk is a language exchange app that connects learners with native speakers for language practice. Through text, voice messages, and voice calls, users can engage in real conversations, enhancing their speaking and listening skills while experiencing cultural exchange. Get HelloTalk here!

In conclusion, these top 10 free apps for learning Mandarin Chinese provide a wide range of resources for language learners. From interactive lessons and vocabulary practice to language exchange with native speakers, these apps offer comprehensive language learning experiences. Whether you’re a beginner or aiming to enhance your Mandarin proficiency, these apps can be valuable companions on your language-learning journey. Embrace the opportunity to learn Mandarin Chinese with these fantastic free apps, including the immersive language exchange provided by HelloTalk.

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So for Chinese students selecting the UK to study, this bears a huge financial commitment for their families. It must be a bracing culture shock, too. So then, why shouldn’t this happen more the other way around? Despite recent post-COVID stumbling blocks, the Chinese economy has boomed over recent years, and the country’s influence has ramped up a notch or two. So that means that the Chinese language is now a top-three global language. Well, as it happens, this is a scenario playing out more and more, as China welcomes an increasing number of overseas students into its education system each year. With over 3,000 universities and colleges throughout the most populous country in the world, lately, we’ve been seeing Chinese universities make their way into the global rankings. As an example, topuniversities.com’s World University Employability Ranking table’s top ten features two Chinese universities: Beijing’s Tsinghua University at number 6 and the University of Hong Kong stands at number 10.

“Step outside of your comfort zone”, they say, and that’s exactly what thousands and thousands of Chinese students do each year when they go overseas to European and American universities to study. So why not adopt a similar philosophy if you’re British? Not only is the Chinese education system one of the best in the world, but the overall benefits to be had from studying in China are greater than you might initially think. Here are just some of the benefits of studying in China:

Tuition Fees

In the UK, British students pay hefty tuition fees. Some means-tested fees are reduced, but there’s no such thing as a free or cheap education anymore. And we all feel the burden as the cost of living skyrockets in the UK, especially since (swear words approaching) Brexit and the war in Ukraine.

In China, tuition fees are remarkably lower. In some cases, you might expect to pay a fifth of what you’d be paying in the UK. Tier one cities will be higher, but tier two cities will surprise you.

The Chinese Education System

The Chinese education system is not standardised and varies from province to province. But its generally quite good. Go to wealthier provinces like Zhejiang, which boasts great universities in Hangzhou, Wenzhou and Ningbo, and you’ll be studying within well-funded, modern learning establishments for a lot less money.

Universities are well-kept, orderly and clean. The main difference is possibly the teaching style which tends to be less group-structured and a little more ‘drilling’ based. Students can be less challenged, not as willing to contribute to debating and adopt less lateral thinking. However, these are things that you can of course contribute and excel in. But other than that, you’ll enjoy a quality, well-planned curriculum, professionally delivered lessons and by generally passionate teachers. Teachers in China are respected, get paid comparatively handsomely and enjoy a comfortable standard of living. In other words, it’s a good job in China.

Cost of Living

So after tuition fees are considered, accommodation comes next. Student accommodation is abundant, modern and affordable. But if you want to go it alone, you can expect to rent a two-bedroom apartment in a good area for under £200 per month. In a city the size of London. And we all know that a similar property would set you back six times that in the UK’s capital, before any other overheads.

Most grocery shopping items are cheaper, except strangely, cosmetics and bathroom items which tend to cost more than in Europe.

Dining out will not only expand your palate’s diversity but will be far kinder on your wallet, too. A comparative meal out in a tier two city (maybe tier 3), like Wenzhou, will cost around one-third of its UK counterpart. Broad statement alert: The Chinese take food seriously. They eat well and expect quality dining and service. Keep clear of the tourist track and you’ll enjoy authentic, great-value food at superb prices.

Travel is crazily affordable, thanks to the transport system remaining state-owned. Busses, trains and undergrounds are modern, cheap and reliable. Add great air conditioning, and what more do you need?

