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So you need to learn Mandarin Chinese? Honestly, it’s not terrifying! This ancient and beautiful language is a work of art, and with a little background about how it works, you’ll find yourself more than equal to the task of learning it.

There are two sides of Mandarin Chinese pronunciation: tones and syllables. An example of a syllable is “ma.” But the syllable “ma” has no meaning in and of itself; the meaning is determined by the tone in which you say the word. So whenever you study a new word, you not only have to remember the syllables making up that word but the tone in which those syllables are pronounced. When you learn Mandarin Chinese, remember to choose an instructional method that emphasizes audio learning, because you need to be able to hear and imitate the various different tones.

What are the various tones used in Mandarin Chinese? The first is a high, even tone, neither rising nor falling in pitch. The second is a rising tone, the third is a falling tone, and the fourth tone rises at the beginning and then falls at the end. Don’t take our word for it, though – when you decide to learn Mandarin Chinese, choose a method that will let you hear and replicate those tones for yourself.

But Mandarin isn’t all about tones – its twenty-one consonants and sixteen vowels are the building blocks of individual words. Many of these sounds will seem unfamiliar to English-speakers, but you learn Mandarin Chinese, focus on the ways the Chinese is different from English rather than the ways they are the same. Concentrate on perfecting a Chinese accent and you’ll be astonished at your degree of success!

Many students beginning to learn Mandarin Chinese worry about the studying a language they can’t read. It’s certainly possible to learn Chinese without reading it at all; after all, toddlers don’t learn to read before learning to speak, do they? Nonetheless, it’s useful to be able to take study notes.

Many students trying to learn Mandarin Chinese begin by reading a Romanized version of the language – in other words, they write Chinese sounds using the same alphabet as European languages. This form of writing is called Pinyin, and because it is much simpler than Chinese characters, it is actually used in China as a stepping stone to teach small children and illiterate adults to read. English-speakers who are endeavoring to learn Mandarin Chinese typically have a much easier time if they begin their studies using Pinyin.

So – are you ready to learn Mandarin Chinese now? Remember to choose a good audio-based method, practice your accent faithfully, and start off reading in Pinyin. You’re well on your way to speaking Chinese!

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