Introduction
Chinese as a global language possesses a lot of importance, this is because China is very involved in trade and businesses throughout the world. Although Chinese is in demand, it is a complex language which is not easy to master. This has increased its value. A person having mastery in Chinese has more chances to get a job over any other language. Considering the vastness of this language it is very important to start learning it right. Chinese people are almost everywhere, involved in all kinds of businesses with almost all the countries in the world. It is a very fast-growing market generating lakhs or opportunities every year. If you are looking forward to working in the Chinese cities in the corporate sector, knowing the local language is a must. Mandarin is the official language of China, so the most common form of Chinese in use is Mandarin Chinese. If you would like to do business or maintain corporate relations with Chinese people, it is likely that you will have to learn Mandarin Chinese. It is a simple fact that understanding the language is the key to understanding its culture. And understanding a culture is the key to understanding its market. Learning the language of the place you will be doing business with is a worthy investment of your time. One must learn beyond the usual hello and goodbye, and try actually conversing in the language. This will also help create a bond with the native employees of the place. Now that you have made up your mind, the next step would be to choose the best program to help you learn Chinese. Read till the end to find out the best resource to learn business Chinese.
There are various programs available for Chinese both offline and online.
Offline Programs
These are programs that you can take up through various institutes and universities. Some of which are listed below.
1 Chinese Language Institute – it is an institute directly regulated by the Chinese embassy in India. It came into existence to assist learners to achieve conversational fluency in various fields of work.
2. Yi Chinese – this is a chain international Mandarin training and teaching centre, they now have a branch in India. They have various programs for various levels of Chinese. They also have courses for other languages.
3. Yellow River Chinese Academy – it offers courses in various levels such as the Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced levels. The courses are based on the proficiency tests that are conducted by the Hanban institute of China.
Other than these, numerous business schools, colleges and universities also provide courses for learning Chinese.
Online Programs
These are programs that you can enroll for and take up online. You can access them from anywhere and sign up to any course according to your needs. Some of the courses are listed below.
1.Rocket Chinese – this is a paid course that is available for all three stages that is the beginner, m and advanced level. It is great for the basics of Mandarin Chinese to the advanced level learners. It is a course that teaches through podcasts that are clear and easy to follow. These are also dialogic and natural in tone.
2. Multibhashi – another best online program to learn Chinese Mandarin. It is a paid certificate course. They teach live in groups as well as one on one sessions at very affordable prices. It also comes with various durations and time slots to select from according to your comfort and needs. It is suitable for absolute beginners as well as advanced learners. The syllabus is designed in a way that covers all the important topics of the language.
3. Coursera – it is a free course, but you have to pay for the certificate after completion of your course. However, that is completely optional. You can access all the material and pre recorded lessons for free. It has various programs ranging from the beginner to the advanced level, HSK exam level etc. all these programs are undertaken by various institutes and universities online, you can choose the one for you. It provides a huge variety in the course options, durations, levels and the product of the course.
4. Duolingo – it is another free app, popular world wide. It comes with a motto of devoting 5 minutes everyday to learn a language from them. They provide personalised courses that go according to the learner’s pace of learning. It is specially designed for the beginner levels and for learners who are looking for practice in reading, writing and speaking. This site and app both come in various languages, which makes it very user friendly and you can learn Chinese through any language.
This was the list of some popular offline and online resources where you can learn Chinese. A lot of the offline options are also offering classes online in view of the current situation world wide so that gives you the opportunity to also sign up for any foreign course right from your home. You can choose according to your needs and likes. Both the types come with their set of pros and cons. You will have to evaluate and choose whichever works best for you.
