Mandarin Monkey Podcast

Skritter - Learn to write Chineseskritter.com?ref=mandarinmonkeyLinks:✍️ Skritter - Learn to write Chineseskritter.com?ref=mandarinmonkeyUse promoCode: MANDARINMONKEYfor 10% off everything🎓 Book Mandarin lessons and explore Mandarin Monkey:https://mandarinmonkey.com/Support Monkey Plays Patreon Page: https://patreon.com/monkeyplaysgames?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink🎮 Check out our Monkey Plays channel:   / @monkeyplaysmandarin  🗣️ Want more opportunities to speak Mandarin outside of lessons? Join learners from around the world for fun discussions, games, and real conversations in our Mandarin Hangouts. Start speaking more Mandarrin today: https://mandarinmonkey.com/hangouts/Could we survive a three-day backpacking adventure without destroying our feet—or each other? 😅In episode 474 of the Mandarin Monkey Podcast, we chat in Mandarin and English about our upcoming Isle of Wight hiking and camping trip. We discuss what to pack, walking for hours every day, camping food, uncomfortable sleeping mats, blisters, hiking shoes, carrying too much equipment—and Tom’s collection of unnecessary survival gadgets.We also talk about:🏢 Working remotely vs having a physical Mandarin Monkey office👩‍💼 Whether Ula was born to be a boss👨‍🏫 What makes someone a great Mandarin teacher💼 Hiring people based on attitude, not just experience📱 The difficulty of separating work from personal life🥾 Preparing for our first proper backpacking adventure⛺ Camping gear, food, shoes and surviving sore feetHave you ever been backpacking? Tell us what we should pack to make the trip easier and more comfortable! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Links:Skritter - Learn to write Chineseskritter.com?ref=mandarinmonkeyUse promoCode: MANDARINMONKEYfor 10% off everything🐵 Learn Mandarin with us: https://mandarinmonkey.com/Support Monkey Plays Patreon Page: https://patreon.com/monkeyplaysgames?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink🎮 Check out our Monkey Plays channel:   / @monkeyplaysmandarin  🗣️ Want more opportunities to speak Mandarin outside of lessons? Join learners from around the world for fun discussions, games, and real conversations in our Mandarin Hangouts. Start speaking more Mandarrin today: https://mandarinmonkey.com/hangouts/In this episode of the Mandarin Monkey Podcast, Tom shares the story of unexpectedly spending an hour getting a dental crown instead of a quick check-up, while Ula teaches essential Mandarin vocabulary for visiting the dentist in Taiwan.Along the way we compare:🦷 UK vs Taiwan dentists💉 Pain, injections and funny dental stories🏥 Healthcare and privacy differences🇹🇼 Useful Mandarin words and phrases for dental appointments😂 Real conversations between a British husband and Taiwanese wife Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Links:Skritter - Learn to write Chineseskritter.com?ref=mandarinmonkeyUse promoCode: MANDARINMONKEYfor 10% off everything🐵 Learn Mandarin with us: https://mandarinmonkey.com/🎮 Check out our Monkey Plays channel:   / @monkeyplaysmandarin  🗣️ Want more opportunities to speak Mandarin outside of lessons? Join learners from around the world for fun discussions, games, and real conversations in our Mandarin Hangouts. Start speaking more Mandarrin today: https://mandarinmonkey.com/hangouts/Description:The UK is melting, every air conditioner is sold out, and all five of us ended up sleeping together in the living room. 🥵In Episode 472 of the Mandarin Monkey Podcast, Tom and Ula talk about surviving the UK heatwave without air conditioning, buying second-hand things, dreaming about winning £10 million, and what they would build in their dream house.Then the conversation gets deeper: Are new generations becoming less intelligent because of technology and AI? Do difficult experiences make people more successful? Why do Tom and Ula both struggle to stop working and simply relax?And finally, Tom admits that his Mandarin has been pushed to the bottom of his priority list since moving back to the UK. Is it time for him to start taking Mandarin lessons again?In this episode:🔥 Surviving a UK heatwave without air conditioning🛋️ Why the whole family slept in the living room🛍️ Would you buy clothes or electronics second-hand?💰 What would we do if we won £10 million?🏊 Our ridiculous dream house plans📱 Is technology making us less intelligent?💪 Does hardship make people more successful?🧠 Why we both find it difficult to stop working🇨🇳 Why Tom wants to start learning Mandarin seriously againThe Mandarin Monkey Podcast is a real bilingual conversation podcast where we naturally switch between Mandarin Chinese and English. Listen to authentic conversations, improve your Mandarin listening skills, and learn how Chinese is actually spoken in everyday life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🔗 Links: Skritter - Learn to write Chineseskritter.com?ref=mandarinmonkeyUse promoCode: MANDARINMONKEYfor 10% off everything🐵 Learn Mandarin with us: https://mandarinmonkey.com/🎮 Check out our Monkey Plays channel:   / @monkeyplaysmandarin  🗣️ Want more opportunities to speak Mandarin outside of lessons? Join learners from around the world for fun discussions, games, and real conversations in our Mandarin Hangouts. Start speaking more Mandarrin today: https://mandarinmonkey.com/hangouts/❓ How did we talk about?How do they choose their Mandarin names? What does your Mandarin name actually say about you?In this episode of the Mandarin Monkey Podcast, Ula and Tom talk about how Mandarin names are chosen, why parents sometimes use birth dates and birth times when naming their children, and how Mandarin learners can choose a Mandarin name based on pronunciation, personality and meaning.Tom also shares the story behind his Mandarin name, 唐明偉 Tang Ming Wei, and Ula explains why Mandarin names often carry parents’ hopes and expectations for their children.Along the way, we also talk about:🔥 Surviving another UK heatwave without air conditioning💬 Why British people complain about the weather so much🎙️ Whether podcast hosts should talk to each other or directly to the audience🔢 A surprisingly difficult number-guessing game👓 Whether Ula’s new glasses suit her face — or her personality🏷️ The differences between Chinese and English naming cultureThis is a natural bilingual conversation in Mandarin and English, perfect for upper beginner, intermediate Mandarin learners who want to improve their listening skills and hear how Mandarin is actually used in real conversation.What’s your Mandarin name? How did you choose it? Tell us in the comments! 👇 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

