Can we learn Chinese in a year?
About 1.3 billion people (or approximately 16% of the world’s population) speak a variety of Chinese as their first language. As a result, after multiple dedicated efforts, Standard Chinese started being spoken in the form of Standard Mandarin, thereafter, rose to become the official language in the largest part of Mainland China and Taiwan, one of the four in Singapore, and an official idiom of the United Nations, with a few exceptions. 71% of Chinese speak a variety of Mandarin also call “Putonghua.” There are more than 70 million people belonging to 55 different national minorities living in China, and while each minority has its own spoken language, many minority groups do not have any distinguishable written form for their languages. The most common language in China is Standard Chinese.
Can I learn Chinese in a year?
Learning Chinese fluently in a short time such as a year solely depends on the following few factors
Do you have the necessary motivation or necessity to learn the language! Are you pursuing learning Chinese for the sake of learning as a hobby or does it really have a need for you to learn such as requirements of jobs etcetera?
Perseverance to learn a language. Do you have the patience it takes or are you someone who can lose interest or direction easily?
Time invested in learning! Are you a daily 5 min learner or can you invest say about 25 hours a week?
Studying regularly every day versus studying on weekends! Do you have time to study regularly every day or you somebody who can only invest time during the weekends?
The supportive environment at home or are you drawn into household chores? Do you have support at home with family members and friends?
Prior Linguistic Knowledge of Korean, Japanese or any other Asian Language. Have you learnt any Asian language before? If you know any language that is similar to Chinese then it will be easier for you to learn the language. Languages have their individual family origins, and the languages that come from the same family will share similar characteristics. Chinese is very similar to Korean in writing while it has limited similarities with Japanese!
A comfortable, conducive learning environment in the country of residence! Does your environment support your Chinese learning positively encouraging you to learn it
Learning methodology – Are you learning from an app, books, offline or online classes? Are you somebody who mixes these resources such as apps books offline or online classes or are you just learning from apps?! Let’s be honest; it’s not fair to expect apps to deliver what online or offline classes can or give you support that can only come from speaking with the teacher. Apps can help you but they have their own limitations. While they are supporting resources they are definitely not your main resources to consider!
Are you doing self-study or are you taking classes with a teacher?
Methods are also essential factors in determining the rate at which you improve. Working hard and bringing in all the time would not succeed unless and unless you use the proper way of studying. To be effective, you must have both.
Identification of that one unique way you are able to grasp better. Do you know what works best for you self study or learning with the teacher? Have you been able to figure out which is the best way you learn better is it visually or is it through writing and listening?
Availability and access to reliable learning resources. Have you been able to find out the right relevant resources for yourself or are you juggling between multiple resources which are confusing you
Age! They say that children learn languages the best. But that doesn’t mean that adults should give up!
Present location: Are you in a Chinese speaking country that supports you wholeheartedly – have you opted for travel immersion or community learning!
Are you willing to practise speech in addition to memorising vocabulary and grammar?
Can you have a positive outlook about learning a foreign language? Are you someone who is afraid of making mistakes or someone who thrives on making mistakes and moving on?
Speak and work until you’re exhausted. You must talk often without fear of making an error. Using errors and learning from them would help you understand the language better in the long run. Continue to practise and it would make you better!
Find a good Chinese teacher
It is also essential to be able to understand the language. The most important aspects of studying a foreign language are time and effort. The length of time it takes you to learn Chinese will be determined by your language sense and ability to co-relate Chinese words. Along with this, your emphasis on Chinese grammar structure will be extremely important.
Let’s have a look at how you can learn to speak Chinese in a year.
According to a survey conducted by the United States Foreign Service Institute, studying Mandarin is famously difficult for English speakers. The language is tonal, and mastering thousands of characters is needed for fluency. Mandarin proficiency requires 2,200 class hours, with half of the time spent in a country where the language is spoken. However, this varies from person to person depending on a variety of variables. For eg, studying alone can take up to 5 years to achieve a certain degree of fluency, while the whole language-school system in China can be accomplished in less than 2 years.
According to studies, many people will learn Chinese in a year with a virtually full-time dedication and immersion instruction. Within a year, they could speak Chinese fluently. We are all aware that knowledge is abundant, but willpower is not. One of the reasons most of them do not achieve fluency in Chinese or other languages is a lack of adequate transparency and instruction. Finding a mentor or teacher to lead you on your language learning experience would make it much easier. Often, instead of only following the usual rules, strive to take advantage of any potential advantage to get to the target quicker.
Finally,
Chinese can be one of the most difficult languages for English speakers to understand, but that just adds to its appeal! Remember that the more time you devote to learning, the faster you can learn. However, keep in mind that the consistency of the research is more critical than quantity. Immersion activities or everyday practice will greatly reduce the amount of time it takes you to learn Chinese. Don’t feel disheartened. You can and can understand Chinese more quickly than you think. There have also been instances (as the internet can attest) of people learning it in less than a year. It’s also important to remember that language learning and practice are synonymous.
That is, attaining a certain amount does not ensure that you can maintain it for the remainder of your life. Taking care of your Chinese is similar to taking care of a pet: you must feed it, cuddle it, and take it for a stroll every now and then.
Finally, it is up to you to determine how easily you become fluent in Chinese and how fine your skills remain. Any language is beyond your grasp if you have the right mentality, commitment, circumstance, and inspiration. Last but not least, don’t hesitate to enrol in a Chinese course of your choosing online.
Best wishes!
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