Mandarin is considered to be a language most spoken by the majority of people all over the world as their native language, regardless of their difficulty. When it comes to learning Mandarin, many people face different challenges. While some suggest a traditional classroom experience can help better learn the language, online Mandarin learning is another way to learn on your own.
Here are 6 simple tips you can follow to learn Mandarin quickly and properly.
1. Start With The Alphabet
In Mandarin, the basics of the language is built upon Hanyu Pinyin, shortened to Pinyin, the international standard for transcription. Not only is learning Pinyin a fundamental step towards mastering Mandarin, but it is a crucial one that will continue to help you on your language learning journey. There are few Asian languages, including Mandarin, where the alphabets of the language can be difficult to learn or master. However, by beginning with learning Pinyin, you will feel motivated and encouraged to expand on your Mandarin learning even more.
If you are willing to learn Mandarin, look to master Pinyin as it can help you when you read in Mandarin and improve your pronunciation on words that you may not be familiar with.
2. Refer To Language Translation Dictionaries
Sometimes, learning a new language can be difficult, no matter what language it may be. If you are feeling that your learning of Mandarin is making little progress, then picking up a dictionary to help you translate the language can be essential. Online dictionaries, such as English-to-Mandarin or Mandarin-to-English, can help you learn new words and enhance your vocabulary even more.
3. Connect With Native Speakers
Native speakers of any language know best, and connecting with them can be both affordable and ideal. When you are looking for someone who is able to speak Mandarin fluently and proficiently, they can help you to practice and learn with the right tone, spelling, and sift out any mistakes you may encounter.
4. ‘Spaced Repetition’ Method
Grammar is the root of learning a new language. Without grammar, the formation of sentences can be challenging and even almost impossible. Through ‘spaced repetition’, you can increase your ability to remember and memorise for a longer time by learning new words.
The ‘space repetition’ method is a way in which you learn the language through memorising and then repeating it after some time. This repetition continues to help individuals learn a new language much more effectively. A few examples of ‘spaced repetition’ include using flashcards to increase memorisation of certain words.
5. Put Together A Foreign Journal
At the start of the day, before continuing your language learning, you can simply come up with a to-do list on topics that you wish to cover. 5 minutes before the end of the day, you can start to mark the topics with a tick if you have successfully learned them. This way, you can keep better track of your time and your progress.
A separate vocabulary journal can be helpful to write new words that you learn every day. This can significantly increase your language vocabulary and incorporate new Mandarin words into your sentences.
6. Switch The Language In Your Devices
Once you have concluded with learning the basics, you can start learning Mandarin at a much more advanced level. As we are spending more of our time on our smartphones and electronics, you can switch your device’s language to Mandarin. While it might feel challenging and unfamiliar at the start, it will gradually become habitual with the learning that you have accomplished so far.
If you want to improve your Mandarin further, then you can start seeking an online Mandarin course in Singapore. Not only can you join these online Mandarin lessons from your home, but you can greatly improve your Mandarin alongside many others!