How to Learn Chinese (Mandarin) On Your Own for FREE

Summary

In this video, Brian Wilds shares an effective strategy for self-learning Mandarin, emphasizing the creation of a daily routine covering tones, vocabulary, grammar, listening, speaking, reading, and writing. He recommends free resources like Mandarin Corner and HSK textbooks, and tools like Anki for vocabulary building. For speaking practice, he suggests language exchanges or tutoring platforms like Preply. Listening skills are honed through podcasts and TV shows, while reading skills are developed with graded readers and apps like Du Chinese. Writing practice is optional, but apps like Daily Mandarin and Scrito can be helpful. The video concludes with a suggested daily routine tailored to different HSK levels.

Takeaways

• 📚 Start with a core understanding of Mandarin using free resources like Mandarin Corner and HSK curriculum.
• 🎓 Use official HSK textbooks for structured self-study and gauge proficiency with standardized tests.
• 📈 Master tones early with the help of videos and practice, as they are fundamental to Mandarin pronunciation.
• 🗣️ Improve speaking skills by interacting with native speakers, either locally or through online language exchanges.
• 💬 Utilize platforms like Preply for one-on-one tutoring to refine pronunciation and conversational skills.
• 📝 Build vocabulary with flashcards, especially those aligned with the HSK curriculum, using tools like Anki.
• 🔍 Use Pleco dictionary with live OCR for quick definitions of new words encountered during learning.
• 📖 Keep grammar study minimal; focus on practical usage, but refer to resources like Chinese Zero to Hero for clarity.
• 👂 Develop listening skills with podcasts like Learning Chinese through Stories, starting post-HSK level one.
• 📺 Incorporate Mandarin TV shows and movies at an advanced level, ensuring to use only Chinese subtitles.
• 📚 For reading practice, use graded readers and apps like do Chinese and The Chairman's Bao, focusing on HSK levels.
• ✍️ Writing by hand is not necessary for fluency; learn to type in Pinyin for practical communication.

Q & A

What is the recommended approach to learn Mandarin according to Brian Wilds?

Brian Wilds recommends creating a daily learning routine that covers tones, vocabulary, grammar, listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, and using free resources based on the HSK curriculum.

What is the HSK curriculum mentioned in the script?

The HSK curriculum is a program based on six standardized tests that help learners gauge their proficiency in Mandarin Chinese.

How many standard tones does Mandarin have, and what is the neutral tone?

Mandarin has four standard tones, and there is one neutral tone that is spoken with less emphasis.

What are pinions and how are they used in Mandarin?

Pinions are marks used to notate the tones in Mandarin, which is a tonal language.

What platform does Brian Wilds recommend for language tutoring?

Brian Wilds recommends using Preply as his favorite language tutoring platform.

What is the recommended tool for building vocabulary in Mandarin?

Brian Wilds suggests using flashcards, specifically through a program called Anki, to build a wide vocabulary of Mandarin words and phrases.

What is the role of grammar in learning Mandarin according to the script?

The script suggests that grammar is relatively straightforward in Mandarin and that learning it is not necessarily a part of the daily routine. Instead, using other resources will intuitively build an understanding of Mandarin grammar.

How does Brian Wilds suggest improving listening skills in Mandarin?

Brian Wilds recommends starting with podcasts like 'Learning Chinese through Stories' after completing HSK level one, and using voice-to-text features to understand new words or phrases.

What are graded readers and how do they help in learning Mandarin?

Graded readers are short books and stories designed for students at various levels. They help in learning Mandarin by providing reading material that matches the student's proficiency level.

Why does Brian Wilds suggest not learning to write Chinese characters by hand?

Brian Wilds suggests not learning to write Chinese characters by hand because it is a daunting task and not necessary for becoming fluent in speaking and reading Mandarin. Typing using Pinyin is sufficient.

What daily routine does Brian Wilds recommend for a beginner learning Mandarin?

For a beginner, Brian Wilds recommends setting aside at least 1 hour daily to study Mandarin, focusing on HSK level one resources, and potentially having one lesson per week with an online tutor.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Learning Mandarin

Brian Wilds introduces a video aimed at teaching viewers the best methods for self-studying Mandarin. He proposes creating a daily routine covering all aspects of the language, including tones, vocabulary, grammar, listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Brian recommends free resources and suggests using the HSK curriculum as a guide. He also mentions the availability of HSK textbooks in libraries and the need for those interested in traditional characters to follow the TFU curriculum.

