Mandarin From the Ground Up

In this lesson, I talk about how I went from not knowing a single word of Mandarin to starting a Mandarin learning podcast! Meanwhile, Ah-Ming (阿明) and Xiao-Li (小李) finally sit down at the restaurant to order. But there's a problem... Dialogue transcript (Chinese characters only)L：到了！好餓！M：我也是，我們快一點點菜吧！L：好，菜單呢？M：菜單在這裡！看你想吃什麼...L：呃... M：怎麼了？L：我看不懂... M：喔！你看不懂中文字！L：對啊，還是看不太懂M：那我幫你，來... 這個是「飯」，這邊是「青菜」，然後這邊有「湯」，看你要哪一個L：我不知道...M：沒關係，還是我幫你點好了L：好，謝謝！M：不客氣！Dialogue transcript (w/ pinyin and translation)L：到了！好餓！L: Dàole! Hǎo è!L: We’re here! So hungry!M：我也是，我們快一點點菜吧！M: Wǒ yěshì, wǒmen kuài yīdiǎn diǎn cài ba!M: Me too, let’s hurry up and order!L：好，菜單呢？L: Hǎo, càidān ne?L: Ok, and... the menu? M：菜單在這裡！看你想吃什麼...M: Càidān zài zhèlǐ! Kàn nǐ xiǎng chī shénme...M: Here’s the menu! See what you want to eat. L：呃... L: È... L: Uh...M：怎麼了？M: Zěnmele?M: Something wrong?L：我看不懂... L: Wǒ kàn bù dǒng... L: I can’t understand this...M：喔！你看不懂中文字！M: Ō! Nǐ kàn bù dǒng zhōngwén zì!M: Oh! You don’t understand Chinese characters!L：對啊，還是看不太懂L: Duì a, háishì kàn bù tài dǒngL: Yeah, I still can’t really understand them. M：那我幫你，來... M: Nà wǒ bāng nǐ, lái... M: Then I’ll help you, come on…M: 這個是「飯」，這邊是「青菜」M: Zhège shì `fàn', zhè biān shì `qīngcài'M: This one is “rice”, this side is “vegetables,” ... M: 然後這邊有「湯」，看你要哪一個M: Ránhòu zhè biān yǒu `tāng', kàn nǐ yào nǎ yīgèM: ...and then this side has “soup." Depends which one you want. L：我不知道...L: Wǒ bù zhīdào...L: I don’t know...M：沒關係，還是我幫你點好了M: Méiguānxì, háishì wǒ bāng nǐ diǎn hǎoleM: No problem, how about I just help you order. L：好，謝謝！L: Hǎo, xièxiè!L: Ok, thanks!M：不客氣！M: Bù kèqì!M: Don’t mention it! Want to support the podcast? ★ Support this podcast ★ Thanks for listening!

In this lesson, we talk about the similarities between learning a language and learning to play music. In the dialogue, Ah-Ming (阿明) and Xiao-Li (小李) get lost looking for the Korean restaurant. Language and music have a lot in common. We learn both of them in large part because they feel good. It feels good to connect with other people; it feels good to express yourself. Sure, you might say the real reason you're learning Mandarin is to help with your career, your studies, or any number of other reasons. And that can be a great starting point. But language learning is an endurance sport, and those who don't find some way to enjoy the process are much more likely to burn out and give up.Similarly, the vast majority of people who regularly play an instrument do so in large part because it feels good; it's meaningful; it's enjoyable. And we tend to feel sorry for the few musicians who play despite disliking it or finding no meaning in it, just because they "should." Why bother? Not that you need to find complete enjoyment in learning Mandarin right now. Like any new thing, it takes time. So give yourself time (and space) to explore, to try various things, to follow paths of inquiry that inspire you. There's no one correct path when it comes to languages (or music). A conversation is a lot like a jam session. It goes well when everyone listens to everyone else; when everyone plays in the same rhythm and the same key (well, more or less, depending on the genre). Everyone takes turns sharing the spotlight; one player takes a solo, and the others hang back, make space, nod in affirmation, ask questions, play counterpoint. A good conversation can be a beautiful thing, just like a well improvised piece of music.In his TEDx talk at Gabriola Island, musician Victor Wooten tells the story of learning to play the bass guitar as a very young child. Before he was old enough to even hold a real instrument, he would sit in on his older brothers’ jam sessions. His brothers put a plastic toy guitar in his hand so that he could feel like he was part of the band. You could say he was learning music at the same time that he was learning English. This is an unusual way to start learning music, but it was effective: By the time Wooten was old enough to hold a real instrument, nobody needed to tell him what to do with it. He knew how to play music -- it was just a matter of teaching his fingers to channel what his mind already grasped. Nobody ever told Victor Wooten that he wasn’t ready to play yet. Or that he wasn’t allowed to jam with his older brothers until he learned more chords and scales. So don’t let anyone -- least of all yourself -- tell you that you aren’t ready to speak Mandarin until you learn more words and phrases. If you know what it feels like to communicate with someone, then in a crucial way you already have everything you need to start speaking Mandarin. If you’re still a beginner, then maybe you’re just like that baby Victor Wooten, sitting in the chair with the plastic guitar: You're already in the band. You're already holding the instrument. You just need to start messing around on it, and keep your eyes and ears open. Dialogue transcript (Chinese characters only)L：欸？