How Do I Learn Chinese?

Let's pretend you have to go to China for a business trip. You really want to impress your employer, so you decide to learn some of the most common Chinese phrases. You ask yourself, how do I learn Chinese? It's such a tough language! How will I ever learn it in time?

As it turns out, you can learn the basics of Mandarin Chinese in a relatively short amount of time. Let's start with a really easy phrase. If you're just meeting someone for the first time, say "Ni hao!" This means "hi" in Mandarin Chinese. It's pronounced "Knee How." See how easy that was?

Okay, let's try the next one.

If you want to say "Thank you" in Mandarin, say "Shi shi." This one's pronounced "she she." See? That one was super-easy! Are you still asking yourself, how do I learn Chinese? Probably. Because these are the really easy ones and you're worried about the tougher Mandarin words.

Let's try a little harder one. How do I learn Chinese for "please?" you might wonder. This one is spelled, "Qing," but it's not pronounced "king." The "Q" basically makes a "ch" sound, so it sounds a little like "ching."

All you need to learn Chinese is to take things step by step. Start with easy, one-two syllable words that are easy to remember. In some programs, like Rosetta Stone, you look at pictures to figure out the answer. But that won't help you if you're in front of some Chinese businessmen who are glaring at you awaiting your next response.

That's why, to learn Chinese the right way, you should pick up a program that is heavily audio-based and will teach you the proper accent. That's what's missing in many language programs - teaching students the accent - and this is crucial to pronouncing Chinese words properly.

So how do I learn Chinese this way? Well, I can tell you the way I learned: with lots of repetition!

But that's not as boring as it might sound. Mandarin Chinese, above all, is fun to learn. That's right! I actually have fun learning Mandarin Chinese. That's because their language is so different from English and so rich in their culture. It's an experience just to hear their words and learn their alphabet.

Whoops. I let it slip.

Did you remember that Mandarin Chinese words are not written with the English alphabet? That one might have slipped your mind. But that's okay, because with the right learning language program, you will learn not only how to read the Mandarin alphabet, but how to write in the alphabet, too. That's an integral part of your learning process, and one you shouldn't ignore if you're wondering, "How do I learn Chinese quickly?"

So, step by step, let's go over what you need to do:

1. Determine how quickly you need to learn Mandarin Chinese. If you're not on a time schedule, that's even better.

2. Be willing to invest in learning Mandarin. Some programs, like Rosetta Stone, cost over $200, but you can buy a program that's just as good for less than $100.

3. Get ready to have fun! Keep an open mind as you learn. If you approach your lessons without grumbling or feeling negative about learning a new language, you're very likely to succeed!

Are you still wondering, " How do I learn Chinese?" If so, I think you'll benefit from reading about how to quickly learn Mandarin Chinese right here at http://www.squidoo.com/how-do-i-learn-chinese. After all, you shouldn't have to pay an arm and a leg to learn a language that one billion people learned for free in their own country! This article really helped me, and I think you'll easily learn a lot from it, too.