Chinese Insight

The world’s factory, the second-largest economy, a diverse and different-in-any-ways culture, yet a country on the rise that echoes some familiarity with the US. That’s a juxtaposition you might notice. American culture is everywhere in China, from the dance to music, and English writing on clothing, cars and fast food joints, yet the media goes out of its way to portray America as evil at every opportunity. Understanding how business relationships, Chinese culture, travel, law and politics work can only be a huge, mind-expanding benefit.

Understanding Chinese social and business cultures is a real benefit too! Business is China is conducted in a more ‘guanxi’ or ‘relationship’ manner and, believe me when I say that this is an unbiased comment: There is no hospitality like Chinese hospitality. Chinese hosts look after you. It will be a challenge to pay for a meal. It can even get combative. But you’ll soon learn little tricks to pay your way, like pretending to go to the toilet, except with your phone, in no time.

So if you’re considering your next move academically, think outside the box. Why bankrupt yourself in the UK when you could save thousands and thousands of pounds by studying in China? But what about the language, I hear you ask. 1: Learning Chinese is not as challenging as people often say. It’s a homogenous language with one set of grammar rules, and 2: A lot of professional lectures are conducted in English. Plus, at the university level, there are a lot of English-speaking students and lecturers. But come on, learn Chinese! It will benefit you throughout your life.

Global Connections

Chinese universities attract students from all over the country, but from a lot of Global South countries, too. So expect to make some good connections, not only in China but with people from India and also Pakistan. There are a lot of students from African countries and you might encounter the odd American for good measure, too.

Life is all about networking, right? Chinese universities and the surrounding areas will provide you superb opportunities to connect with potential affiliates, clients and suppliers, or even just some great friends.

Better International Understanding

As per the last section, seeing and understanding world events from another perspective is balancing. Meeting people from diverse and varied countries is mind-expanding, as well as educational and enjoyable.  After your Chinese education, you’ll be internationally employable, having proved your ability to adapt and flourish in very different lands and situations. And you’ll possess internationally-recognised qualifications. So perhaps looking outside your comfort zone is a good thing? I think so. Look into Chinese universities. The benefits are vast.

If you’re planning a trip to China, make sure you get the best flight, travel and hotel deals. Try Trip.com now!

The post We’re Used to Chinese Students, But What About Chinese Universities? appeared first on British Panda.

Learning any second language requires commitment and perseverance. However, as you go through the peaks and troughs of effort and advancement, you have your off-days, but you also have those fleeting, slightly deluded moments where you feel almost fluent. Different days, different moods, different sleep patterns, different situations: they all contribute towards your feelings of progress or conversely, non-advancement. Then, of course, there are the different types of people you speak with. They can make some of the deepest impacts on your relationship with your language learning and they tend to fall into one of the following three categories:

The Roadrunner

Although often with the best of intentions, your introduction to The Roadrunner using your basic Mandarin is all they need to embark on an Indy 500 barrage of natural (to them) Chinese. No matter how distressed you look, no matter how many times you ask them to speak slowly, it makes no impact. You need time to process the first sentence, but they’re off, spouting their second, third, fourth… 

The Sporadic Switcher

Related to the Roadrunner, this speaker is like the aforementioned but bears similarity to a gremlin whose been fed after midnight. The second sentences are just for starters. This speaker’s going to mess you up. Mainly because they switch subject matter almost instantaneously. They demand information, then before you’ve fathomed the gist, they are demanding something else of you. Jeez! Your VPN only goes and disconnects at this point, so you can’t even use Google Translate. Oh, you feel like a loser alright? Well just wait until you leave the situation, genuinely believing that your Mandarin is poor and perhaps that normally you are experiencing the Kruger Dunning (Google it!) effect on most other days. 

The Considerate Speaker

They do exist. Have faith. This speaker is basically a pleasant person with a sense of humanity. They empathize with you straight away, speaking in bite-sized chunks, using easy language, and leaving thoughtful pauses. Damn it, some of them mime for you. Love them. They’re quite widespread, but then, so are the other two. It’s the luck of the draw which you encounter though. Depending on which one the universe has matched you with that day, your outcomes may well be the feeling of an accomplished student of Mandarin who is progressing every day, or a loser. I know I prefer the former. How about you?

The post Learning Mandarin in China – Meet Your Language Adversaries appeared first on British Panda.