05:00

🎓 Mastering Mandarin Tones and Listening Skills

The video emphasizes the importance of mastering Mandarin tones, which are crucial for accurate pronunciation. Brian suggests starting with two specific videos to familiarize oneself with the tone system. He also advises learning with a native speaker to improve speaking skills, either in person or through online language exchanges. For listening practice, he recommends waiting until one has completed HSK level one before engaging with podcasts, and then suggests specific podcasts for different proficiency levels. Additionally, he talks about the use of TV shows and movies with Chinese subtitles for advanced learners.

10:00

📝 Building Vocabulary and Grammar Proficiency

Brian discusses the necessity of building a robust vocabulary through the use of flashcards, recommending the Anki program and specific flashcard decks aligned with the HSK curriculum. He also introduces Pleco, a dictionary app with live OCR for quick word lookups. For grammar, he suggests that consistent use of other resources will naturally build an understanding, but for those who prefer a structured approach, he recommends free playlists from Chinese Zero to Hero and the book 'Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar'.

👂 Enhancing Listening and Reading Comprehension

This section focuses on improving listening skills, which are vital for mastering tones and understanding real-world usage. Brian advises against podcasts until HSK level one is completed but then recommends 'Learning Chinese through Stories' and other podcasts for higher levels. He also touches on the benefits of watching TV shows and movies in Mandarin for advanced learners, emphasizing the use of Chinese subtitles. For reading skills, he acknowledges the challenge of learning thousands of characters and suggests using Anki flashcards and HSK course books to learn characters in context.

✍️ Developing Writing Skills and Daily Routine

Brian addresses the topic of writing Mandarin, stating that it's not necessary to learn to write characters by hand to become fluent. He suggests using Pinyin for typing Chinese characters. For those interested in handwriting, he recommends specific apps like Daily Mandarin and Scrito. The video concludes with advice on building a daily routine for Mandarin study, with recommendations for time allocation and resource use based on HSK levels. Brian encourages viewers to reach out with questions and thanks them for watching.

Keywords

💡Mandarin

Mandarin is a group of Chinese dialects spoken by the majority of the population in China. It is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. In the context of the video, Mandarin refers to the specific Chinese language that the speaker, Brian Wilds, is teaching viewers how to learn. The video aims to provide a structured approach to learning Mandarin, including its tones, vocabulary, grammar, listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.

💡HSK curriculum

The HSK curriculum is based on the Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK), which is a standardized test to measure the Mandarin language proficiency of non-native speakers. In the video, Brian Wilds recommends using the HSK curriculum as a framework for learning Mandarin because it provides a clear path for learners to gauge their progress and proficiency levels.

💡Tones

In Mandarin, tones refer to the pitch patterns used in pronunciation to distinguish between words. The language has four standard tones and one neutral tone. Understanding and mastering these tones is crucial for accurate communication in Mandarin. The video emphasizes the importance of learning tones from the beginning and provides resources to help learners practice and master them.

💡Pinyin

Pinyin is a romanization system for Mandarin that uses the Latin alphabet to represent the pronunciation of Chinese characters. It is a crucial tool for learners to master the pronunciation of Mandarin words. In the video, Brian Wilds mentions that pinyin is used to notate tones in Mandarin and is a necessary component of learning the language, especially for beginners.

💡Flashcards

Flashcards are a learning tool used to memorize vocabulary or concepts. In the context of the video, flashcards are recommended for building vocabulary in Mandarin. The speaker suggests using a program called Anki, which allows learners to create and review flashcards with native audio and pinyin to practice pronunciation while memorizing new words.

💡Grammar

Grammar refers to the set of rules that govern the structure of a language. The video suggests that Mandarin grammar is relatively straightforward compared to other languages. It recommends using resources like Chinese Zero to Hero's free playlists for grammar when needed, rather than making grammar study a central part of the learning routine.

💡Listening skills

Listening skills are an essential part of language learning, especially for Mandarin due to its tonal nature. The video advises against starting with Mandarin podcasts until reaching at least HSK level one to ensure a solid foundation in tones. Once past this level, the video recommends using resources like 'Learning Chinese through Stories' to improve listening comprehension.