餐廳在哪裡... M：你不知道怎麼去？L：我忘記了...M: 你忘記怎麼去！要不要我幫你看Google Maps? L：不用了，我可以的M：你看左邊！是那家嗎？L：喔？不是。不是那家M：好吧... 欸？等一下！是左邊那家很大的餐廳嗎？L：在哪裡啊？M：在那裡啊！L：喔！對！就是那家！我的眼睛有問題了M：沒關係，趕快停車！Dialogue transcript (w/ pinyin and translation)L：欸？餐廳在哪裡... L: Éi? Cāntīng zài nǎlǐ... L: Huh? Where’s the restaurant… M：你不知道怎麼去？M: Nǐ bù zhīdào zěnme qù?M: You don’t know how to go? L：我忘記了...L: Wǒ wàngjìle...L: I forgot… M: 你忘記怎麼去！要不要我幫你看Google Maps? M: Nǐ wàngjì zěnme qù! Yào bùyào wǒ bāng nǐ kàn Google Maps?M: You forgot how to go?! Do you want me to help you look at Google Maps?L：不用了，我可以的L: Bùyòngle, wǒ kěyǐ deL: Don’t bother (literally: don't use), I can do it. M：你看左邊！是那家嗎？M: Nǐ kàn zuǒbiān! Shì nà jiā ma?M: Look to the left! Is it that one? L：喔？不是。不是那家L: Ō? Bùshì. Bùshì nà jiāL: Oh? No, it’s not. It’s not that one. M：好吧... 欸？等一下！是左邊那家很大的餐廳嗎？M: Hǎo ba... Éi? Děng yīxià! Shì zuǒbiān nà jiā hěn dà de cāntīng ma?M: Alright… Oh? Wait a sec! Is it that really big restaurant on the left? L：在哪裡啊？L: Zài nǎlǐ a?L: Where?!M：在那裡啊！M: Zài nàlǐ a!M: There!L：喔！對！就是那家！我的眼睛有問題了L: Ō! Duì! Jiùshì nà jiā! Wǒ de yǎnjīng yǒu wèntíleL: Oh! Yeah! That’s the one! My eyes have a problem. M：沒關係，趕快停車！M: Méiguānxì, gǎnkuài tíngchē!M: It’s fine, hurry up and park!Want to support the podcast? ★ Support this podcast ★ Thanks for listening!

In this lesson, I talk a little about discovering the unique logic of a new language. In the dialogue, Ah-Ming (阿明) and Xiao-Li (小李) decide to break the law. One of my favorite things about learning a new language is discovering the unique way it expresses ideas: the logic, the way of thinking that the language makes possible. For example, take the word get in English. There are so many ways English speakers use this word, including to say "I got it!" when we have an idea or a solution to a problem. The interesting thing is that there is no equivalent word in Mandarin. So what do Chinese speakers say in a similar situation? They might say: 我知道了！(Wǒ zhīdàole) which literally is closer to "I know." This is just one of the infinite ways that Mandarin and English differ in how they express ideas. Imagine trying to speak and think without using the words get, it, yes, a, or the, and you can start to get a sense of how different it is to think in Mandarin (none of these words has a direct equivalent in Chinese). And of course, it goes the other way too: Chinese is full of words and expressions that Mandarin speakers rely on routinely in their speech and in their thought, which don't exist at all in English. Some of these are grammatical, like when you 把 (bǎ) something -- a way of expressing a relationship between a person and a thing that is acted upon. Some are shorthand phrases, like 怎麼辦? (Zěnme bàn?) which literally means something like "how to do" but expresses a meaning more like "What should be done?" or "What are we going to do?" often said when a seemingly intractable problem suddenly arises. The only way to start to develop a feel for the logic of Mandarin is to hear examples in context, over and over again -- and each time you hear them, to feel or picture the meaning, connecting the meaning in your mind to the sounds, so that slowly but surely the sounds themselves are imbued with meaning. Which is what Mandarin From the Ground Up is all about. Dialogue transcript (Chinese characters only)M：怎麼辦？我好餓。我想去吃飯！L：喔！我知道了！我們可以開我媽的車M：真的嗎？真的可以嗎？L：可以啊，沒問題！M：你不是不會開車嗎？L：呃... 騙你啦！我只是沒有駕照。M：沒有駕照... 這樣可以嗎？L：還好吧，沒有人知道M：好吧，那... 我們走吧。你知道怎麼去嗎？L：我當然知道啊！沒問題的！M：好！走！Dialogue transcript (w/ pinyin and translation)M：怎麼辦？我好餓。我想去吃飯！M: Zěnme bàn? Wǒ hǎo è. Wǒ xiǎng qù chīfàn!M: What are we gonna do? I’m so hungry. I want to go eat!L：喔！我知道了！我們可以開我媽的車L: Ō! Wǒ zhīdàole! Wǒmen kěyǐ kāi wǒ mā de chēL: Oh! I got it! We can drive my mom’s car. M：真的嗎？真的可以嗎？M: Zhēn de ma? Zhēn de kěyǐ ma?M: Really? Really can we? L：可以啊，沒問題！L: Kěyǐ a, méi wèntí!L: Sure we can, no problem.M：你不是不會開車嗎？M: Nǐ bùshì bù huì kāichē ma?M: Aren’t you unable to drive?L：呃... 騙你啦！我只是沒有駕照。L: È... Piàn nǐ la! Wǒ zhǐshì méiyǒu jiàzhào.L: Uh… I was kidding! I just don’t have a license.M：沒有駕照... 這樣可以嗎？M: Méiyǒu jiàzhào... Zhèyàng kěyǐ ma?M: You don’t have a license… is that OK? Literal: No license... this way can? L：還好吧，沒有人知道L: Hái hǎo ba, méiyǒu rén zhīdàoL: It’s alright (suggestion), nobody knows. M：好吧，那... 我們走吧。你知道怎麼去嗎？M: Hǎo ba, nà... Wǒmen zǒu ba. Nǐ zhīdào zěnme qù ma?M: Fine… so, let’s go. Do you know how to go there?L：我當然知道啊！沒問題的！L: Wǒ dāngrán zhīdào a! Méi wèntí de!L: Of course I know! No problem!M：好！走！M: Hǎo! Zǒu!M: Ok! Let’s go!Literal: Good! Walk!Want to support the podcast? ★ Support this podcast ★ Thanks for listening!

