You Can Learn Chinese

What does it take to go from barely speaking Chinese to giving a three-hour university presentation in Chinese? For William Whitaker, the journey was anything but planned, and when that intimidating presentation finally arrived, he wasn't even sure he could pull it off.William originally moved to Shenzhen, China, to pursue his passion for basketball, not to learn Chinese. After spending his first year picking up relatively little of the language, the COVID pandemic unexpectedly changed everything. What was supposed to be a short trip to Bali with his future wife turned into nearly seven months, giving William an unusual opportunity to throw himself into learning Chinese.When he finally returned to China, he discovered how much had changed. Street signs suddenly made sense, conversations became more accessible, and an entirely new side of life in China began opening up to him.In this episode of You Can Learn Chinese, William shares how he went from self-study with graded readers, audiobooks, Anki flashcards, and Chinese basketball podcasts to eventually moving to Taiwan and enrolling in a master's program in East Asian Studies taught entirely in Chinese.We explore the surprising benefits of handwriting Chinese characters, the difference between understanding Chinese and being able to use it, and how friendships and real-world experiences can transform language learning. William also recounts one of his biggest breakthroughs: overcoming his fear of delivering a lengthy academic presentation in Chinese in front of native speakers.Throughout his journey, William has developed a perspective that every Chinese learner can benefit from:learning Chinese is a lifelong journey, and that's something to be excited about, not discouraged by.Whether you're just getting started or have been studying for years, William's story offers practical insights and a reminder that sometimes the most meaningful progress comes from embracing the struggle, following your interests, and finding ways to make Chinese part of whatever season of life you're in.Links from the episode:Mandarin Companion Graded Readers

Ever feel confident speaking Chinese with your teacher or tutor, only to find yourself completely lost when you're with a group of native speakers? Why does your Chinese suddenly seem to fall apart?In this episode, Jared and John explore why group conversations present such a unique challenge for Chinese learners, even those with strong conversational skills. They uncover the "invisible help" that tutors provide, the hidden complexities of group dynamics, and why understanding individual speakers doesn't necessarily mean you’ll be able to follow a group discussion.Drawing from their own experiences, you’ll learn practical strategies for preparing for real-world conversations, including how to adapt your learning, take a more active role in discussions, and gradually build confidence in group settings.Whether you're preparing for your first dinner with Chinese friends or have spent years struggling to keep up at the table, this episode will help you bridge the gap between classroom Chinese and real-world conversation.Links from the episode:Mandarin Companion Graded ReadersAllSet Learning | Tutoring

Cassandre Egolf is a French retail and brand professional who spent five years living and working in China. She shares how an unexpected Shanghai opportunity transformed self-study into real-world Mandarin, from taxi conversations to workplace speeches. Hear about visa delays, lockdowns, Chinese New Year hospitality, traveling beyond the cities, and her plans to connect Chinese brands with international markets.

For Teachers’ Day, Jared and John share stories of the educators who transformed their language-learning journeys. They explore the distinct strengths of native and non-native teachers, the impact of humor, expertise, and timely advice, and why experience can make lessons unforgettable. Most importantly, they discuss how great teachers inspire active learning, confidence, and the motivation to keep going.

In a mildly confusing bit of podcast naming, Jared Turner sits down with comedian Turner Sparks. Turner moved to China in 2004 to teach English, planning to stay for just one year. He ended up staying for twelve.In this episode of You Can Learn Chinese, Turner talks about learning Chinese out of necessity, from struggling through everyday conversations with almost no shared language to using Chinese while building and running a business across China.Turner shares stories from his years in Suzhou and Shanghai, including launching Mr. Softee ice cream trucks in China, navigating local government and business culture, whitewater rafting with Chinese officials, and stumbling into stand-up comedy when a local bar owner built him a stage and told him he had a month to prepare.That hobby eventually became a career. After performing around Asia, Turner moved to New York City to pursue comedy full time, where his years in China, his Chinese-speaking wife and family, and the Chinese language itself continue to shape his comedy.Turner’s path from English teacher to ice cream entrepreneur to full-time comedian is not exactly the standard Chinese-learning story. Join us for a funny and unpredictable conversation about China, Chinese, business, comedy, and the strange places learning a language can take you.Links from the episode:Turner Sparks | Website & Tour DatesFollow Turner | Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, TikTokMandarin Companion Graded Readers