💡Reading skills

Reading skills in Mandarin involve the ability to recognize and understand Chinese characters. The video suggests using Anki flashcard decks and HSK course books to learn characters in context. For more advanced learners, graded readers are recommended to practice reading at a comfortable pace with the aid of tools like Pleco's live OCR feature.

💡Writing skills

Writing skills in Mandarin typically involve learning to write Chinese characters by hand. However, the video argues that it's not necessary to learn handwriting to become fluent in Mandarin, as typing using pinyin is sufficient. For those interested in handwriting, the video recommends apps like Daily Mandarin and Scrit, which are tied to the HSK curriculum.

💡Daily learning routine

A daily learning routine refers to a structured schedule for studying Mandarin that includes various skills like tones, vocabulary, grammar, listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The video provides a suggested routine based on the HSK levels, emphasizing the importance of consistent practice and gradual progression through the language learning stages.

Highlights

Brian Wilds shares the best way to learn Mandarin on your own.

Creating a daily learning routine covering tones, vocabulary, grammar, listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.

Recommendation of Mandarin Corner's comprehensive video course for core learning.

Introduction to the HSK curriculum and its standardized tests for proficiency gauging.

Official HSK textbooks available in most US libraries for self-study.

For traditional Chinese characters, a curriculum based on the TFU tests is recommended.

Mandarin is a tonal language with four standard tones and one neutral tone.

PinYin marks are used to notate tones in Mandarin.

Two recommended videos for beginners to familiarize with PinYin and tones.

Importance of learning with a native Mandarin speaker for accurate tone reproduction.

Preply as a favored platform for one-on-one language tutoring.

Using flashcards with Anki to build vocabulary, aligned with the HSK curriculum.

Pleco dictionary with live OCR for defining new words quickly.

Mandarin grammar is simpler than English, and learning it intuitively is possible.

Chinese Zero to Hero's free playlists for grammar questions.

Listening skills are key to fluency, especially for understanding the tone system.

Learning Chinese through Stories podcast recommended for improving listening skills.

Use of Netflix's Mandarin content search feature for language learning.

Reading skills are challenging due to the need to memorize thousands of Chinese characters.

Anki flashcard decks and HSK course books help with character recognition.

Graded readers for intermediate learners to practice reading in context.

Do Chinese and The Chairman's Bow apps for building reading skills.

Daily Mandarin routine suggestions based on HSK levels and learning goals.

