Tips to Make Chinese Unforgettable

When learning Chinese, especially when you are not in China, you need a method to help you make the Chinese stick. One way to do that is to make Chinese feel like it is essential to your every day life, as it would be in China. Here are some fun ways you can make Chinese feel relevant to you.

One way to ease your Chinese learning is to do things you enjoy, but in Chinese. Try reading Chinese novels or short stories and watching Chinese movies. This way you can improve all realms of learning! You will be able to practice listening and speaking/proper pronunciation with movies and reading comprehension/character recognition with Chinese books. It is a fail-proof way of making learning more fun. And with a wide selection on the internet, you can find materials to suit any taste in genre or Chinese level. There is a very popular TV show similar to Growing Pains called Home with Children《家有儿女》or a popular Chinese children’s show, called Happy Sheep and the Grey Wolf 《喜羊羊与灰太狼》, you could watch to practice Chinese.
Mǎ Kè : Wáng Lín, nǐ zhōumò xǐhuan gàn shénme?
马  克： 王     琳，你  周末      喜欢    干    什么？
Mark: Wanglin, what do you like to do on the weekend?

Wáng Lín: Wǒ xǐhuan kàn xiǎoshuō, nǐ ne?
王      琳： 我   喜欢   看    小说，   你 呢？
Wang Lin: I like to read novels, you?

Mǎ Kè : Wǒ xǐhuan kàn diànyǐng.
马  克： 我   喜欢    看    电影。
Mark: I like to watch movies.

Chinese Friend/Tutor 中国朋友(Zhōngguó péngou)/中文辅导老师(Zhōngwén fǔdǎo lǎoshī)

The purpose of language is communication. Which means you need someone to communicate your Chinese to. Learning alone can be useful, but if you don’t supplement it with live conversation, you could be missing out on a lot. Try finding a friend to have one-on-one chats in Chinese with or an actual tutor to practice with. This way you can be sure people can understand you when you speak Chinese. One of the most important parts in communicating!
Wǒ jiāole hěnduō zhōngguó péngyou.
我   交了  很多        中国        朋友 。
I made many Chinese friends.

Tā shì wǒde zhōngwén fǔdǎo lǎoshī.
他 是  我的    中文        辅导   老师。
He is my Chinese tutor.

This one may be a little difficult for beginners but it is an excellent way to improve your Chinese! Try cooking using a “食谱(shípǔ) recipe” that is written in Chinese. Not only will you get to try a delicious Chinese dish, but you will also learn many words associated with food and cooking. Some recipes can be a little complicated or have ingredients you can’t find easily, but don’t fret, it doesn’t have to be perfect. Just trying out the recipe can help you expand your vocabulary. It also makes Chinese relevant to your daily life and focuses on a part of the language that is very important in China, but you may not come across living somewhere else.
Mǎ Kè: Wáng Lín, nǐ huì zuòfàn ma?
马  克： 王    琳，你 会  做饭    吗？
Mark: Wang Lin, can you cook?

Wáng Lín: Búhuì, búguò wǒ mǎile yìběn shípǔ, zhèngzài xué.
王      琳：不会，不过    我  买了  一本   食谱， 正在      学。
Wang Lin: No, but I bought a cookbook and am studying now.

Many students use planners to make sure they are not missing any deadlines. You also might use a map or GPS when going somewhere for the first time, or even have a route in your head. Try to take this same information and translate it into Chinese on a daily basis. For example, if you take the subway home from school then catch a bus. Try to think of how you would explain to someone in Chinese how you get home. You could also put entries in your planner in both English and Chinese. This will only take a couple of minutes a day, but it helps you constantly use and think in Chinese!

1. What is the meaning of “小说(xiǎoshuō)?”
A. Little talks
B. Small speak
C. Novel
D. Speak carefully
2. Which of the following means “recipe” in Chinese?
A. 食谱(shípǔ)
B. 做菜(zuòcài)
C. 厨房(chúfáng)
D. 烹饪(pēngrèn)

The Secret to Speaking Chinese Easily: Phrases Adopted from English
Tips for Choosing a Good Chinese Tutor
Chinese Learning Method – By Mary Jacob