Can we learn Chinese without going to classes?
Chinese is spoken by over 1.2 billion people over the globe. It is a group of languages from the Sinitic branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages, spoken by the ethnic Han Chinese majority and many minority ethnic groups in Greater China. The Chinese speaking population constitutes of at least 20% of the entire population on planet earth. Chinese has a notorious reputation of being extremely difficult to learn and learning Mandarin Chinese, is a long-term project. While that notion is up for debate, it is definitely proven that learning Chinese has a ton of business-related benefits. It is a language specifically suggested to those in the business industry but it can prove to be very useful for anyone else as well as it would help open a new league of job opportunities for you. It is the world’s second-largest economy. China surpassed the U.S as the world’s largest trading nation in 2014. China is a very likely partner when it comes to manufacturing and assembling for any company. China has a population of over 1.3 billion people which are a lot of potential shoppers and clients. Forbes also reports that China represents roughly 35% of the world’s consumer spend on luxury goods Some of the most sought-after investors are based in China. It seems to be rising and gaining an immense amount of popularity due to its multiple benefits.
If you wish to learn Chinese without physically or through online means, enrolling into classes, you must follow the three steps stated below:
Step 1: Set a logical end goal
Chinese is an intimidating language to many. This language is rather tough to master and according to the FSI [Foreign Service Institute], it falls in the 5th group which is the toughest to master for an English native speaker. Keeping this in mind, when we need to tackle a language like Chinese, it is important to set logical and rational goals. Therefore, your first step in mastering the language is to set appropriate goals for yourself. These goals will not only motivate you but also help you analyse how much you’ve accomplished.
Step 2: Choose the right method
Once you’ve set realistic goals for yourself, you can advance to the next step. This step involves choosing the right method for learning the language. There are two effective methods of learning any language, including Chinese, apart from opting for classes. These are:
1. Self- Study:
This involves a series of different practices that you must adopt to eventually master the language at your own pace. These practices include:
- Reading books and other literature in Chinese, practice writing through copying and reading and speaking by reading them aloud.
- Watching Chinese movies with English subtitles or previously watched videos but now in Chinese with subtitles.
- Listening to Chinese music and podcasts while you work.
- Conversing with others learning Chinese.
2. Immersion Method:
This is a method meant for people who wish to truly immerse themselves into this language learning process. It involves travelling and staying in the country where your target language is spoken most. This method is a tough one and requires extreme dedication.
Step 3: Test yourself
Once you have set a logical goal and chosen a method to achieve that goal. You have finally arrived to the final step. This step is simple. You just need to test yourself to understand how much you’ve accomplished and how effective is your chosen method. You can test yourself in many different ways, including quizzes, written exams, viva or even generally speaking with a native.
Finally,
Chinese is an extremely beautiful yet tricky language to master. The language is notorious for its tough nature and tends to intimidate learners. With that said, it has a ton of benefits that make the process of learning, the effort and time spent, all worth it. Apart from studying through classes, you can learn the language through different methods, provided you choose the right one for your own personal needs.
There’s an amazing new way to learn Chinese! Want to see what everyone’s talking about!