Transcripts

my name is Brian wilds and in this video

I'm going to show you the best way to

learn Mandarin on your

own together we're going to create a

daily learning routine that covers all

the major elements of learning Mandarin

tones vocabulary grammar listening

speaking and reading and writing skills

I'll show you the best free resources

for building each of these skills based

on your current level of Mandarin and

then we'll create a daily learning

routine that meets your goals and needs

as a student let's get started core

learning at the outset it's important

that you develop a core understanding of

how Mandarin works as a language and to

do that I recommend that you use this

comprehensive video course for Mandarin

corner it's free it's high quality and

it follows something called the hsk

curriculum what's that it's a program

based on six standardized tests that

help Learners gauge their Proficiency in

Mandarin and as you'll see throughout

this video it's a very useful ladder for

building your comprehension there's also

an official set of hsk textbooks that

can be very handy for reviewing and

studying on your own and most Library

systems in the US keep a handful of

these books in stock and I'll also

mention that for anyone specifically

interested in learning traditional

Chinese characters I.E the ones that are

used in Taiwan Hong Kong and most of the

Chinese diaspora there's an excellent

curriculum based on the tful tests and I

would recommend using this series of

textbooks if you plan on taking those

exams mastering tones as you're probably

aware Mandarin is a tonal language which

means that words and syllables are

pronounced with a specific pitch ma ma

ma ma ma as you can see or hear Mandarin

has four standard tones and one neutral

tone that's spoken with less emphasis

and these marks called pinion are used

to notate those tones in Mandarin

Learning Materials as a beginner you'll

want to start familiarizing yourself

with pinion and the tone system from day

one and to do that I recommend using

these two videos they'll guide you

through pronouncing the various p

patterns individually and help you start

to string words and sentences together

as you'll see the tone system isn't

complicated you can learn the ropes in

about 10 minutes what makes it

challenging is all physiological

learning to distinguish between the

various sounds and reproduce them

accurately and that can take months so

give yourself time to adapt speaking

skills as you develop your ear for tones

it's extremely useful to learn with a

native Manner and speaker someone who

can correct your mistakes and help you

start to make real conversation and to

do that you can seek out a native

speaker in your area or do a language

exchange online I.E you teach them and

they teach you or learn with a tutor and

my favorite language tutoring platform

is preply lessons on preply are one to

one it's just you and your tutor for 50

minutes which means that you're learning

at exactly your pace and your

level and if you use one of the hsk

courses that I mentioned earlier your

tutor will be able to guide you through

every question and every moment of wait

what the heck is this or you can take

the more free form approach and simply

start making conversation together learn

to introduce yourself or order food at a

restaurant or talk about movies food

culture whatever each session is about

your current needs as a student which

means you'll learn much faster and in my

experience enjoy the process a heck of a

lot more if you want to try prep Ley use

the code Brian 50 and get half off your

first lesson and then afterwards leave a

comment below and let me know how it

went vocabulary if you want to speak

fluent Mandarin it's essential that you

build a wide vocabulary of words and

phrases and the simplest way to do that

is by using flashcards there are

thousands of flashcard tools out there

but I recommend that you use a program

called Anki it's completely free on a PC

or Mac and you can use the browser

version for free on your phone like the

courses we talked about Mandarin

flashcard decks are often aligned with

the hsk curriculum and to build your

vocabulary you should use this series of

flash card decks based on your current

level each card includes native audio

and pinion so you can practice proper

pronunciation as you memorize new words

I would also recommend that you use this

dictionary pleco to Define any new words

that you come across pleco has a very

useful feature called live OCR that lets

you use your phone's camera to scan

Chinese characters and Define them

individually trust me this will save you

an unbelievable amount of time in both

the short run and the long run for

reasons that we'll talk about in the

reading and writing section of this

video mastering Mandarin grammar one of

the pleasant surprises of learning

Mandarin is that believe it or not the

grammar is actually quite

straightforward and much simpler than

what you find in say English and look

studying grammar rules does not need to

be a part of your learning routine at

all if you consistently use the other

resources that I talk about in this

video you'll intuitively build an

understanding of how Mandarin works as a

language that said it can obviously be

frustrating when a phrase or a sentence

just doesn't make sense

and with that in mind I would recommend

using one of these free playlists from

Chinese Zero to Hero for when you have

questions about Mandarin grammar as with

the programs I mentioned earlier

everything is tied to the hsk curriculum

so it's easy to find the exact lesson

you're looking for and if you prefer

using a book for reference my favorite

is modern Mandarin Chinese grammar which

is appropriate for both beginner and

intermediate level students listening

skills in my opinion listening is the

key to fluency when it comes to learning

Mandarin for two reasons one it's the

only way to develop your ear for the

tone system which is probably the

biggest obstacle for most Learners and

two it's the best way to understand how

Mandarin is used in the real world now

given the challenges of the tone system

I wouldn't recommend listening to

Mandarin podcasts until you've completed

hsk level one which should take

somewhere between 2 and 4 months but

once you've got the basics under your

belt I highly recommend checking out

learning Chinese through stories this is

a wide ranging podcast with nine

different levels of listening content

for Mandarin Learners and again it's

completely free in theory the lowest

