Chinese language has few variation including Mandarin and Cantonese, which are spoken by 1.075 billion people. Even with fact that it is one of the most difficult languages to learn. Apart from numerous Chinese characters, the fluctuations of voice should also be thoroughly considered, since it could entirely change the meaning of a word. If you are one of those who stumble upon the dilemma of how to learn Chinese, then this list would be a great help.
- Immerse yourself in Chinese Culture- The ordeal of how to learn Chinese would be first addressed by exploring the rich history, unique practices, as well as language of China. This would often facilitate appreciation and increase motivation to learn more. Watch Chinese movies and listen to Chinese songs on your Mp3 or on your PC to subliminally familiarize the Chinese language. When you’re ready to take on the hard part of memorizing and identifying sound of each Chinese character, then it would be easier for you.
- Master the basic phonetics-There is a total of 60 finite sounds in the Chinese language. This early stage of pronunciation practice would determine if you would have a good accent or you can say the characters in the right pitch and tone in the future.
- Own a Rossetta Stone Chinese Language kits-These provides variations of the Chinese language that you could choose from. It has lessons suitable for both novices and those who have already learn few Chinese characters. It would be best to say the words out loud so you could correctly identify if you have learned the appropriate tone and pitch of a certain word.
- Use some learning aids-The easiest way on how to learn Chinese is using mnemonic devices for Chinese characters. Although native Chinese would opt to learn Chinese characters by repeatedly writing it for 50 times, it would be retained easier with a mnemonic that could be link to a certain Chinese character. Flashcard could also be utilized by writing a Chinese on one side and its corresponding interpretation on the other side of the card. You might as well seek some assistance from a friend or a native speaker. Download mp3’s Chinese lesson and browse through free Chinese learning website.
Rehearse-If you want to quickly learn and retained the Chinese characters, its meaning as well as the corresponding tone and pitch, then mentally practice saying it anywhere and anytime. Even if you are taking lunch you could rehearse by saying “I am taking my lunch in a cafeteria” in Chinese language. This is the same socialization process used by our own culture to teach us our own language.