A guide to learning Chinese in China

One language that is becoming increasingly popular to study is Mandarin or Chinese. While it is, of course, perfectly feasible to get some Chinese training at home, if you want to become truly proficient at speaking the language, the best option will be to study in China itself. Nonetheless, before making this decision, it is important to note there will be a few points to consider. Here is a brief guide.

The alphabet

Unfortunately, grasping the language of China is certainly not easy, in fact it can be one of the more difficult languages to get to grips with. This is mainly due to the fact that the alphabet is so different. In fact, technically speaking the Chinese language doesn't really have an alphabet at all. Rather the language is formed by the use of symbols generally simply known as Chinese symbols. Nonetheless, once you grasp these symbols, you will soon begin to recognise words.

Introductory classes

Some good advise would be to take one or two introductory Chinese courses before making the decision to go there. You can usually find a variety of 'how to learn Chinese' classes at your local colleges or community centres. Alternatively, some useful introductory courses can be found online. The point here is simply getting a head start on the language before getting to the country itself. This ultimately could prove to be well worth the trouble. While in the major cities many people speak other languages such as English, this is much rarer on the outskirts and indeed rarer still in the smaller towns.

Diversity of dialects

When you do finally get to China, the first thing you may well notice is that there are actually a diverse number of different Chinese dialects. Therefore, before you go, you should know exactly what region you are going to and subsequently, what specific dialect is used there. By way of example, in Hong Kong, they actually speak Cantonese.

Dive straight in

The best way to proceed once you get there is to dive straight in. Begin practising the language you have learnt so far as soon as possible, however little this may be. That way, you will find that you will soon get to grips with the language. Final note On a final note, if you do return home, it will be essential to find a way to continue practising to speak Mandarin because it is very easy to become rusty and before long, you will find you have forgotten everything you have learnt.