This dialogue reinforces a lot of words and phrases you already know, which just a few new ones. In this dialogue, 小李 and 阿明 are talking about going to have some food, and who is going to drive. We learn best when we learn from context. Letting your brain try to infer the meaning and usage of a word or phrase is much more effective than having someone just tell you. Facts are forgettable, but experience lasts. However, in order to learn the patterns of a language, it's not enough to just see a word or phrase used once. We need to hear it multiple times, in various situations. This is why, starting from lesson 9, we are going to start seeing dialogues that do more reinforcing of what you already know, and less introducing of new words. We are also going to spend less time dwelling on specific vocabulary, instead giving you the full translation of each sentence, so that you have a chance to figure out the words and usages from context. It may be confusing in the beginning, but it will be worth it. Transcripts are available below, first with only Chinese characters, and then with pinyin and the translation. Dialogue transcript (Chinese characters only)M：小李，你吃飯了嗎？L：還沒，你呢？M: 我也還沒。你餓了嗎？L：好餓！M： 我也是，我也很餓L：你想吃什麼？M：我想吃飯！你呢？L：好啊，我也想吃飯M：那我們去吃飯吧！L：好，去餐廳吃怎麼樣？M：好！你要開車嗎？L：我開車？不是你要開的嗎？M：我沒有車啊，我把車子賣掉了L：你把車子賣掉了幹嘛？M：我沒錢啊L：可是我不會開車啊M：你不會開車？我以為你會L：我不會啊！你是不是忘記了！M：那怎麼辦？L: 沒辦法! Dialogue transcript (w/ pinyin and translation)M：小李，你吃飯了嗎？M: Xiǎo lǐ, nǐ chīfànle ma?M: Xiaoli, have you eaten?L：還沒，你呢？L: Hái méi, nǐ ne?L: Not yet, and you? M: 我也還沒。你餓了嗎？M: Wǒ yě hái méi. Nǐ èle ma?M: I also haven't yet. Are you hungry? L：好餓！L: Hǎo è!L: So hungry!M： 我也是，我也很餓M: Wǒ yěshì, wǒ yě hěn èM: Me too, I'm also really hungry. L：你想吃什麼？L: Nǐ xiǎng chī shénme?L: You want to eat what? M：我想吃飯！你呢？M: Wǒ xiǎng chīfàn! Nǐ ne?M: I want to eat rice (a full meal)! And you? L：好啊，我也想吃飯L: Hǎo a, wǒ yě xiǎng chīfànL: Ok, I also want to eat rice.M：那我們去吃飯吧！M: Nà wǒmen qù chīfàn ba!M: Then let's go eat!L：好，去餐廳吃怎麼樣？L: Hǎo, qù cāntīng chī zěnme yàng?L: Ok, go to a restaurant to eat, how about it? M：好！你要開車嗎？M: Hǎo! Nǐ yào kāichē ma?M: Ok! Are you going to drive? L：我開車？不是你要開的嗎？L: Wǒ kāichē? Bùshì nǐ yào kāi de ma?L: Me, drive? Aren't you going to drive? M：我沒有車啊，我把車子賣掉了M: Wǒ méiyǒu chē a, wǒ bǎ chēzi mài diàoleM: I don't have a car! I sold my car.L：你把車子賣掉了幹嘛？L: Nǐ bǎ chēzi mài diàole gàn ma?L: You sold the car, WTF?M：我沒錢啊M: Wǒ méi qián aM: I don't have money. L：可是我不會開車啊L: Kěshì wǒ bù huì kāichē aL: But I can't drive!M：你不會開車？我以為你會M: Nǐ bù huì kāichē? Wǒ yǐwéi nǐ huìM: You can't drive? I thought you could. L：我不會啊！你是不是忘記了！L: Wǒ bù huì a! Nǐ shì bùshì wàngjìle!L: I can't! You forgot, didn't you? M：那怎麼辦？M: Nà zěnme bàn?M: Then what are we gonna do? L: 沒辦法! L: Méi bànfǎ!L: Nothing to do!Want to support the podcast? ★ Support this podcast ★ Thanks for listening!