As travel becomes a reality once more, together with the new demands that COVID brings, the age-old challenge for foreigners visiting China remains. This is, of course, the language barrier. In this article, we’ll examine the diversity of the Chinese language, China’s English language ability, and how you can approach learning a functional level of Mandarin Chinese.

Chinese Language Diversity

Firstly, understanding the challenges of the Chinese language will enable you to better prepare. Or indeed, understanding the challenges of ‘languages’ in China might be a better phrase to start with. There are circa 300 living languages in China, a figure that varies depending on your definition of language and dialect. For the sake of time and to position this article as an introductory resource, we’ll save China’s minority languages for another time and focus on the Chinese language. The Chinese language spans 10 dialect groups. Many are related, some more so than others, but the dialect that most visitors to China will benefit from learning and using is Mandarin.

Mandarin Chinese is spoken by 920 million people worldwide and is the majority language throughout most of the Chinese-speaking world. Known as Putonghua, or the people’s language, it’s the country’s official language and the language the government is dedicated to promoting throughout education and the media.

Every major city and region has its own dialect, but apart from in the south of the country, there will usually be a strong Mandarin uptake. Incidentally, the country’s second most spoken language is Cantonese. Although Cantonese and Mandarin are not mutually intelligible, they do share the same written language. The only differences here are that Cantonese people tend to use traditional Hanzi (Chinese characters) and mainland Mandarin speakers use simplified Hanzi: a system that removes excessive, superfluous strokes from the characters. Both systems are generally mutually intelligible.

China’s English Ability

China is undoubtedly developing at a fast pace. It’s making its mark on the global economy and rapidly becoming a major world player. As an example, there are close to 180,000 Chinese students in the UK alone, and countless Chinese manufacturing and export hubs liaise with western clients every day. However, assuming that the English language is widely used throughout China is a misconception and one that you should take into consideration before planning your China trip.

English is taught in schools throughout China from roughly the age of eight upwards. As with many school subjects, if they are not learned as a passion, they will probably not be pursued and mastered. Therefore, just because English is taught doesn’t mean it’s spoken well. Also, it’s often taught by English teachers who learned their English in China and who have never been to an English-speaking county.

The extent of English language usage in China tends to correlate with the Chinese city tier structure. China’s tier 1 cities comprise Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Beijing. These cities welcome western business people, foreign students and they are even home to international schools. The English language is relatively common. However, visit lesser-known peripheral cities and you may not see another foreigner, nor experience a local who is proficient in English all day.

Recommended Learning

As well as demonstrating respect to your country hosts, learning some basic Mandarin will serve you extremely well. There’s a vast array of Mandarin learning resources online, from websites to videos, podcasts to apps. Some resources are completely free, some feature additional charges, and some are subscription-based.

Everybody’s learning style is different, though, so undertaking some Google searches should help you locate some initial resources to trial.

Translation Restrictions

In this smartphone age, we rely on our devices more and more, and language translation is no exception. However, if you intend to entrust Google Translate, although it’s an undeniably powerful translation resource, bear in mind that it won’t work in mainland China unless you use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) app on your devices.

Google services, along with an increasing majority of western web pages and internet services are blocked in mainland China. The app will simply not load and definitely won’t be able to connect and produce any translation. If you do want to use Google Translate, before entering mainland China you must download and subscribe to a VPN app service. These connect your devices to a server in another country, effectively tunneling through what is referred to as ‘The Great Firewall of China’.

Alternatively, download another Chinese dictionary, like Pleco, which will provide you with word translation both on and offline.

Your Chinese Language Options

Knowing the limited extent of the English language in China and the challenges facing those needing to tackle the Chinese language in mainland China will enable you to plan ahead.

If you currently possess no Mandarin ability and intend on visiting tier 3 Chinese cities, consider traveling with an interpreter, or liaising with a competent Mandarin speaker on arrival, be that a Chinese colleague, supplier, or someone from a Chinese agency.

Learning some basic Mandarin prior to your trip is highly recommended and the more you learn, the better. Depending on your location and timescales, you could opt for Chinese classes or even 1-2-1 teaching. Simple Google searches should enable you to locate these resources.

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