Many people want to learn conversational Chinese to help them with broadening their connection, yet not everyone is able to dedicate time and effort to learn Chinese by enrolling in offline classes. 

Luckily, things have changed rapidly and learning conversational Chinese is possible even without leaving home. With many online resources available, let’s explore how you can learn conversational Chinese at home!

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: How to Build a Learning Habit That Sticks Even When You Work Full Time

Conversational Chinese is one of the most common Mandarin skills to be learned through online resources. But, why exactly do people choose conversational Chinese to be learned at home? Here are a few reasons why learning conversational Chinese online at home is possible for many people. 

Closer with Real Life

Conversational Chinese is used in many places, even if you’re living outside China. Whether you’re ordering food or working your job with your colleagues, the chances of interacting in Mandarin is quite high if you’re currently residing in Singapore. This closeness can be a great advantage since you can familiarize yourself with conversational Chinese through daily interactions with others. 

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Working in Singapore as an Expat: Do You Need Chinese Courses to Survive?

Many Resources Widely Available

One of the biggest advantages of learning nowadays is that many resources are available through the internet. This means, you no longer have to purchase various books and dictionaries to help you learn conversational Chinese. Instead, you can lean into other types of resources such as YouTube videos or online platforms for language learning. 

Easier Learning Method

Conversational Chinese tends to be easier to learn due to its closeness to day-to-day activities. Instead of focusing on Chinese characters or writing systems, people who want to learn conversational Chinese can focus more on vocabulary acquisition and listening comprehension. Even if you’re planning to learn conversational Chinese without prior experience, you can start your journey by sharpening your listening skills and slowly imitate how Chinese people speak. 

Committing to learning at home can be rather difficult to many people, especially if you’re not familiar with how to start learning conversational Chinese at home. Without a proper guide on how to learn at home, this method may induce harm such as ineffective learning that leads to burn out.

In this section, let’s understand together how to begin learning conversational Chinese at home for adults. 

Understand Your Current Level

Before starting to find online resources to study, the first thing you need to understand is discovering your current Mandarin level. Some people might be familiar with basic Chinese words and pronunciation due to their environment, whilst others may struggle with understanding how to pronounce each syllable. 

Since each level of Mandarin requires different learning materials, it is advisable to understand how much Mandarin you have understood beforehand. For beginners with no experience, starting with Chinese Pinyin and pronunciation can be a great starting point to help you master conversational Chinese in the future. 

Start Small and Find Your Learning Style

Learning conversational Chinese at home can be overwhelming if you’re not selecting the right material to begin with. Instead of aiming too high, you can try setting smaller goals such as understanding Chinese greetings and mastering pronunciation.

While learning, you can also find the best way for you to study. Finding your learning style can help you feel less stressful and motivate you to achieve better results. Discovering the best learning style may need some trial and error, but these methods can help you absorb language more naturally. 

Prioritize Mix Media Contents

Learning Chinese conversational skills is different from learning other skills. While reading and writing comprehension mainly focuses on textbooks, building your conversational skills may require other media to enhance your understanding. For example, you may find learning through YouTube videos or Chinese drama to be more effective and natural rather than passively learning through textbooks. 

Daily Practice and Shadowing

Practice is the key when it comes to learning conversational Chinese. This part is highly important to help you build confidence and become more natural in speaking Chinese. One effective way to achieve fluency is by shadowing, a method that requires you to listen and repeat native speakers to amplify your pronunciation. This can help you with understanding small details such as pauses, intonations, and dialects. 

There are many apps or online platforms that you can use to understand conversational Chinese nowadays. Whether free or requires payment, finding the right online platforms may be overwhelming if you’re not familiar with your learning materials. Let’s try exploring a few online platform options that can help you learn conversational Chinese at home. 

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Should You Choose Private or Group Class for Your Chinese Course? Read the Pros and Cons

Coursera

This online learning platform is not only suitable for language learning, but also learning other skills that may pique your interest. Learning conversational Chinese through Coursera can be suitable for you if you prefer learning at your own pace. These courses usually provide their learners with pre-recorded videos and some activities to deepen your understanding. 

Hello Talk

Hello Talk is an online platform known for language learning. Through its features, you can communicate with native speakers through texts and voice calls. This online platform is suitable if you want to learn by interacting naturally with other people of similar interests. This platform is also suitable for people who want to broaden their international relations and acquire cultural insights of other countries. 

Elite Linguistic Academy

Elite Linguistic Academy is a Chinese tuition center suitable for those who prefer to learn with an experienced trainer. With its private class and public group class available, you can find a learning environment that suits you best. Furthermore, you can also find learning partners and encourage each other to become more fluent by attending its public group class. 

Aside from providing conversational Chinese classes, Elite Linguistic Academy also offers business Mandarin courses that can be tailored to your needs. 

Learning conversational Chinese independently at home can be possible to many people, yet some might find learning by yourself to be difficult. This difficulty may stem from the confusion on where and how to properly start with reliable resources.

If you’re unsure on how to start learning conversational Chinese at home, you can try enrolling yourself through online courses. In Elite Linguistic Academy, we provide online courses options for conversational Chinese that will help you get connected with experienced trainers and peers to work together with. 

Find out how we can help you learn conversational Chinese effectively by visiting our website. 

Contact us

+65 8885 7668 (Group Class)

+65 8509 6088 (Private Class)

Email: [email protected]