You Can Learn Chinese

Do you find it hard to remember characters? We all do. In this episode, John and Jared discuss a method that has delivered results time and time again. Plus, imagine reading a Charles Dickens novel in Chinese…but with only 450 characters! Guest interview is with Chris Max. He is a famous You Tuber that you may not have heard of because all of his videos are in Chinese and made for Chinese audiences. His story reveals how focusing on his tones unlocked deep friendships in the country and what it takes to become an internet sensation. Thanks for listening to our podcast! Please write us a review on Apple Podcasts and we’ll give you a shout out on the podcast! We are also taking questions from our listeners. If you have a question, reach us at feedback@mandarincompanion.com. Follow us on Facebook and catch our latest Chinese learning memes on Instagram Links referenced in this Episode.The Heisig MethodChinese Calligraphy Written in Chalk at the ParkChris Max YouTube Channel “口语老炮儿马思瑞Chris”Mandarin Companion Memes - Instagram See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What can you realistically learn from a textbook? John and Jared discuss this question to help anyone understand how far a textbook can take you towards fluency. Plus, be ready for a surprise guest appearance from John’s mother-in-law! Guest interview is with Jeff Lindsay, a warm and funny man whose love for Chinese has translated into love for the people. His stories will shine a ray of light into your heart and show how the power of connection through language can enrich our lives. Thanks for listening to our podcast! Please write us a review on Apple Podcasts and we’ll give you a shout out on the podcast! We are also taking questions from our listeners. If you have a question, reach us at feedback@mandarincompanion.com. Follow us on Facebook and catch our latest Chinese learning memes on Instagram Links referenced in this Episode.The Four Keys to Learning Chinese You Need to KnowThe Current War MovieJeff Lindsay’s WebsiteMandarin Companion Memes - Instagram See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this special episode, John and Jared go over the top 10 YCLC podcasts of the year, highlighting their favorite episodes and why. If you’re new to the podcast, this is a must listen to find out what you might have missed! Plus, there’s a special two truths and a lie, featuring LeBron James, an electric collision with a policeman and a little romance. Guest interview is with Jordan Schneider, host of the China EconTalk podcast and Newsletter. Jordan represents the new generation of Chinese learners who frequently cast aside traditional educational models, focus on what works, and carve out their own path to fluency. His candor and experience are both insightful and refreshing. Don’t miss out on this one. Thanks for listening to our podcast! Please write us a review on Apple Podcasts and we’ll give you a shout out on the podcast! We are also taking questions from our listeners. If you have a question, reach us at feedback@mandarincompanion.com. Follow us on Facebook and catch our latest Chinese learning memes on InstagramLinks referenced in this Episode.John & Jared’s Favorite EpisodeChina EconTalk PodcastJordan SchneiderMandarin Companion Memes - Instagram See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

圣诞节快乐! This is our special Christmas episode! John and Jared discuss Christmas is like in China, Christmas words in Chinese, and they even have a “name that tune” for some Chinese Christmas carols, all to bring you some Christmas cheer… in Chinese!. Don’t miss John’s delicious Chinese coffee rave –a special delight for anybody living in China. Guest interview is with Mervyn Cooke. He is the kind of person that after talking to him for a few minutes, you feel like he’s an old familiar friend you haven’t seen for a while, and you’re just catching up on life. This is a very special interview – a moving way to reflect on your year learning Chinese and a meaningful way of getting perspective on your life. Thanks for listening to our podcast! Please write us a review on Apple Podcasts and we’ll give you a shout out on the podcast! We are also taking questions from our listeners. If you have a question, reach us at feedback@mandarincompanion.com. Follow us on Facebook and catch our latest Chinese learning memes on Instagram Links referenced in this Episode.Chinese Christmas SongsO Derry Boy – Mervyn Cooke’s book of poetryJohn’s Graduate Masters Thesis on Tonal PairsResearch Paper - Extensive Reading Coursebooks in ChinaMandarin Companion Memes - Instagram See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tones are definitely one of the challenging aspects of Chinese. In this episode, John and Jared discuss the 4 types of mistakes learners make with tones and offer tips on fixing them quickly. Guest interview is with China-based CELTA trainer Mathew Armstrong. Sometimes we try to demonstrate how “good” our Chinese is, however Mathew offers a humbler perspective on how much there is left to learn despite passing a high level Chinese test. He also explains his motivations for learning Chinese, motivations that are different than many of the other guests interviewed on this show. Thanks for listening to our podcast! Please write us a review on Apple Podcasts and we’ll give you a shout out on the podcast! We are also taking questions from our listeners. If you have a question, reach us at feedback@mandarincompanion.com. Follow us on Facebook and catch our latest Chinese learning memes on Instagram Links referenced in this Episode.Types of Tone Mistakes - SinospliceCLASS – Chinese Language Association of Secondary-Elementary Schools[CELTA - Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)( https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/teaching-english/teaching-qualifications/celta/)Mandarin Companion Memes - Instagram See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

