Chinese is often perceived as a challenging language to learn. Are you intimidated by it?
If you think that Chinese is too hard to learn, this article is for you – let’s look at the truth behind these notorious myths!
Myth 1: I have to learn the writing (aka. characters)
Many people look at Chinese and think, oh no, that writing looks scary, there’s no way I can learn that!
True, the writing can be difficult, but did you know that you can COMPLETELY bypass learning the characters and just learn the pronunciation?
This is thanks to the Pinyin – roman alphabet that works like phonics in English, which allows you to learn the pronunciation of Chinese without having to learn the writing (we teach them in 90 minutes in our Beginner 1 course). Surprised?
So the truth is, you can learn to speak Chinese WITHOUT learning the characters, especially at beginner and intermediate levels.
Myth 2: Pronunciations and tones can be confusing
Chinese is a tonal language and it can seem daunting for some people.
It is important to get the tones right, as it can change the meaning of what you mean (think of mā 妈 for mother, and mǎ 马 for horse).
However, what a lot of people don’t realise is that three out of the four tones ALREADY exist in English and are used daily! Only the 3rd tone is not in English. Let’s look at it below:
In addition, you can use English syllables to help you remember similar pronunciations in Chinese.
For example, ‘c’ in Chinese is pronounced like ‘ts’ (like when you say “it’s” in English but don’t do the “it” bit). Take a look at our Cheatsheet ‘9 Tricky initials’ below which gives you the tried-and-tested English soundalikes.
So the truth is, Chinese is a tonal language, but with the right guidance and enough practice, it is totally doable!
Myth 3: Learning characters is difficult
Chinese characters can seem scary.
However, if you learn them systematically, it is far less challenging and very interesting as they are logical!
It is always good to build your foundation starting with pictograms – characters that look like real objects (like 山 which is a mountain, 木 which is a tree, 口 which is a mouth). Not only is it fun to learn, but also very useful as many of them form the ‘basic blocks’ that more complicated ones are based on.
So the truth is, there is a method to the madness, if you learn HOW to learn them properly, they will be much easier and they are really fun to learn! We cover ‘How to master Chinese characters easily’ in another blog here.
Myth 4: Learning Chinese can be a solo experience
You do not have to do this alone. Joining a local language exchange group is the perfect way to practice your fluency, build up your confidence in using the language, meet cool people, and have fun!
If you are based in London, check out our weekly language meetups for our weekly language exchange events.
The Chinese learning community is very supportive with many people sharing learning resources and useful tips. Although speaking to a native speaker might seem intimidating, Chinese people are friendly, encouraging, and patient with Chinese learners. They appreciate the effort and often try their best to help you.
Learning Chinese can bring so much joy and new perspectives to your life, help you to understand the people and the culture, and open doors to amazing opportunities.
We hope you will join us on this amazing journey soon!