level of lcts 1.1 is appropriate for

novices but I think that's kind of

Bonkers in my opinion 1.1 is at least

the high beginner level so don't be

discouraged if the material seems

challenging at first now lcts is pretty

comprehensive but once you reach an

intermediate to advanced level of

Mandarin say hsk4 you're ready to start

listening to Native podcasts and two of

my favorites are bu which is hosted by a

lighthearted Chinese couple and D the

small talk which is basically a

Taiwanese self-help podcast the audio

quality is excellent in both shows the

accents are pretty neutral and the

content is interesting I'll leave a few

more recommendations in the description

box below but if you know of any other

great manarin podcasts please leave a

comment and let everyone know now no

matter what your level you want to make

sure that you're using podcasts

effectively that means when you hear a

word or a phrase you don't recognize you

should use the voice to text feature in

pleco or Google Translate to get a

definition in your native language and

then later on you can review any new

words by looking through your

translation history TV shows and movies

can watching TV and movies in Mandarin

be part of your learning routine

absolutely although I wouldn't recommend

relying on TV and movies for learning

purposes until you're at a pretty

advanced level hsk4 or above at that

point you can use this search feature on

Netflix or I'll leave a link below to a

data base of Mandarin language content

for various streaming services the key

however is that while you're watching

you should only use Chinese subtitles

being immersed in Mandarin will force

your brain to adapt quickly but having

English on screen will totally Short

Circuit the process so with that in mind

feel free to find shows and movies you

like and make watching them a part of

your daily routine just remember to look

up new words and phrases whenever you

hear them reading skills learning to

read Chinese characters is in my opinion

the toughest aspect of studying Mandarin

and that's because you'll need to

memorize thousands of them if you want

to read native text comfortably and if

you're serious about learning the

language that should absolutely be one

of your goals but don't sweat I've got

you covered the anky flash card decks

that we mentioned will help you learn to

recognize individual characters as you

build your vocab and the hsk course

books that I mentioned do a good job of

introducing those same characters in

context so that you learn to read full

sentences again everything is tied to

hsk and that's very important because

what you don't want to do is learn some

characters in Anie learn different

characters in a textbook and then learn

different characters again in a video

course as a beginner level that's just

too much to take in for most people but

once you reach hsk level three you can

also start to make use of graded readers

these are short books and stories that

are designed for students and of course

they have various levels I'll put links

to my favorite graded readers in the

description box below but you should

also keep the following in mind if you

use a Kindle or tablet to read your

stories you can tap on any words you

don't know and get a definition

instantly if you read the paper version

of a book you'll want to use that live

OCR feature that I mentioned on the

Pleco app this will let you scan the

character with your phone and get a

definition instantly without that you'll

need to look the word up via the radical

and the various Strokes which can be an

interesting exercise but is extremely

timec consuming I don't recommend it and

finally if you're looking for an app to

build your reading skills my favorites

are do Chinese and the Chairman's bow

they both have tons of content at

various levels they're easy to use and

word definitions are clear and

informative Du Chinese is focused more

on short stories and TCB is based

largely on news articles so pick the

content that works for you writing

skills now let me just start by saying

that you absolutely do not need to learn

to write Chinese characters by hand you

can become a completely fluent speaker

and reader of Mandarin without learning

to write a single character many people

have because what you will learn if you

use the resources I've recommended is

how to use pinion to type Chinese

characters on your phone or computer

essentially you type a Word in pinion

and then your computer or phone

generates the appropriate character in

that sense learning to typee Chinese

characters is actually pretty

straightforward so if you're considering

learning to write by hand I would first

ask yourself why because it's a daunting

task and I don't know about you but I

barely write anything by hand even in

English anymore okay ran over if you

want to practice writing Chinese

characters I recommend using one of

these two apps daily Mandarin which is

100% free and scit which requires a

subscription both apps have character

lists tied to the hsk curriculum and

they're both excellent scrit however has

a better training system and better

stroke recognition try them both and see

what works for you your daily routine so

we've covered all the bases now let's

talk about how to build a daily learning

routine that focuses on the skills you

need to develop first of all set aside a

fixed amount of time every day for

studying Mandarin ideally it should be

at least 1 hour but you can of course

adjust the timing to suit your needs if

you're a total beginner you should use

the hsk level one resources that we

talked about and break down your time

like this if possible I also highly

recommend that you do at least one

lesson per week with an online tutor

it's very easy to develop bad

pronunciation habits early on and a

tutor will keep you moving in the right

direction once you complete hsk level

three you can also start to add the

podcasts that we talked about to your

learning routine but take it slow

because this will definitely be a jump

in terms of difficulty after you finish

hsk level four you have two real options

if you want to focus on speaking

Mandarin I would recommend that you stop

following hsk and make podcasts the main

engine for your ongoing learning if you

want to focus on reading Mandarin you

can follow hsk all the way through level

six and add both graded readers and

eventually Chinese literature into the

mix and there you have it all the tools

you need to learn manderin if you have

any questions please let me know and as

always thanks for watching