In this lesson, we'll talk about the single most important thing you should be doing for your spoken Mandarin. We'll also learn how to talk about food, and how to make plans to go eat with other people. Have you ever had the experience of studying a language for a long time, of feeling like you should be able to speak it by now, but then when the opportunity arises you get stuck, or maybe even get cold feet and make some excuse as to why you're not ready yet? If so, the question you should be asking yourself isn't why this happens, but why you didn't make it happen sooner. Nobody speaks well on their first try, no matter how long they've spent preparing for it. This podcast -- or any other podcast, app, or class for that matter -- is not going to singlehandedly turn you into a Mandarin speaker. The only thing that's going to do that is talking to another human being, and doing it often. It doesn't matter if it's online or offline, as long as it's a real, live person. If this podcast is doing its job, you'll walk into those first conversations equipped to have an interesting talk. You'll be able to make educated guesses or even understand some of what the other person is saying, and you'll have some idea how to make yourself understood. But it's still not going to be pretty. You'll make mistakes, have misunderstandings, and have to abandon ship on a lot of things you thought you knew how to say. No matter what you do, remember to find ways to make it fun for yourself. That's what will keep you motivated to keep practicing. A note about pronunciation: The vocabulary list below includes the Chinese characters and the pinyin romanization system. The advantage of pinyin for English speakers is that it uses the familiar symbols of the Latin alphabet. The disadvantage is that English speakers are easily deceived into thinking these familiar symbols represent the same sounds they do in English. They don't. That said, pinyin can be a useful system to learn, but you must rely on your ears first, eyes second. Don't expect to be able to pronounce anything just by reading the pinyin; the romanization is just a reference to jog your memory. A language exists primarily in its sounds, which is why daily listening and imitation practice is so important. Lesson vocabulary:最 :: zuì :: most吃 :: chī :: to eat韓國 :: hánguó :: Korea菜 :: cài :: vegetables / cuisine拉麵 :: lāmiàn :: ramen晚餐 :: wǎncān :: dinner ("evening meal")要不要 :: yào bùyào :: [do you want...?]一起 :: yīqǐ :: together餐廳 :: cāntīng :: restaurant久 :: jiǔ :: a long time車 :: chē :: car開 :: kāi :: to open開車 :: kāichē :: to drive a car時候 :: shíhòu :: time什麼時候 :: shénme shíhòu :: when他 :: tā :: [third person singular pronoun]餓 :: è :: hungry就 :: jiù :: [keep an eye on this word]About learning Chinese charactersTeaching Chinese characters is outside the scope of this podcast, but if you are learning Chinese characters with another course or method, you can use the transcript below to follow along. Learning characters can be a fulfilling project, and can help you to remember and differentiate similar-sounding words. And, of course, it opens up more avenues for practicing your Mandarin, such as reading (books, children's books, comic books) and corresponding with Chinese speakers via email and other messaging apps. I highly encourage you to give it a try! However, if the thought of memorizing all those characters now gives you a headache, rest assured: you can start speaking Mandarin without being able to read or write. Millions of preliterate children learn to speak Mandarin fluently, and so can you! If and when you are ready to start learning the characters, already speaking some Mandarin will also make it that much easier. The bottom line is this: Don't let anything stop you or discourage you. The best method is the method you actually use, and any method you choose is better than no method at all! Find a way to move forward. You can always make adjustments later. And most of all, enjoy! Dialogue transcriptionM: 小李，你最喜歡吃什麼？L：我最喜歡吃韓國菜，你呢？M：我也喜歡吃韓國菜，但我最喜歡吃拉麵L：我要去吃晚餐了，你要不要跟我一起去？M：好啊，但你要去哪吃？L：我要去韓國餐廳，很久沒去M：好啊，你開車嗎？L：對啊，我開車去M：什麼時候？L：等一下就要去了M：他們也有麵嗎？L：有啊M：那好，我們一起去吧，我餓了！Want to support the podcast? ★ Support this podcast ★ Thanks for listening!

In this lesson, you'll learn how to identify and produce the four main tones in spoken Mandarin, and some essential COVID-19 vocabulary to help you talk about your situation -- whatever it may be -- plus how to ask why? Why??!Let's talk about tones. For someone coming from a non-tonal language background, it's easy to imagine that tones are something extra, like some kind of garnish sprinkled on top of the language, possibly put there just to make it fancy or to make it harder to learn. This couldn't be further from the truth, of course. Tones are an essential part of communicating in Mandarin. Getting tones right means the difference between saying to someone you just met: "Excuse me, can I ask you?" and "Kiss, can I smell you?" Of course, native Mandarin speakers can sometimes guess what others are saying even when they aren't getting the tones just right. But it can be tiring. If you've ever talked to someone who speaks English rapidly but puts the stress on the wrong syllables, you can imagine what this is like -- except in Mandarin, it's worse. The good news is that learning tones isn't as hard as you might think. In fact, if you speak English you are most likely already familiar with all four tones, you just aren't used to thinking of them as such. In this lesson, you'll hear an example of English words that use the exact same tones as those used in Mandarin (If you speak a dialect of English that doesn't say these words the same way I use them, I apologize. But hopefully you still get the idea!) This is why imitation -- imitating sound, intonation, and emotion, even to the point of adopting a different persona in your mind -- is such an important part of learning to speak Chinese naturally and fluently. You don't want to just copy what other people say; you want to copy the way they say it, and how they think and feel as they say it. If you do this, the tones will come automatically, because they'll be just another part of how you normally say things as a Mandarin speaker.A note about pronunciation: The vocabulary list below includes the