Not a single person will say that it is easy to learn Chinese, especially when you are trying to do so as an adult. Yet it may be a lot easier than you'd think. It isn't different from other things: you need to take your new goal a day at a time so that you can build your knowledge. If you remind yourself to stay patient and not lose your focus and to use the hints we've laid out in this article, you should have a perfectly okay time of learning Chinese.
Movies are a great way for new students of Chinese to get exposure to the language. There are lots of high quality and great Chinese movies out there; you aren't limited to the kung fu movies that so many people enjoy. Just make sure that the movie you choose uses the dialect that you want to learn: for example, if you are learning Mandarin, skip the older kung fu movies because most of them are in Cantonese. No matter what type of movies you usually choose, they are a great way to get used to hearing Chinese while still being entertained. You can watch a favorite many times and rely less on the subtitles every time you watch it. This is an entertaining way to learn Chinese.
One of the most effective ways to learn Chinese is to visit a country where Chinese is spoken. This isn't something everyone can do, but it is still a good goal to keep in mind while you are studying the language. If you are able to take one of these trips, however, try to find a good language school or a tour group that focuses on using the local language; most people in China speak some level of English and you'll get stuck helping them better their skills instead of being able to better your own! Lots of people from the West enjoy taking trips to Hong Kong but most people in Hong Kong are fluent in English because it was ruled for so long by the British and, anyway, in Hong Kong, they speak Cantonese Chinese which won't be much use to you if you are trying to learn Mandarin. Mainland China is the best place to go if you want to learn Mandarin.
Many people who are new to learning Chinese quickly discover that the idea of making mistakes causes them anxiety. This is a major barrier in learning new languages. Practice is the best way to ingrain a new language which means that you are going to have to make some mistakes before you get good. Don't worry so much about mistakes when you are taking a class or practicing with someone for whom Chinese is their first language...just do your best! In most instances, Chinese speakers will be impressed with your willingness to learn and will do their best to help you and provide encouragement. If you are thinking of waiting until you have achieved fluency in Chinese to start speaking it, you're going to be waiting for the rest of your life because you can't become fluent without making mistakes.
To sum up: you have to think about learning Chinese the same way that you think about learning other hard to master subjects. Instead of focusing on fluency (which can take many years) focus on learning little bits each day. Embrace every single opportunity that you have to practice whether it is with a class, by reading a book or by working with a native speaker. Learning Chinese can be at least a little bit easier if you use the tips talked about in this article.
Movies are a great way for new students of Chinese to get exposure to the language. There are lots of high quality and great Chinese movies out there; you aren't limited to the kung fu movies that so many people enjoy. Just make sure that the movie you choose uses the dialect that you want to learn: for example, if you are learning Mandarin, skip the older kung fu movies because most of them are in Cantonese. No matter what type of movies you usually choose, they are a great way to get used to hearing Chinese while still being entertained. You can watch a favorite many times and rely less on the subtitles every time you watch it. This is an entertaining way to learn Chinese.
One of the most effective ways to learn Chinese is to visit a country where Chinese is spoken. This isn't something everyone can do, but it is still a good goal to keep in mind while you are studying the language. If you are able to take one of these trips, however, try to find a good language school or a tour group that focuses on using the local language; most people in China speak some level of English and you'll get stuck helping them better their skills instead of being able to better your own! Lots of people from the West enjoy taking trips to Hong Kong but most people in Hong Kong are fluent in English because it was ruled for so long by the British and, anyway, in Hong Kong, they speak Cantonese Chinese which won't be much use to you if you are trying to learn Mandarin. Mainland China is the best place to go if you want to learn Mandarin.
Many people who are new to learning Chinese quickly discover that the idea of making mistakes causes them anxiety. This is a major barrier in learning new languages. Practice is the best way to ingrain a new language which means that you are going to have to make some mistakes before you get good. Don't worry so much about mistakes when you are taking a class or practicing with someone for whom Chinese is their first language...just do your best! In most instances, Chinese speakers will be impressed with your willingness to learn and will do their best to help you and provide encouragement. If you are thinking of waiting until you have achieved fluency in Chinese to start speaking it, you're going to be waiting for the rest of your life because you can't become fluent without making mistakes.
To sum up: you have to think about learning Chinese the same way that you think about learning other hard to master subjects. Instead of focusing on fluency (which can take many years) focus on learning little bits each day. Embrace every single opportunity that you have to practice whether it is with a class, by reading a book or by working with a native speaker. Learning Chinese can be at least a little bit easier if you use the tips talked about in this article.
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