They joke about unbearable indoor heat and an office climbing into the high 30s–40°C. Clothing, routines and school schedules are upended by the heatwave. Studio lights and equipment make recording impossible. They share weather forecasts, cooling hopes and practical safety reminders for staying hydrated and avoiding the worst of the heat.

A lively conversation about how learning Mandarin can reshape careers and multilingual lives. A curious dive into Freemasons, their charity work, and membership rules. A playful but heated debate on green versus brown coconuts. Practical talk about using AI for learning platforms, emotional support, and booking travel. A discussion on kids, social media limits, and reducing learner anxiety before lessons.

A laid-back Mandarin-English conversation jumps from bubble milk tea betrayals and taro opinions to stinky tofu and Taiwanese sauces. They compare Chinese zodiac and Western star signs, debate fragrances and food rituals, and unpack living long-term abroad in Sweden. The trio also talk about working and building a business together while navigating marriage and moving to Taiwan.

🎙️ Listen while you walk, relax, or practise your Mandarin with us.🐵 Learn Mandarin with us: https://mandarinmonkey.com/🎮 Check out our Monkey Plays channel:https://www.youtube.com/@monkeyplaysmandarinIn this episode of the Mandarin Monkey Podcast, we take you on a countryside walk while sharing the story of our recent family camping trip.What started as a relaxing getaway quickly turned into a series of disasters: a heatwave, sunburn, locked car keys, an unexpected £100 locksmith bill, a very nosey campsite neighbour, and plenty of family chaos along the way.We also chat about village life in the UK, friendly communities, parenting moments, camping with kids, and a proud moment for our daughter at school. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yating, a Taiwanese teacher now living in Sweden, shares personal stories about food taste, personality, and life choices. The conversation covers surprising dislikes like stinky tofu, the fried vs steamed debate, sweet vs savory rice dumplings, moving abroad for love, sambo laws, coping with bad moods, and whether cats or dogs suit different lifestyles.

In Episode 466 of the Mandarin Monkey Podcast, Ula and Tom dive into the strange world of AI language learning apps, including one that judged Tom’s Mandarin level almost instantly after saying “你好”! We chat about why language confidence matters, how AI should assess learners, and what actually helps people improve their Chinese naturally.We also share exciting updates about the brand-new Mandarin Monkey learning platform currently in development, including progress tracking, flashcards, homework tools, vocabulary lists, teacher feedback, and more community features coming soon.Then we play Headbands in Mandarin and English. Expect confusion, ridiculous clues, paintbrush disasters, clothing misunderstandings, and one of the hardest guessing games we’ve ever played.We also talk about:Learning Mandarin through conversation and contextWhy vocabulary alone doesn’t define your levelAI chat partners for language practiceWalking podcasts and GoPro ideasMonkey Plays and bilingual gaming contentFuture plans for Mandarin Monkey learners and teachersThanks for listening and supporting Mandarin Monkey! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.