Chinese characters and the pinyin romanization system. The advantage of pinyin for English speakers is that it uses the familiar symbols of the Latin alphabet. The disadvantage is that English speakers are easily deceived into thinking these familiar symbols represent the same sounds they do in English. They don't. That said, pinyin can be a useful system to learn, but you must rely on your ears first, eyes second. Don't expect to be able to pronounce anything just by reading the pinyin; the romanization is just a reference to jog your memory. A language exists primarily in its sounds, which is why daily listening and imitation practice is so important. Words and phrases但 :: dàn :: but但是 :: dànshì :: but昨天 :: zuótiān :: yesterday不一樣 :: bù yīyàng :: different貓咪 :: māomī :: cat為什麼 :: wèishéme :: why每天 :: měitiān :: every day問 :: wèn :: to ask可以 :: kěyǐ :: can / to be able to去 :: qù :: to go出 :: chū :: out待 :: dài :: to stay家裡 :: jiālǐ :: at home這個 :: zhège :: this one想 :: xiǎng :: to want / would like toAbout learning Chinese charactersTeaching Chinese characters is outside the scope of this podcast, but if you are learning Chinese characters with another course or method, you can use the transcript below to follow along. Learning characters can be a fulfilling project, and can help you to remember and differentiate similar-sounding words. And, of course, it opens up more avenues for practicing your Mandarin, such as reading (books, children's books, comic books) and corresponding with Chinese speakers via email and other messaging apps. I highly encourage you to give it a try! However, if the thought of memorizing all those characters now gives you a headache, rest assured: you can start speaking Mandarin without being able to read or write. Millions of preliterate children learn to speak Mandarin fluently, and so can you! If and when you are ready to start learning the characters, already speaking some Mandarin will also make it that much easier. The bottom line is this: Don't let anything stop you or discourage you. The best method is the method you actually use, and any method you choose is better than no method at all! Find a way to move forward. You can always make adjustments later. And most of all, enjoy! Dialogue transcriptL: 你今天也在咖啡店？M: 對啊L: 但是，今天的咖啡店跟昨天的不一樣M: 對，你看： 今天的咖啡店有貓咪！L: 為什麼？M: 沒有為什麼啊L: 為什麼你每天都去咖啡店？M: 你問我為什麼... L: 為什麼你可以每天出去，但我每天要待在家裡？！M: 這個嘛... L: 為什麼？！你跟我說！M: ...你不喜歡待在家裡？L :沒有人喜歡待在家裡啊M: ... 你想再看一下貓咪嗎？L: 好吧 ★ Support this podcast ★ Thanks for listening!

In this lesson, you'll learn how to talk about things that haven't happened yet. Learning how to say familiar words in another language, it's easy to get the impression that every language is simply another way of saying the same things, but using different sounds. The truth, however, is that each language is a unique system for dividing up all the meaning and concepts that the human mind is capable of representing. There's no one-to-one mapping between languages, which is what makes translation so difficult in the first place. It's also one of the things that makes learning another language so fascinating. While we use translation to help you understand what you're hearing, the English translation is merely a stepping stone. Your goal should be to connect the Mandarin sounds you hear to the meaningful context, not to the English sounds themselves. When you're listening to this dialogue and you hear an English translation, let it conjure a picture in your mind, and then try your best to banish the English you just heard, and hold on to that picture as you hear the Mandarin version. Super easy? Not quite. Natural, intuitive, and effective? Why, yes! A note about pronunciation: The vocabulary list below includes the Chinese characters and the pinyin romanization system. The advantage of pinyin for English speakers is that it uses the familiar symbols of the Latin alphabet. The disadvantage is that English speakers are easily deceived into thinking these familiar symbols represent the same sounds they do in English. They don't. That said, pinyin can be a useful system to learn, but you must rely on your ears first, eyes second. Don't expect to be able to pronounce anything just by reading the pinyin; the romanization is just a reference to jog your memory. A language exists primarily in its sounds, which is why daily listening and imitation practice is so important. Episode vocabulary:今天 :: jīntiān :: today沒 :: méi :: not沒有 :: méiyǒu :: not have還 :: hái :: yet, still; pretty, rather等 :: děng :: to wait一下 :: yīxià :: "one sec", a moment, a bit還在 :: hái zài :: [still ongoing]來 :: lái :: to come漂亮 :: piàoliang :: beautiful店 :: diàn :: a shop, a store一個 :: yīgè :: one [of something]要 :: yào :: to want; important; to ask for; will, going to; may, must; probably; ifAbout learning Chinese charactersTeaching Chinese characters is outside the scope of this podcast, but if you are learning Chinese characters with another course or method, you can use the transcript below to follow along. Learning characters can be a fulfilling project, and can help you to remember and differentiate similar-sounding words. And, of course, it opens up more avenues for practicing your Mandarin, such as reading (books, children's books, comic books) and corresponding with Chinese speakers via email and other messaging apps. I highly encourage you to give it a try! However, if the thought of memorizing all those characters now gives you a headache, rest assured: you can start speaking Mandarin without being able to read or write. Millions of preliterate children learn to speak Mandarin fluently, and so can you! If and when you are ready to start learning the characters, already speaking some Mandarin will also make it that much easier. The bottom line is this: Don't let anything stop you or discourage you. The best method is the method you actually use, and any method you choose is better than no method at all! Find a way to move forward. You can always make adjustments later. And most of all, enjoy! Dialogue transcript: M: 嘿，你今天好嗎？L: 我今天還OK啊，你呢？你在哪裡啊？M: 我在咖啡店，你看L: 喔！很漂亮！M: 對啊L: 你在喝咖啡嗎？M: 還沒，等一下L: 你在等咖啡？M: 對啊，我還在等L: 欸！有東西來了！M：喔對！（謝謝）我的咖啡來了！L: 好喝嗎？M: 等一下！我還沒喝... 喔！好喝！L: 我也要一個！Enjoying this podcast? Become a member and keep it going! ★ Support this podcast ★ Thanks for listening!

