There is a vast array of Skype-based language schools offering various Mandarin classes. A quick google search will give you a list of promoted and non-promoted options, with different specialties and technologies.

For example, you might recognize:

Online Schools:

Hanbridge School

Touch Chinese

All Mandarin

Language Teacher Marketplaces:

Italki

Verbalplanet

But how do you choose?

With class pricing and marketing content (such as websites, testimonials) very similar, it’s hard to tell which school you should choose to invest in. Sure, you can go online and view sample materials and view testimonials, but how do you know what the teachers are like?

The exception to this is the platform format websites such as italki and verbal planet, which allow you to choose the teacher for yourself based on their personal profile. However, this also has its drawbacks. Quality and price are often connected and if you look for the cheapest teacher available, you’ll probably find that they’re more of a conversational partner than an instructor.

Many people are reluctant to take a free trial for fear that they will be pressured into buying, or spammed/called into oblivion, just like an in-person school.

Well I’m here to say, take a deep breath and r-e-l-a-x, taking a free trial is a great way to get started on choosing a Mandarin school.

Step One:  Arrange a Free Trial

I would suggest arranging a free trial with 3-4 language schools, to get a sense of their material and instructors. It will also give you a good basis of comparison and provide valuable information to use when negotiating with your course consultant.

Step Two: Assess what you need and where you are at. Not all schools are the same.

Depending on what you need to learn and who you need to talk to, certain schools may fit your needs better than others. Are you already conversationally fluent? Then it’s probably a good idea to choose a school that has teachers with a high level of English. Do you need to learn vocabulary that is specialized to a certain industry? You should look for a school with teachers that have a long track record of established experience. Perhaps you are looking to record your lessons and use them as a study tool? Choose a school with a high level of technical capability. Hanbridge Mandarin gets a special mention here for being the only school that we trialed that had a cisco webex whiteboard, and the ability to record and download lessons.

Step Three: Build a relationship with the course consultants and ask as many questions as possible.

Many schools are flexible and are willing to accommodate your requests. This could even include requesting discounted rates for longer duration contracts. When you are negotiating your lesson contract, make sure that the course consultant is aware that you are talking to other schools and that you will compare price with quality and features. If you do they may be more willing to help incentivize you through a discount.

Step Four:  Make a decision

Here I can only give general guidelines. When making decisions, I like to write all of the pros and cons of a potential option on a sheet, and if the pros don’t outweigh the cons by 2x, then I hesitate to move on that decision. Of course you may find that this ratio doesn’t apply, in which case, try and follow your gut.

Did you have a good experience with the teacher? Do you feel like you had a real take-away from the learning experience? Were they attentive and did the conversation flow naturally? You’re going to pay to spend time with them and if it felt forced during the trial, chances are it will remain that way.

Do we have any suggestions for schools?

As I am a nerd, and probably very biased, I lean towards a balance of technology and quality instruction as my preferred option for an online school. That being said, they are not the cheapest option out there. If money isn’t an issue for you, I would endorse them, but if money is an issue, I would say to try a platform such as italki where you can find a quality instructor for $15-20/hour at a more flexible pay structure. Whether that be a la carte learning, so to speak, or a full course meal!

Do you have a suggestion for a quality online school? Have you found any other good ways to test them out before you book a course? Please add your comment below.

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• A Slice of Pizza
• A Cup of Coffee
• Two Pairs of Shoes

The use of measure words in Chinese has a few key differences, though. First, Chinese has many more words that act as or require measure words. Second, there is no additional linking particle word like there is in English (“of”). What I’ve experienced is that, early on, it was really hard to remember all of the measure words and the proper times to use them. So, instead of taking the time to sit down and learn them all, I fell into the bad habit of using 个(gè) every time I needed a measure word.

I don’t recommend that you use个(gè) as a universal measure word for two big reasons:  1) It makes you sound like a baby, and people will think you sound uneducated or unnecessarily cutesy.  2) If you take the time to learn the measure words,it will exercise your memory muscles and help you mentally organize your vocabulary into measure word categories. In the long run, this will allow you to retain a larger vocabulary.

To prevent you from making the same mistake I did, let’s start with a rundown of some of the most common measure words:

个 – Gè

As mentioned earlier, 个(gè) can be used as a universal measure word.  This means that you can use it as a substitute if you cannot remember the proper measure word for the noun you are trying to quantify. Additionally, there are some words for which个(gè) is the only correct measure word, for instance, 个(gè) is always used when counting people.