Jared and John discuss the frustrations faced by a learner who came to John for help—particularly with pinyin and distinguishing similar sounds in Chinese. They explore why learners often misapply English pronunciation rules to pinyin and how comprehensible input can help ease the learning curve.This episode serves as both a deep dive into the phonetic and perceptual challenges of learning Chinese and a reassuring reminder that, while the path to fluency can be frustrating, personalized strategies and persistent effort can lead to real progress.Links from the episode:Mandarin Companion graded readers

What does it mean to walk in the footsteps of an ancestor whose life connected China and America more than a century ago?In this episode, Ben Lee shares how moving to Wuhan in 1992 pushed him to learn Chinese for survival—and eventually led him back to a remarkable family legacy. His great-grandfather was part of the Qing Dynasty’s Chinese Educational Mission, became an early voice in Chinese American literature, and even crossed paths with Mark Twain.Ben and Jared explore heritage, identity, education, and the lifelong rewards of learning Chinese. Ben also shares practical advice for learners, including why the best approach is simple: start, keep going, and accept that there will always be more to learn.Links from the episode:“When I was a boy in China” by Yan Phou Lee | Project Gutenbert and AmazonMandarin Companion Graded Readers

Whether you're planning your first trip to China or reminiscing about past adventures, Jared and John share why even a little Chinese can transform your experience, from connecting with locals through place names and ordering regional specialties to navigating trains, buses, and the occasional unexpected adventure.Along the way, they swap memorable stories of language mishaps, overnight train rides, questionable transportation choices, and the kinds of travel misadventures that become some of the most memorable stories. They also discuss the balance between relying on translation apps and building the confidence to communicate on your own, and how some of the best language learning happens when you step outside your comfort zone.If you're thinking about visiting China, or just looking for motivation to keep studying, this episode will remind you that travel isn't just a reward for learning Chinese; it's one of the best ways to accelerate your progress. Links from the episode:Mandarin Companion Graded Readers

What happens when a childhood choice turns into a life-changing career change?In this episode, Jared talks with Jake Hines, an Australian content creator based in Xiamen, China, whose Chinese learning journey began in high school thanks to a nudge from his mom. After years working as an engineering project manager, Jake left his stable career during COVID to pursue a very different path: traveling through China, creating videos, and rebuilding his life around the language he had once studied as a teenager.Jake shares how early trips to Nanjing sparked his fascination with Chinese, why he sees language learning as a form of “Type II Fun,” and how the challenge of Mandarin became part of its appeal. He also explains how creating Chinese-language content has become one of his most powerful learning tools. From filming conversations with locals to translating, subtitling, and editing the same footage over and over, Jake discovered that video creation can turn real-world Chinese into deeply memorable comprehensible input.The conversation also explores Jake’s experiences studying at Xiamen University, making friends through Chinese, learning through graded readers and podcasts, and building a media career in China. He shares the story of winning an award for a video about Dehua porcelain and being flown to Beijing to speak on a live panel in Chinese.Jake’s practical advice: find a personal project that makes Chinese useful, consume content you genuinely enjoy, talk to yourself in Chinese, and embrace mistakes as part of the process. As Jake’s shirt says: 问题不大, no big problem.Links from the episode:The Journey of Jake | YouTube, Instagram, 小红书Mandarin Companion Graded Readers

Are you getting everything you can out of your Chinese lessons?Jared and John share practical strategies for multiplying the value of every class or tutoring session. You'll learn how to review lesson notes more effectively, identify the corrections that matter most, create better flashcards, and use recordings to improve your pronunciation and speaking ability. They also show how modern AI tools can analyze lesson transcripts, uncover recurring mistakes, highlight useful vocabulary, and generate personalized review materials based on your actual conversations.Whether you study with a tutor online or in person, these techniques can help you remember more, notice patterns faster, and make measurable progress between lessons.This episode was sponsored by italki.Visit their website via the link below and get $5 off when you purchase $10 worth of italki credits using the promo code "TURNER "But hurry, this offer is only available for the first 50 users!Web: https://go.italki.com/turner2607App: https://go.italki.com/turner2607appLinks from the episode:italki | online language tutorsMandarin Companion Graded Readers