You Can Learn Chinese

Jared & John discuss everything you wanted to know about tones but were afraid to ask. They highlight why they are important, what makes them difficult, where learners usually go wrong, and how to polish your tones to sound better than you thought possible. You’ll get a rant about Chinese teachers using English names and mixing simplified and traditional characters together. Guest interview is with Dr. David Moser, Chinese professor, author, Chinese language performer, translator, media commentator, and author of the famous paper “Why Chinese is So Damn Hard”. David shares his experiences of learning Chinese, performing xiangsheng 相声 (comic “cross talk”) on Chinese national TV, and strategies that helped him achieve mastery in the language. If you like the show, write us a review on Apple Podcasts! We are also taking questions from our listeners. If you have a question, reach us at feedback@mandarincompanion.com or leave us a note on our Facebook page. Links referenced in this Episode. Confidence and Tones The Process of Learning Tones Masters Thesis on Learning Tones Why Chinese Is So Damn Hard Crazy English Method – Learning English by Shouting See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jared & John talk about the myth of adults learning Chinese like a child. If you think this is the best way for someone to learn, you may come away with not only a different perspective but also new ideas on how you can learn Chinese faster. John and Jared also discuss a listeners question, fake graded readers, and the mystique of the Chinese typewriter (yes, it’s a real thing). Our guest interview is with Matt McGill. Some might call Matt a Scottish version of Harrison Ford; he started out as a carpenter but is now a star actor on the popular YouTube Chinese comedy channel “Mamahuhu”. He deviates from the norm in that he never took a day of Chinese class in his life, he simply learned on the streets of Shanghai. If you like the show, please write us a review on Apple Podcasts! We are also taking questions from our listeners. If you have a question, reach us at feedback@mandarincompanion.com or leave us a note on our Facebook page. Links Referenced in this episode: Why You Won’t Learn Like a Child How I Learned Chinese (part 2) The Chinese Typewriter Mamahuhu YouTube Channel THE LAOWAI BAOAN (Expat Security Guard) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is all about how to immerse yourself in the language without having to travel half way around the world. Jared and John share all sorts of tried and true tips from learners everywhere, including some you’ve probably never heard of! Get the scoop on reading, movies, music, and tricks to help you create that immersive environment. You’ll even get a sample of the “Crazy Rich Asians” soundtrack and the Youtube channel “Chinese Buddy”, plus John will tell you what he thinks is the best Disney movie in Chinese. Xinjiang, China, is the westernmost province of China where Josh Summers lived for over 10 years. He shares his story of living, learning, and thriving in this diverse and exotic environment. He and his wife came to Xinjiang to teach English, stayed to learn Chinese, and then started a travel business. If you like our show, please write us a review on Apple Podcasts! We are also taking questions from our listeners. If you have a question, reach us at feedback@mandarincompanion.com or leave us a note on our Facebook page. Links referenced in the Podcast. Wo Yao Ni De Ai - Grace Chang Yellow - Katherine Ho (Coldplay Cover) Lyrics Video with Pinyin Stinky Tofu Song | Chinese Buddy Karakoram Highway in HD! Adventure of a Lifetime from Kashgar (China) to Pakistan Travel to China: Everything You Need to Know Before You Go 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, we talk about a number of common questions people have about reading and writing in Chinese. We challenge the conventional wisdom that kids books in Chinese are good things to read when you are learning Chinese (spoiler; they're not). You'll also learn why so many books in Chinese have pinyin over the top of the characters and how this can negatively impact our learning. We also address the question students face in our modern age: should I learn to hand write Chinese characters? We'll talk about Stephen Colbert's Chinese pronunciation on The Late Show and John has an amazing tech tip on utilizing the text-to-speech feature native in practically all smart phones. Guest interview is with Vanessa Dewey who moved to China because she wanted to learn Chinese. Ten years and two kids later, she shares her amusing experience towards fluency. We would really really really like to hear what you have to say about our podcast. Please write us a review on iTunes! That helps us immensely! You can also find us on Facebook, please like us and drop us a note! Article referenced in this episode: Pinyin over Characters: The Crippling Crutch As always, sponsored by Mandarin Companion. 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 introduces the concept of language power struggles which is when you want to practice your Chinese with a Chinese person, but they will only talk to you in English. We also talk about the reverse when you are speaking English and the other person is speaking Chinese and you both understand each other, kind of like Han Solo and Chewbacca. We delve into the different accents in Chinese along with the myriad of different "dialects" in Chinese and how in reality many of these are entirely different languages along with why many schools and universities seem to miss out on the learners perspective. The guest interview is with Kerric Knowles and about his challenges and triumphs with studying Chinese at university, and how if you don't use it, you lose it. Kerrick has an excellent face for radio, but unfortunately we don't have the pictures to prove it. If you like this show, please write us a review and like us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/YouCanLearnChinese 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, Jared asks John how his Chinese became so good, Chinese that is so good that he once asked him the word for "puppet" and he knew it offhand. In the US, there are nearly 300 Chinese dual language immersion schools and they have been going on for decades. Caitlin Lee graduated from such a program over ten years ago and it will make you wish you learned Chinese like this! She shares her experience of learning Chinese as a kid including how it has impacted her life and career. A story for anyone who wants their child to learn a second language. Link to the Mamahuhu video referenced in the podcast: NOBODY CARES That You Lived in CHINA https://youtu.be/tNQFNfUHnxs Find us at youcanlearnchinese.MandarinCompanion.com 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 Jared talk about why Chinese is taught the way it is, can we learn Chinese the way a child does, and how do you keep up your Chinese? You'll also get a rant and a rave. A guest interview with Josh Campbell, a public relations executive in China to talk about his experience with learning Chinese in the 90's and how it has impacted his career, including his experience with managing the Singapore Airlines crash of 2000 in Taiwan. Find us at www.MandarinCompanion.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Introduction to the podcast, getting to know Jared Turner and John Pasden, and an overview of what this podcast is all about. What This Podcast Is This is the very first Chinese podcast of it’s kind! Here is what it is all about. Discussing the best ways to learn Chinese Sharing leading research and best practices for learning Chinese Identifying trends in Chinese learning (good and bad) Discussing funny and interesting instances of Chinese in movies and culture Interviewing a wide spectrum of Chinese learners. For each show, Jared and John will be discussing different topics followed by a guest interview. We already have many interviews recorded with guests sharing their fascinating and wide ranging experiences with learning Chinese including an actor, a public relations director, a graduate of a dual immersion program, a diplomat, and many more! They’re also on a quest to interview Mark Zuckerberg and John Cena. What This Podcast Is Not This podcast is different than your average Chinese podcast, so here is what it is NOT. A podcast to teach you Chinese A podcast in Chinese A study program A virtual phrase book A platform to try and show off their Chinese Simply put, they're not your teachers! They know what is is like to learn Chinese and you can do it! You can find more info about the show at www.MandarinCompanion.com or on Facebook. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.