3 Secrets People Forget When Learning Chinese

For those born in western civilization, the Chinese language can seem mysterious and also daunting.  However, with the globalization of most industry’s, not to mention the active pursuit of internet businesses, learning the Chinese language has never been more important.

Chinese Fireworks

Videos and audio recordings are most certainly your best tools when it comes to learning a new language.  However, even after weeks of seemingly endless practice, most students of the Chinese languages find they are still stumbling and sputtering over words and sentences.  Rather than their thoughts coming out smooth, they are instead interrupted, hesitant and sometimes not even close to accurate.

Don’t panic.  You will indeed get there.  But there are some secrets to learning a new language that you may have long since forgotten about.  When you were merely a toddler you learned your home language.  If you could learn that, you can also learn a second language.  Or a third or fourth for that matter.

1. Language is Not Speaking: There is more to learning a new language, such as Chinese, than verbalizing the words.  Communication is not only auditory but also written.  Most children learn new words by hearing them in books and learning to write the alphabet.  So if you’re trying to learn a new language, you must encompass both written and oral instruction into your studies.

It might seem tricky, since the symbols for words and letters, even the direction of the print is so very different.  However, seeing writing on a page reinforces the verbal inceptions, and helps promote proper phrasing and distinction.   Just ask any kindergarten teacher, or anyone who has learned English as a second language.

2. Embrace the Culture: People who learn English as a second language often site American movies and television as their biggest instructor.  That’s not just because of the use of the words, but also the dialects, slang and context of the way we use our language.  The same holds true if you are trying to learn Chinese.

Viewing the language in action, such as through movies or videos will help your mind pick up common words or phrases and give them a visual association.  This reinforces the recognition of voice inflections and the repetitive nature of many words.   It also helps give you some insight into the social aspects of the language, preventing you from mistakenly saying something offensive in Chinese.

3. Have a Conversation: No amount of practice on your own will prepare you for a real live conversation.  Find someone who speaks the language fluently, either via skype or in person, and see if you can have a normal conversation.  Many of the words you studied might not even come up.  However, it will help you gauge your fluency, enunciation and speed of conversation (both hearing and speaking), when you talk to someone else completely in Chinese.

Learning a new language, such as Chinese, certainly won’t happen overnight.  However, if you immerse yourself in all aspects of the language and develop an understanding for how the language is used, you’ll be speaking, reading and writing the Chinese language, fluently and confidently.