The typical structure to use with个(gè), and most measure words,  is “Number + 个 + Noun”

Examples:

• 三个月 – Sān gè yuè – Three Months  ,
• 六个星期  –  Liù gè xīngqí  – Six Weeks,
• 两个男人 – Liǎng gè nánrén – Two Men

个(gè) can also be used with:

person 人(rén), elder brother 哥哥(Gēge), student 学生(Xuéshēng), relative 亲戚 (Qīnqi), way of thinking 想法(Xiǎngfǎ), suggestion 建议(Jiànyì), question 问题(Wèntí), nation 国家(Guójiā)

If the noun you are referring to is singular, you can omit the number .  This would be the same as “a” or “an” in English.

Example:

• 他是个好学生 – Tā shìgè hào xuéshēng – He is a Good Student

只 – Zhī

Just like个(gè) is a universal measure word for people, 只(zhī) is a universal measure word for animals.  It can also refers to items the normally come in a pair (hands, or eyes for example.)

Examples:

• 这只狗 – zhè zhī gǒu – This dog
• 两只手 – liǎng zhī shǒu – Two hands
• 五只猫 – wǔ zhī māo – Five cats

只(zhī) can also be used with:

hand 手(shǒu) , finger  手指(shǒuzhǐ) , foot 脚(jiǎo), shoe 鞋(xié), chicken 鸡(jī), cat 猫(māo), dog 狗(gǒu), bug虫(chóng)

支 – zhī

This measure word is normally is used with long, stick-like objects: things like rifles, roses, pencils, or branches.  In fact, the word “支 (zhī)” literally means branch.

Examples:

• 两支铅笔 – Liǎng zhī qiānbǐ – Two Pencils
• 两支步枪 – Liǎng zhī bùqiāng – Two Rifles
• 一支筷子 – Yì zhī kuàizi– One chopstick

支 (zhī) can also be used with:

pencil 铅笔(qiānbǐ), chopstick 筷子(kuàizi), drinking straw 吸管(xīguǎn), bamboo 竹子(zhúzi)

头 – tóu

This measure word refers to a head of something, typically referring to cattle or livestock, as well as some types of vegetables.  In English, we sometimes use this similarly: Ex. 1 Head of lettuce, 9 Heads of Cattle

Examples:

• 一头驴 – yì tóu lǘ – a donkey
• 两头牛 – liǎng tóu niú – two head of cattle
• 一头头发 – Yītóu tóufǎ – a head of hair

头(tóu) can also be used with:

Pig – 猪(zhū), cow – 牛(niú), sheep – 羊(yáng), donkey-驴(lǘ), mule – 骡子(luòzi), leopard – 豹子(bàozi)

Of course, one article won’t give you ALL of the measure words in the language. But, I hope this stimulates your appetite to learn more measure words and continue your effort to speak a more “native” Mandarin.

One pro-tip that I would recommend is: when you are speaking with language partners or teachers, instead of asking if something is “correct,” instead ask them if you sound ‘natural’ when using measure words – people will feel more comfortable to help correct your speech when you phrase the question in this way!

Do you have a measure word that you would like to see an article about? Comment below!

 Related reading: The complete list of 115 frequently used measure words

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When you visit, you will need to know what to say, so without further adieu, here are some useful vocabulary and phrases for ordering Coffee in China.

Coffee: 咖啡 (kāfēi)

• I want coffee. 我要咖啡  (wǒ yào kāfēi.)
• I want a medium coffee. 我要中杯咖啡 (Wǒ yào zhōng bēi kāfēi)
• I want a large coffee.  我要大杯咖啡  (Wǒ yào dà bēi kāfē)
• I want another cup of coffee. 我要再来一杯咖啡 (Wǒ yào zàilái yìbēi kāfēi)

Espresso: 浓缩咖啡 (nóngsuō kāfēi)

Cappuccino: 卡布奇诺 (kǎbùqínuò)

Refill: 续杯 (xùbēi)

• Do you give free refills? 你们这免费续杯吗？ (Nǐmen zhè miǎnfèi xù bēi ma？)

Sugar: 糖 (tang)

Milk: 牛奶 (niúnǎi)

Iced Coffee: 冰咖啡 (Bīng kāfēi)

Hot Coffee: 热咖啡 (Rè kāfēi)

Depending on where you are ordering in China, coffee can cost anywhere from 7RMB to 30RMB per cup. Typically, larger chains such as Costa or Starbucks will command a higher price, with luxury boutiques being even higher. Upscale imported Italian coffee bars, or at the infamous aforementioned 猫屎咖啡, being upwards of 100RMB per cup. With the upward trend of Chinese becoming cash rich and time poor, Chinese consumers are willing to pay more for convenience as opposed to taking the time to wash a tea set, and with Starbucks projecting a growth of over 1500 stores up to 3000 by 2019, it seems that coffee is set to dominate as the drink of choice for up and coming Chinese youth. With the shift from coffee being a lifestyle product for Tier 1 cities, to a functional drink for mass consumption, Coffee is really catching on in China!