In this lesson, you'll learn how to have a successful video call, and how to talk about what you're drinking, and what you like. It's tempting to focus on all the things you don't know how to say yet. But really, why do that? If you consider what you already do know how to say, even after just a handful of lessons, you might be surprised. It's all about combinatorics -- at this stage, everything you learn increases what you're able to say many times over. By the end of this lesson, your range of competency will have increased by an order of magnitude.Of course, what you know is only useful if you can recall it at will, which is why repetition is so important. Check back tomorrow for the dialogue-only practice recording!A note about pronunciation: The vocabulary list below includes the Chinese characters and the pinyin romanization system. The advantage of pinyin for English speakers is that it uses the familiar symbols of the Latin alphabet. The disadvantage is that English speakers are easily deceived into thinking these familiar symbols represent the same sounds they do in English. They don't. That said, pinyin can be a useful system to learn, but you must rely on your ears first, eyes second. Don't expect to be able to pronounce anything just by reading the pinyin; the romanization is just a reference to jog your memory. A language exists primarily in its sounds, which is why daily listening and imitation practice is so important. Episode vocabulary:看 :: kàn :: to see, to look, to watch得到 :: dédào :: to gain, to successfully do sth, e.g. 看得到 to be able to see 開始 :: kāishǐ :: to start在 :: zài :: currently doing sth, e.g. 在看 currently watching什麼 :: shénme :: what喝 :: hē :: to drink東西 :: dōngxī :: thing, something咖啡 :: kāfēi :: coffee喜歡 :: xǐhuān :: to like茶 :: chá :: tea的 :: de :: [possessive]這 :: zhè :: this現在 :: xiànzài :: nowAbout learning Chinese charactersTeaching Chinese characters is outside the scope of this podcast, but if you are learning Chinese characters with another course or method, you can use the transcript below to follow along. Learning characters can be a fulfilling project, and can help you to remember and differentiate similar-sounding words. And, of course, it opens up more avenues for practicing your Mandarin, such as reading (books, children's books, comic books) and corresponding with Chinese speakers via email and other messaging apps. I highly encourage you to give it a try! However, if the thought of memorizing all those characters now gives you a headache, rest assured: you can start speaking Mandarin without being able to read or write. Millions of preliterate children learn to speak Mandarin fluently, and so can you! If and when you are ready to start learning the characters, already speaking some Mandarin will also make it that much easier. The bottom line is this: Don't let anything stop you or discourage you. The best method is the method you actually use, and any method you choose is better than no method at all! Find a way to move forward. You can always make adjustments later. And most of all, enjoy! Dialogue transcriptM: 喂？你聽得到嗎？L: 我聽得到！你呢？你聽得到嗎？M: 有，我聽得到L: 那，我們開始說中文吧！M: 呃。。。我們在說中文啊L: 喔，對了，哈哈。嘿，你在喝東西嗎？M: 有啊，我在喝東西L: 你在喝什麼？M: 我在喝咖啡。你喜歡咖啡嗎？L: 我還好，我喜歡喝茶M: 你現在在喝茶嗎？L: 有！你看，這是我的茶M：那是什麼茶？L：這是烏龍茶Enjoying this podcast? Become a member and keep it alive! ★ Support this podcast ★ Thanks for listening!

