If you’re planning a trip to China, or want to learn some basics before you start a Mandarin class, here are a few words that will go a long way.
- hāluó = hello
- Shì = yes
- bàituō = please
- éi = hello (on the telephone)
- zàijiàn = goodbye
- nǐzǎo = good morning
- xèxie = thank you
- duìbuqǐ = sorry
Additionally, there are about 200 primary characters in the Chinese writing system. Learning just these few hundred characters can get you up to speed quickly and cover many of the more common situations in which you might need to be able to read and write Chinese, like road signs and menus. For instance, learning the characters for birth (生 ) and day (天 ) might help you decipher that 生日快乐 is “happy birthday.”
Polishing your pronunciation will depend on your receipt of immediate and accurate feedback on your Chinese pronunciation attempts. Rosetta Stone’s TruAccent™ speech-recognition engine helps guide you to the correct pronunciation. Our patented speech technology instantly compares your voice to native speakers, so you get real-time feedback for the most accurate pronunciation. It’s also adjustable, which allows you to fine-tune your accent. TruAccent is a powerful tool for helping you learn and speak the Chinese language.
Learn To Speak Chinese
Chinese is the most spoken language in the world, with roughly 1.2 billion native speakers. China has the second largest economy in the world, and Mandarin Chinese is the official language not only of China but also Singapore, making learning the Chinese language worth the commitment.
With the right approach, learning Chinese doesn’t have to be overwhelming. If you want to learn Chinese, choosing a language program that scales gradually towards understanding and builds confidence in speaking Chinese is essential. Rosetta Stone language learning programs are built to scale naturally from simple, frequently used conversational phrases in context to more complex components of the Chinese language like verb conjugation and the characters of the simplified writing system.
The Chinese writing system may seem challenging. But Mandarin does have several things in common with English, which includes a few elements of grammar and sentence structure. Simple sentences are built beginning with a subject followed by a verb and then an object, much the same way sentences in English are structured. For instance, “wǒ bù dǒng” means “I don’t understand” in Mandarin where “wǒ” is “I,” “bù” is “don’t,” and “dǒng” is “understand.” Many simple Mandarin sentences follow this basic grammatical rule.
One of the best ways to introduce yourself to speaking Chinese Mandarin is to begin with some conversational phrases taught in the context of real-world situations. Using common conversational phrases coupled with visual and audio cues helps you recognize and recall the words as well as opportunities to practice and review phrases until you feel confident. Rosetta Stone offers those bite-sized lessons that introduce you to common Mandarin phrases you might need, such as how to order in a restaurant or to greet someone in a shop. Because these lessons sync across all your devices, you’ll be able to learn Chinese anytime , anywhere and pick up exactly where you left off.
Try Our Award-Winning App
Surround yourself with Chinese (Mandarin) whenever, wherever with the Rosetta Stone app .
Download a unit and knock it out on the train or a flight. Select a 5-10 minute lesson and sneak it in while you wait in line or for your ride to show up. And explore dynamic features, like Seek and Speak, where you can point at an object in the real world and get a translation .
The best part? You don’t have to choose between app or desktop. Both come with your subscription and sync, so you can switch between devices seamlessly.