What are your thoughts?  Do you like coffee?  What words would you add to this list?

Leave a comment below and share your thoughts on China’s coffee scene!

Reference:

① http://www.cctv-america.com/2015/07/28/coffee-culture-is-growing-in-china

②http://www.timeoutshanghai.com/features/Blog Food_Drink/21844/Spotlight-The-Friends-Cafe.html

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Mnemonic

A mnemonic (RpE: /nəˈmɒnɨk/, AmE: /nɛˈmɑːnɪk/ the first “m” is silent), mnemonic device, or memory device is any learning technique that aids information retention in the human memory. Mnemonics aim to translate information into a form that the brain can retain better than its original form.

Mnemonics that can be used for character memorization can come in the form of Acronyms, and mental imagery.

Here is an example of each:

Acronym

To remember the names of the American “Great Lakes”, we can use HOMES as an acronym. I.E. Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior

To remember the names of the American “Great Lakes”, we can use HOMES as an acronym. I.E. Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior

This method is very beneficial because it allows our brain to narrow down possibilities in passive knowledge by giving us prompts in the form of letters. For example, if I said, think of a cartoon character with the initials M.M. it would be pretty easy for you to guess Mickey Mouse. Over time using this technique will help us transfer those possibilities to our active knowledge center, improving recall.

I like to employ Acronyms while trying to learn Chengyu or 2/4 character couplings. One of my favorite 成语（chéngyǔ）,  破釜沉舟 – (pò fǔ chén zhōu) (Eliminate all options for retreat, No turning back. Loosely translated.) could be called PFCZ for example.

Visual Imagery / Word Pictures

The most popular mnemonic for learning Characters is creating a visual image out of the character. The character for Large/Big 大(dà) can be taken as an example. Imagine a man holding his arms out and telling you “It was this big!!!” while using his arms as a way to demonstrate size.

Or how about 日(rì), the character for Sun. Imagine it as a window, with a blue sky in the background and a Sun on the upper pane. 口(kǒu), the character for Mouth can be imagined as someone yawning. You can put teeth inside the square and a tongue and it will be easily remembered as mouth. These characters are quite simple.  But one way to do this is to use a building block approach by assigning radicals mental imagery and then coding your characters into these mental images. For example, to return, 回(huí) Could be a mouth within a mouth.

The more vivid the mental imagery the better. Some memory researchers have also found that adding mental imagery that is dangerous or sexual can evoke a heightened response and create a more lasting imprint. Other ways to do this would be to make something non-congruent. All that means is that it wouldn’t make sense in reality. So for example a man floating defies the laws of gravity so it would be memorable as a story because your brain would closely examine it logically on a subconscious level.

To extend your understanding of this method, you need to know more about the main types of Chinese characters.

Memory Palace

From Wikipedia: The method of loci (loci being Latin for “places”), also called the memory palace or mind palace technique, is a mnemonic device adopted in ancient Roman and Greek rhetorical treatises. In basic terms, it is a method of memory enhancement that uses visualization to organize and recall information. A lot of memory contest champions claim to use this technique to recall faces, digits, and lists of words. These champions’ successes have little to do with brain structure or intelligence, but more to do with their technique of using regions of their brain that have to do with spatial learning.

Have you ever moved to a new apartment? How quickly could you remember how to find your way home from work? Human beings are excellent locational memorizers. Our brains are built in a way that remembers things effortlessly based on location. A memory palace is a way to exploit this. Combined with a visual image, it can be an extremely powerful technique that can cut down hours of learning time.

Creating a memory palace is easy… pick a place that you know very well, such as your childhood home, or your office. Then, create a visual story in each room of the well-known location, walking through the location in your mind. For example, if I wanted to learn the character for “Large” from earlier, I would put a man on my front porch with his arms out holding two oversized pencils, and it would be very easy for me to remember the character’s meaning. Then after I entered the front door of the house, I would create a visual image for the second character I wanted to learn. After I had filled all of the rooms of the house with word stories, I would walk back through the house and look at all of the character stories that I created.

All of these methods are fun to try and can be applied in different areas. Do you have a tactic or technique that you particularly enjoy? Leave a comment and let me know how you memorize characters.

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Influent:

Originally created as a Japanese learning game, influent now has over 10 extra languages including Chinese.

As you can see from the video, influent is a compelling concept that is eye-catching, as a 3D immersive language learning game; it really is a field-leading product. As a language teaching tool however, it is limited in its ability. The game mostly works as a vocabulary builder, I would recommend it for learners that are just starting to learn Chinese from zero as it provides plenty of “a-ha!” moments, being able to learn words by exploring. Definitely a must get game though, just because of how different and cool it is.