The contents of this episode are pretty standard fare for a language learner, or anyone else for that matter: What's your name? Nice to meet you. Do you have an English name? But hidden in the sentences are a handful of other extremely useful expressions. A note about pronunciation: The vocabulary list below includes the Chinese characters and the pinyin romanization system. The advantage of pinyin for English speakers is that it uses the familiar symbols of the Latin alphabet. The disadvantage is that English speakers are easily deceived into thinking these familiar symbols represent the same sounds they do in English. They don't. That said, pinyin can be a useful system to learn, but you must rely on your ears first, eyes second. Don't expect to be able to pronounce anything just by reading the pinyin; the romanization is just a reference to jog your memory. the language exists primarily in its sounds, which is why daily listening and imitation practice is so important. Episode vocabulary:叫 :: jiào :: to call, to be called什麼 :: shénme :: what名字 :: míngzì :: name高興 :: gāoxìng :: happy認識 :: rènshí :: to know (someone)有 :: yǒu :: to have英文 :: yīngwén :: English中文 :: zhōngwén :: Mandarin跟 :: gēn :: with/and和 :: hé :: and/with一樣 :: yīyàng :: the same ("one kind")很像 :: hěn xiàng :: similarAbout learning Chinese charactersTeaching Chinese characters is outside the scope of this podcast, but if you are learning Chinese characters with another course or method, you can use the transcript below to follow along.Learning characters can be a fulfilling project, and can help you to remember and differentiate similar-sounding words. And, of course, it opens up more avenues for practicing your Mandarin, such as reading (books, children's books, comic books) and corresponding with Chinese speakers via email and other messaging apps. I highly encourage you to give it a try!However, if the thought of memorizing all those characters now gives you a headache, rest assured: you can start speaking Mandarin without being able to read or write. Millions of preliterate children learn to speak Mandarin fluently, and so can you! If and when you are ready to start learning the characters, already speaking some Mandarin will also make it that much easier. The bottom line is this: Don't let anything stop you or discourage you. The best method is the method you actually use, and any method you choose is better than no method at all! Find a way to move forward. You can always make adjustments later. And most of all, enjoy! Episode text:M：對了，你叫什麼名字？L：我叫小李，你呢？M：我叫阿明L：很高興認識你！M：我也是L：你有英文名字嗎？M：有，我有L：那，你的英文名字是什麼？M：我的英文名字叫Mike，你呢？你也有英文名字嗎？L：有啊！我的英文名字叫LeeM：跟你的中文名字一樣！L：對，我的英文名字和中文名字很像Enjoying this podcast? Become a member and keep it going! ★ Support this podcast ★

A big part of being able to speak naturally and fluently is being able to convince yourself on some level that you're actually from the same place as other native speakers. It’s one thing to learn a bunch of words and phrases. But to be able to use them like a native speaker requires being able to think like one. In this episode, you'll learn how to tell people where you are, and where you're from. If you were from, say, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, or China, what would that version of you be like? You can start to get a sense by paying close attention to the expressions native speakers use, especially to the feeling behind them. Imitating them, you might find yourself saying things whose equivalent you would never say in the same situation in your native language. And that’s one of the amazing things about learning a new language -- it lets you develop another side of yourself. A note about pronunciation: The vocabulary list below includes the Chinese characters and the pinyin romanization system. The advantage of pinyin for English speakers is that it uses the familiar symbols of the Latin alphabet. The disadvantage is that English speakers are easily deceived into thinking these familiar symbols represent the same sounds they do in English. They don't. That said, pinyin can be a useful system to learn, but you must rely on your ears first, eyes second. Don't expect to be able to pronounce anything just by reading the pinyin; the romanization is just a reference to jog your memory. the language exists primarily in its sounds, which is why daily listening and imitation practice is so important. Episode vocabulary:哪裡 :: nǎlǐ :: where在 :: zài :: at/in台灣 :: táiwān :: Taiwan台北 :: táiběi :: Taipei美國 :: měiguó :: USA西雅圖 :: xīyǎtú :: Seattle請 :: qǐng :: please再 :: zài :: again一次 :: yīcì :: one time人 :: rén :: person是 :: shì :: to be (am/are/is)以為 :: yǐwéi :: to have mistakenly thought真的 :: zhēn de :: really, trulyAbout learning Chinese charactersTeaching Chinese characters is outside the scope of this podcast, but if you are learning Chinese characters through another course or method, you can use the transcript below to follow along.Learning characters can be a fulfilling project, and can help you to remember and differentiate similar-sounding words. And, of course, it opens up more avenues for practicing your Mandarin, such as reading (books, children's books, comic books) and corresponding with Chinese speakers via email and other messaging apps. I highly encourage you to give it a try!However, if the thought of memorizing all those characters now gives you a headache, rest assured: you can start speaking Mandarin without being able to read or write. Millions of preliterate children speak Mandarin fluently, and so can you! If and when you are ready to start learning the characters, already speaking some Mandarin will make it that much easier. The bottom line is this: Don't let anything stop you or discourage you. The best method is the method you actually use, and any method you choose is better than no method at all! Find a way to move forward. You can always make adjustments later. Dialogue transcriptL：嘿，你在哪裡？M：我嗎？我在台灣啊L：在台灣哪裡？M：在台北啊！你呢？你在哪裡？L：我... 我在... 我在西雅圖M：啊？L：喂？M：請再說一次L：我說，我在西雅圖M：西雅圖在哪裡？L：西雅圖在美國M：你在美國？！L：對，我在美國M：你是美國人嗎？L：對啊，我是美國人M：我以為你是台灣人呢L：真的嗎？Thanks for listening!Enjoying this podcast? Become a member and keep it going! ★ Support this podcast ★