John and Jared discuss the all too common situation of pinyin over Chinese characters, something Jared sometimes refer to as the “crippling crutch”. They go into depth on why this is so common, why it is so detrimental, and what to do instead. Guest interview is with Kwadwo [QUĀY.jo] Sampani Kessi, the founder of Elementary Chinese, a popular YouTube and Instagram channel for learning Chinese. He will tell his tale of falling in love with Chinese while in …Paris! And then he takes us on his journey moving past the limitations of the traditional Chinese education system and forging ahead with new ideas on how people can learn. Thanks for listening to our podcast! Please write us a review on Apple Podcasts and we’ll give you a shout out on the podcast! We are also taking questions from our listeners. If you have a question, reach us at feedback@mandarincompanion.com. Follow us on Facebook and catch our latest Chinese learning memes on Instagram Links referenced in this Episode.Pinyin over Characters: The Crippling CrutchThe meme that started it allKwadwo [QUĀY.jo] different sites website, Instagram, and YouTubeMandarin Companion Memes - Instagram See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

John and Jared discuss some of the latest research about how we learn to read in Chinese. This episode is packed with insights that will change the way you think about learning Chinese! You'll also get two raves that will take your Chinese learning up a notch.  Guest interview is with Revuen Lerner, an accomplished Python developer and trainer who began learning Chinese when his work started sending him on business trips to China. He reveals how he squeezes up to eight hours of Chinese practice a week in-between a busy family and work life. And we discover his Chinese-language learning super power - a mindset we can all adopt to learn Chinese faster. Thanks for listening to our podcast! Please write us a review on Apple Podcasts and we’ll give you a shout out on the podcast! We are also taking questions from our listeners. If you have a question, reach us at feedback@mandarincompanion.com. Follow us on Facebook and catch our latest Chinese learning memes on Instagram Links referenced in this Episode.Independent Study Confirms the “Readability” of the Mandarin Companion SeriesThe Routledge Handbook of Chinese Second Language AcquisitionMandarin Companion Book Club CoursesBullet subtitles / Bullet commentary/ 弹幕 (dànmù) Wikipedia, Bilingual ArticlePleco Chinese Dictionary AppMandarin Companion Memes - Instagram See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, John and I talk about the connection between culture and language. Just how important is a grasp of the culture to learn Chinese? In addition to a rant and a rave, we’ve got a new segment about our adventures in China. Gest interview is with Imron Alston. In addition to being an accomplished Chinese learner, he has developed software to assist Chinese learners and is an admin on the popular website Chinese-forums.com. He shares with us insights gained from years of interacting with Chinese learners. Thanks for listening to our podcast! Please write us a review on Apple Podcasts and we’ll give you a shout out on the podcast! We are also taking questions from our listeners. If you have a question, reach us at feedback@mandarincompanion.com. Follow us on Facebook and catch our latest Chinese learning memes on Instagram Links referenced in this Episode. The Sixty-Year Dream Pinyin over Characters: The Crippling Crutch Chinese-Forums.com “Abominable” movie Chinese Text Analyzer Hanzi Grids Pinyinput Imron Alston’s website Mandarin Companion Memes - Instagram See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For this special episode, we are joined by Diane Neubauer as a special guest co-host. Diane is a Chinese teacher who first learned Chinese in college, has spent over a decade in the classroom teaching, and is now pursuing a PhD. Jared, John, and Diane discuss some of the latest trends in learning Chinese, what it’s like to be a Chinese teacher, and touch on some of the aspects between language and culture. This is one insightful show you won’t want to miss. Thanks for listening to our podcast! Please write us a review on Apple Podcasts and we’ll give you a shout out on the podcast! We are also taking questions from our listeners. If you have a question, reach us at feedback@mandarincompanion.com.Follow us on Facebook and catch our latest Chinese learning memes on Instagram Links referenced in this Episode.Movie Talk technique for language learningVideo Channels for Chinese Language LearnersHelloTalk App for chatting with native speakersMeme from Jared’s RaveMandarin Companion Memes - Instagram See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Why are you studying Chinese? It seems that everyone has a different reason, but your reason is critical to your success in learning Chinese. Jared and John discuss the importance of having a reason to learn Chinese and cultivating existing and new motivations. If you don’t have a reason to learn, you wont get far with the language. Guest interview is with Theresa Munford from the UK. She began learning Chinese shortly after the Cultural Revolution in an idealistic time. She provides a perspective that you are unlikely to find anywhere else. As you listen, you’ll be taken back to another time and place where China was waking up to the rest of the world. Thanks for listening to our podcast! Please write us a review on Apple Podcasts and we’ll give you a shout out on the podcast! We are also taking questions from our listeners. If you have a question, reach us at feedback@mandarincompanion.com.Follow us on Facebook and catch our latest Chinese learning memes on Instagram Links referenced in this Episode.Episode #3 With John’s Story of Learning ChineseJared's Cinnamon Roll bakery in Shanghai - CinnaSwirlEpisode #15 Interview with Steven KaufmannRecycling and Garbage Separation PropagandaLearn and write Chinese characters “葡萄” Grape pinyin and strokes with relaxing musicChina’s Cultural Revolution“Chinese Through Poetry” by Archie BarnesMandarin Companion Memes - Instagram See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.