How to Learn Chinese: My Top 6 Tips
Chinese is spoken by over 1.2 billion people around the globe and is considered to be the language of the hour. It is a group of languages form the Sinitic branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages, spoken by the ethnic Han Chinese majority and many minority ethnic groups in Greater China. Learning Mandarin Chinese is a long-term project. It will bring you in touch with the language and the culture of well over 20% of humanity. It seems to be rising and gaining an immense amount of popularity due to its multiple 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.
While Chinese might be extremely beneficial, it has also got quite the reputation for being the toughest language to learn. If you’re considering learning Chinese then here are top 6 tips to help you learn the language:
1, Focus on listening
Since Chinese is an extremely tough language to learn, it is better to start off by focussing on listening Get used to the sounds and pronunciation of the words. In order to get a better sense of what you are hearing, use a phonetic writing system. You will eventually have to learn the characters as well but it will prove to be difficult to learn them together. Hence, first, focus on just listening.
2. Memorize Characters
Once you are accustomed to listening to the language, devote a considerable amount of time to just practising and learning characters as this going to build a solid base for the rest of the language. Pick a book or any literature and choose the words to practice. Practice them every day with a new set of characters from a new or the same Chinese literature. Put a constant and dedicated effort into learning characters.
Rhythm and Reading Practice
3. Read as much as you can
Developing a healthy habit of reading a lot will definitely benefit you when you try learning Chinese. Get your hands on any sort of Chinese literature and read as much as humanly possible. This doesn’t just include special texts for learners, but rather a wide range of material on subjects of interest to you. This would help you build your vocabulary.
4. Get accustomed to the Rhythm
If you followed the first tip diligently then this should turn out to be much easier than you anticipated. Listening to comprehension is the core skill necessary in order to engage in conversation with people. So, if you have paid a reasonable amount of attention to the words, phrases and general grammar while developing your listening skills then it would greatly help you to get accustomed to the rhythm of a conversation.
Important advise!
5. Identify Tones
This can prove to be challenging for people as it is easy to recognise the different tones while we learn each character but it is difficult to remember these while speaking. Internalizing the tones as part of phrases plays a huge role in improving your vocabulary. Again to improve your identification of tones, listening and reading is a must.
6. Converse freely
While we are on the topic of the rhythm and tones of a conversation, it is also important to exercise freedom of speech. Don’t hold yourself back and engage in active conversations. Make mistakes and seek feedback. When you receive your feedback, consider it to be positive criticism and identify your areas of improvement and rectify those errors.
Finally
These are some of the most effective ways to aid you in learning Chinese. While the language is considered to be extremely tough, it is not impossible. It just requires you to be more attentive and dedicated than other languages.