It's OK to feel tired sometimes, and acknowledging it is part of staying motivated. In this episode, you'll learn how to ask and talk about feelings, especially that feeling of needing some rest.--- Learning a language is the project of a lifetime. There's usually a starting point -- that day you decide will be your first day learning Mandarin, say -- but there's never a stopping point. From that moment forward, the language is alive with you, a part of you. It's important to make sure the language is working for you, and not the other way around. This means finding ways of using it for things that are intrinsically rewarding, even from day one. Connecting with people is a big one. And, let's be honest, there are also few things more rewarding than talking about yourself to someone who is really listening. In this episode you'll start to learn how to do that. You'll be able to ask another person how they're feeling, and by observing and imitating what they say, you'll add more feeling states to your vocabulary. And, yes, you'll be able to say that you're tired. That's a handy one. A note about pronunciation: The vocabulary list below includes the Chinese characters and the pinyin romanization system. The advantage of pinyin for English speakers is that it uses the familiar symbols of the Latin alphabet. The disadvantage is that English speakers are easily deceived into thinking these familiar symbols represent the same sounds they do in English. They don't. That said, pinyin can be a useful system to learn, but you must rely on your ears first, eyes second. Don't expect to be able to pronounce anything just by reading the pinyin; the romanization is just a reference to jog your memory. the language exists primarily in its sounds, which is why daily listening and imitation practice is so important. Episode vocabulary:還好 :: hái hǎo :: OK / so-so怎麼 :: zěnme :: how了 :: le :: [past tense, change of state, etc.]怎麼了 :: zěnmele :: What's wrong? What's up?怎麼說 :: zěnme shuō :: How do you say...?累 :: lèi :: tired也 :: yě :: also我們 :: wǒmen :: we/us都 :: dōu :: all今天 :: jīntiān :: today大家 :: dàjiā :: everybodyAbout learning Chinese charactersTeaching Chinese characters is outside the scope of this podcast, but if you are learning Chinese characters through another course or method, you can use the transcript below to follow along.Learning characters can be a fulfilling project, and can help you to remember and differentiate similar-sounding words. And, of course, it opens up more avenues for practicing your Mandarin, such as reading (books, children's books, comic books) and corresponding with Chinese speakers via email and other messaging apps. I highly encourage you to give it a try!However, if the thought of memorizing all those characters now gives you a headache, rest assured: you can start speaking Mandarin without being able to read or write. Millions of preliterate children speak Mandarin fluently, and so can you! If and when you are ready to start learning the characters, already speaking some Mandarin will make it that much easier. The bottom line is this: Don't let anything stop you or discourage you. The best method is the method you actually use, and any method you choose is better than no method at all! Find a way to move forward. You can always make adjustments later. Dialogue transcript:M：你好L：你好M：你好嗎？L：我嗎？M：對啊，你啊L：我還好M：怎麼了？L：我有一點累M：我也有一點累L：你也累了？M：對啊，我也累了L：我們都累了M：對啊，好像今天大家都累了Thanks for listening! Enjoying this indie podcast? Become a member and keep it going! ★ Support this podcast ★

In our very first lesson, we'll get you started speaking useful Mandarin right away. You'll learn how to say whether or not you can speak Chinese, and we'll start building a good foundation for your accent, copying exactly what you hear.~When you're listening to the sounds of Chinese or any other language, pay close attention to the intonation. This is the first thing that infants copy in their native language, and it should be the first thing you copy when learning Mandarin. Give yourself permission to sound a little silly or weird to yourself -- you may even feel like you're doing a caricature of the other language, but you're really not. Faithfully mimicking what you hear actually shows that you respect the language, and that you're trying to speak it on its own terms. Native speakers will appreciate the effort, and have a much easier time understanding you. Of course, this is true about any language, but it's doubly true for Chinese, where a different intonation can radically change the meaning of what you're saying. If it helps, you can think of it like learning to sing a song, rather than learning to "say" something. In this episode, we hear a dialogue between two people talking about what languages they speak. With enough repetitions and practice, you'll be speaking right along with them. A note about pronunciation: The vocabulary list below includes the Chinese characters and the pinyin romanization system. The advantage of pinyin for English speakers is that it uses the familiar symbols of the Latin alphabet. The disadvantage is that English speakers are easily deceived into thinking these familiar symbols represent the same sounds they do in English. They don't. That said, pinyin can be a useful system to learn, but you must rely on your ears first, eyes second. Don't expect to be able to pronounce anything just by reading the pinyin; the romanization is just a reference to jog your memory. the language exists primarily in its sounds, which is why daily listening and imitation practice is so important. Episode vocabulary:你 :: nǐ :: you我 :: wǒ :: I/me好 :: hǎo :: good/OK聽 :: tīng :: to listen, to hear說 :: shuō :: to say, to speak會 :: huì :: to be able to不 :: bù :: not中文 :: zhōngwén :: Mandarin / Chinese language嗎 :: ma :: [indicates a question]一點 :: yīdiǎn :: a little對 :: duì :: correct/right吧 :: ba :: [indicates a suggestion]英文 :: yīngwén :: English language加油 :: jiāyóu :: Good luck! / You got this!About learning Chinese charactersTeaching Chinese characters is outside the scope of this podcast, but if you are learning Chinese characters through another course or method, you can use the transcript below to follow along.Learning characters can be a fulfilling project, and can help you to remember and differentiate similar-sounding words. And, of course, it opens up more avenues for practicing your Mandarin, such as reading (books, children's books, comic books) and corresponding with Chinese speakers via email and other messaging apps. I highly encourage you to give it a try!However, if the thought of memorizing all those characters now gives you a headache, rest assured: you can start speaking Mandarin without being able to read or write. Millions of preliterate children speak Mandarin fluently, and so can you! If and when you are ready to start learning the characters, already speaking some Mandarin will make it that much easier. The bottom line is this: Don't let anything stop you or discourage you. The best method is the method you actually use, and any method you choose is better than no method at all! Find a way to move forward. You can always make adjustments later. Dialogue transcriptM：你好L：你好！M：你聽我說L：好M：你會說中文嗎？L：呃...M：你不會？L：我不會M：你會吧！你會說一點中文，對吧！L：對... 我會說一點點M：對吧！L：那，你會說英文嗎？M：不會L：喔... M：加油！！！Enjoying this indie podcast? Become a member, get extra content, and keep it going! ★ Support this podcast ★