Learning Chinese doesn't have to be scary or confusing. In today's world, we have resources once thought impossible. We have more access to the most widely spoken languages of the world than we ever have. So, where are all of these resources? As someone who has been learning Mandarin for four years and has now taken up the challenge to learn Cantonese, I will show you the resources I have been using to conquer these languages. Some of these are Mandarin only but many if not most are also great resources for learning Cantonese.
There are some useful resources I will not mention only because I have not dug below the surface therefore I cannot promise their quality will match their description. But, I will continue to search for other resources that have not been tried and tested.
italki.
italki is a website where you can find professional teachers and community tutors. This website also has a community where you can socialize, answer polls, ask questions, and learn from flashcards made by teachers.
Mandarin, Cantonese:
Both languages are available, but prices tend to vary.
ThriftBooks.
ThriftBooks is an awesome website where you can buy used books for pretty cheap. There is sometimes some wear and tear but the books you receive are always readable and in working order, if you buy a CD or DVD. ThriftBooks is also a great way to discover odd books that are hard to find anywhere else.
Mandarin, Cantonese:
ThriftBooks is a great place to learn both of these languages.
Duolingo.
Most learners have probably already heard of Duolingo but I'm going to list it here anyway since it had a huge impact on my learning experience. Duolingo is free to use with some paid features. Duolingo also has classes you can join. some are even free.
Mandarin:
Duolingo has a complete course on Mandarin.
Cantonese:
Duolingo offers a Cantonese course but only for Mandarin Speakers.
HelloChinese.
HelloChinese is a good app if you are a beginner in Mandarin. This app has many different games and exercises aside from the main course.
Mandarin:
Only Mandarin is supported.
Drops.
Drops is an awesome choice for vocabulary. It has many decks of words of several different categories. Free users get five minutes a day, and paid users get unlimited time in five, ten, and fifteen-minute sessions. Drops is also supported on PC browsers without having to download.
Mandarin, Cantonese:
Drops support both languages. Use the original Drops app if you desire to learn both Mandarin and Cantonese.
WrittenChinese.
WrittenChinese is a lifesaver to a Learner of Chinese. I often use this website for its dictionary but it also has a blog and other resources.
Mandarin, Cantonese:
The WrittenChinese dictionary supports both languages.
Your Local Library.
As a library assistant, I can surely say that your local library probably has most of what you need to learn a language.
Mandarin, Cantonese:
You should be able to find books and audiobooks.
I can't say the same for all libraries but some like the one I work at also offer ebooks, Mango Language, free wifi, computers, and possibly laptops. If you don't have access to these things at home, your local public library should have everything you need.
留言