When you have decided to start a business in China, a common concern that may arise is whether fluency in speaking Mandarin is necessary. This issue becomes one of the main concerns faced by people due to Mandarin being China’s most spoken language. 

It is indeed true that doing business in China will require people to be able to communicate in Mandarin, especially when reaching out to local businesses. That said, it’s entirely possible to run a successful business in China without learning Mandarin yourself. One popular alternative that can be considered is hiring an interpreter to help you communicate with Mandarin speaking colleagues and partners. Hiring an interpreter to assist your business process comes with a few advantages as the following: 

• Proven Professionality – A professional interpreter with years of experience in the field will have acquired an in-depth understanding of China’s business environment, making them suitable to help you convey your thoughts through negotiations and dealing with other parties. 

• Saves Time – Hiring an interpreter will eliminate the obligation to learn Mandarin on your own. With a trusty interpreter, speaking can 100 percent be translated during meetings and negotiations. 

• Effective Communication – Interpreters are usually able to help maintain a clear communication with the other party, avoiding any misunderstandings while keeping your goal clear. This is undoubtedly important, especially if you have no Mandarin skills beforehand. 

Although hiring interpreters can be a direct solution to your problem, it is also important to understand that interpreters have their own disadvantages as the following: 

• Cost – If you’re settling down in China to start a business, chances are you have to discuss it with local business owners and colleagues every single day. Although it is possible to hire interpreters everyday, a professional interpreter with in-depth knowledge might be over the budget for a long-term business plan. 

• Confidentiality issues – While dealing with sensitive information and negotiations, hiring an interpreter might be risky, especially if you’re working on a non disclosure agreement. Therefore, having a background check on your interpreter is utmost important. 

• Dependency – While interpreters can be a common solution to those who struggle with speaking Mandarin, relying on other parties too much can cause dependency. Your schedule and overall plans might need to be adjusted in accordance with your interpreter’s availability. 

Difficulty in conveying emotions – Although interpreters can be a solution to communicate in Mandarin, hiring a third party to help with translation may eliminate personal tone and emotions, which play a major role in negotiations and building rapport.

Relationship Building

• 久仰大名！
  Jiǔyǎng dàmíng!
  “I’ve long admired your reputation!”

• 以后多关照！
  Yǐhòu duō guānzhào!
  “I hope for your kind guidance!”

• 有空一起喝茶
  Yǒu kòng yīqǐ hē chá
  “Let’s have tea sometime”

Negotiation

• 我们可以各退一步
  Wǒmen kěyǐ gè tuì yībù
  “We can both compromise”

• 这个方案双赢
  Zhège fāng’àn shuāngyíng
  “This plan is win-win”

• 原则上同意，细节要商量
  Yuánzé shang tóngyì, xìjié yào shāngliang
  “Agree in principle, details need discussion”

Contract Payment

• 首付比例多少？
  Shǒufù bǐlì duōshǎo?
  “What’s the down payment ratio?”

• 预付款30%，尾款验收后付
  Yùfùkuǎn 30%, wěikuǎn yànshōu hòu fù
  “30% deposit, balance after inspection”

• 公章带了吗？
  Gōngzhāng dàile ma?
  “Did you bring the company chop?”

As you have gone through the last passage, you should have read a few key phrases in communicating for business purposes in China. If you’re finding it difficult to grasp or confidently use these expressions, it could be an indication that your Mandarin skills need some makeover. Rather than seeing this as an obstacle, it is important to pursue this as an opportunity to further enhance your ability. Enhancing your ability in Mandarin will equip you with a number of advantages as the following

• Boost Confidence – If you’re doing a business in China and constantly having to negotiate with people, it is important to express your confidence. Having a high level of confidence and the ability to communicate further regarding your business will attract other parties to agree with you. 

• Build Trust – Being able to speak fluently in Mandarin shows your dedication in connecting with Chinese business owners. This dedication demonstrates your willingness to cooperate with new situations, giving a sense of trust to the others.

• Greater Independence – Being able to speak Mandarin skillfully will expand your opportunities in collaborating with other companies. Having this fluency also means that you no longer have to depend on an interpreter or any other languages, which usually results in sealing deals easier. 

Once you have tried to be committed to learning Mandarin, finding courses that can assist you is considerably beneficial. Finding courses will connect you with experts, providing you with the best lessons to enhance your ability effectively. To assist your needs in improving your Mandarin, Elite Linguistic Academy provides language and communication service, one of them being business Mandarin courses to help you communicate confidently in business settings. Our expert-led business Mandarin training includes practical Mandarin tips for professionals that directly apply to negotiations, meetings, and contracts. 

1. Certified Native Trainers – Trainers involved on ELA’s business courses are qualified native teachers with numerous experience in learning. With years of experience in this field, our trainers are highly familiar with different business fields. 
2. Adjustable Materials – ELA’s business courses are tailored based on clients’ requests. The freedom to adjust lessons is important for business courses as different fields will require different vocabulary, making each private class highly unique compared to one another. 
3. Classes Options – ELA’s business courses can be classified into two different modes, face to face and online classes. These options are provided to be able to suit different working schedules and locations. 
4. Proven records – Having conducted numerous classes before, Elite Linguistic Academy has a proven track record from students’ testimonials. These testimonials indicate professionalism and ability to meet students’ needs. 

As you’re looking to do business in China , speaking Mandarin is necessary in order to communicate with business partners. Start your learning journey with Elite Linguistic Academy and discover more Mandarin tips for professionals throughout your learning program that can take your business communication to the next level.