MindSnacks Chinese:

Probably the best put together mobile game app for language learning, mindsnacks is just plain fun. It has gamified levels and a linear progression. It builds from simple vocabulary to complex sentences and it is all around just a great game to play. I can’t say much about its function or ability to teach conversation, but it’s a great alternative to flashcards. Where it fails is that there is not enough native review of previous concepts without you having to prompt it. It is very fun, almost fun enough to just be a stand-alone game, regardless of the Chinese learning content which sets it apart from similar applications like ChineseSkill and HelloChinese.

ChineseSkill:

Chinese Skill is also a linear learning product that has gamified mechanics and flashy graphics. A fun “gameplay” like learning method with its cute design, bright graphics, a friendly panda, and a very efficient learning path. Although not a game in the true sense of the word, it functions as a game in many aspects with picture matching and speech, as well as a Kanji building point and click interface. It has a very sleek design and I am excited to see what the future holds for it.

HelloChinese:

Although not a game, a very slick app much like hellochinese, it is the closest to being a “game”, along with HelloChinese that we have seen.

A very slick app, much like ChineseSkill, and in the same vain, an “almost game” that does a wonderful job of helping you learn the basics of Mandarin. One of the features that sets it apart from the other previously featured learning apps is the native way it teaches stroke order by allowing you to write characters through a stroke by stroke interactive format. However, ChineseSkill promotes a sort of click and drag interface that teaches you radicals. Overall, Hellochinese is earlier in its development cycle so time will tell what improvements both camps come up with.

Aside from the cutting edge technology to come out of these promising apps, there are also more analog solutions in development.

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Most of the time, secondary speakers of Mandarin just don’t understand how bad they sound to a native speaker. I think that this is due to several reasons, and can be helped.  Here are a few of the things that I think cause a bad Mandarin accent.

1) No one has ever mentioned that your accent is terrible.

Accents are often viewed as something that just can’t be helped, something that we are born with. 

This perception is completely untrue. 

If this were true, there would be no need for speech pathologists or diction coaches.  An accent is something that you can tweak and intentionally craft.  When most people speak a language they are not thinking actively about how to manipulate how they are sounding, they first imprint a sound and then focus on the output of the memorized sound.

Accent training requires that we be more active in our output.  The view that it is something that can’t be helped does make a bit of sense because it is very hard to change the way we sound, however it is not impossible. So we should try our hardest to improve our accent.

2) You imprinted yourself with sound patterns that you self-developed without hearing them from a native.

The problem with learning from a book and not speaking to, or listening to natives, is that you will not be able to get a feel for where words begin and where they end. 

Cadence and timing are just as important to sound like a native as tones. If you’ve learned the wrong cadence and timing, it’s very hard to change that without having to think about each word.  If you are not including listening to native speakers and speaking with them in your learning routine and making it just as important as learning new vocabulary, you should listen to more Mandarin.

3) There is a “culture block”.

Some people just can’t bring themselves to make an effort to sound like a native.  They may try to imitate it with about 65% effort.  This lack of effort is because they fear that if they try their hardest to have an authentic accent, they will either fail, someone will think that they are mocking or they are “not being American”. 

This is just my opinion but after speaking with people like this and asking why they don’t seem to try to have an authentic accent at all, they usually answer that they don’t want to be rude.  I have also seen that after being immersed in the language their accent does improve over time.  So I believe this is mostly a mental problem.

These are all reasons that Singing is a great way to improve your accent.

Singing helps you develop a natural timing and cadence, it gives you a feel for tones, and it`s a powerful memorization tool.

Don’t believe me? Let’s do an exercise: how many songs can you currently sing from memory in English? How many times has a song come on the radio and you were able to effortlessly sing along with it even though you had put no concentrated effort into learning it?

Human Beings have been using songs since songs were invented to pass down oral traditions of history and language. Also, most early-stage language acquisition occurs through song with native speakers.

On top of that, it’s really fun, and singing along is an objective way to measure progress and set goals. Too often we get sidetracked with learning because we are unable to see any real progress and we get discouraged. Singing along with a song is something that you can rapidly see progression in, so it acts as a great motivator. Plus it`s really fun to perform in front of your native friends.

Below, I have included a list of Karaoke Songs that helped me when I was first learning. Please try to follow along with the pinyin and sing out loud, because not only is it fun, but you’ll notice in a few weeks that you won’t feel as tongue-tied when learning new vocabulary.

(Besides Chinese songs, there are other tools to help with your Chinese pronunciation. For a deep understanding of the Chinese pronunciation system, you can go through this Guide. To master Chinese tones, please click here to start.)

曲婉婷 – 我的歌声里

心跳 – 王力宏

愛我別走 – 張震嶽

小幸运 – 田馥甄

愛人錯過 – 告五人

小半 – 陳粒

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