Do native speakers know the tones? How well do you need to know tones to listen or speak? Jared and John delve into these and other questions with answers that might surprise you! You’ll come away with a longer-term strategy for learning tones, even if you’re as tone-deaf as John once was. Interview is with Daniel Nalesnik, who, due to a fluke scheduling error, took a Chinese class, fell in love with the language, quit his job, and ended up in China studying full time. Links from the episode:Chinese Pronunciation Wiki by AllSet Learning Hack Chinese flashcard platformSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You Can Learn Chinese

Tones: Answers to questions you didn't know to ask

Sometimes we forget how easy it can be to practice Chinese. In this episode, Jared and John talk about everyday games, like Uno and charades, you can use to practice Chinese. Suitable for all ages and learning levels, these are guaranteed to inject some fun into your Chinese learning! Interview is with Martina Fuchs who started her career as an Arabic-speaking spy for the Swiss government and later became a TV journalist for CCTV, China’s huge state broadcaster. Links from the episode:Liars Dice – Classic Chinese game of diceCard Games for Language Learning – SinoSpliceMartina Fuchs on InstagramInterview with translator William WhiteEmma 《安末》 – Mandarin Companion Level 1 graded readerSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Games for learning Chinese

Jared and John talk about why typing characters leads to better learning outcomes than handwriting. They dispel conventional wisdom backed by science from an academic research study by Dr. Phyllis Zhang (张霓). You may have an opinion on the matter, but now it’s time to find out what the actual research tells us.Our interview is with Eileen Wu, a heritage learner who decided to get serious about learning Chinese and did a head-first career dive into China. Links from the episode:"Typing to Replace Handwriting: Effectiveness of the Typing-Primary Approach for L2 Chinese Beginners" by Phyllis Zhang#05 Writing Characters: Is It Worth Your Time?#64 Tips and tricks for typing Chinese#66 Guest: Matt Coss (8 Tips for Using Your Dictionary)#68 Why Is Chinese So Damn Hard#08 Guest: Dr. David Moser (Tones, Music, and Confidence)In Search of Hua Ma (Mandarin Companion Breakthrough Level book)Dr. Tim Xie (谢天蔚), California State University, Long BeachThe 5 Best Apps for Reading ChineseSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Why typing characters is better than handwriting

John and Jared have pulled the best stories out of all of the guest interviews of 2021. Get ready to laugh, reflect, and be inspired as we look back on the year. Links from the episode:#70 Reading the News: Do’s and Don'ts#60 How Chinese Food Can Help Your Chinese#59 Bridging to Breakthrough and Abigail Washburn#55 Flashcards, spaced repetition software, and building proficiency#56 When Should You Start Learning Characters?#69 The rivalry: Beijing vs. Shanghai#74 Improving your listening skills (Part 2 of 2)#73 Improving your listening skills (Part 1 of 2)#65 Going all the way: Graduate studies in Chinese#68 Why is Chinese so damn hard?#72 The Truth about Chinese subtitlesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#77 Reading Techniques to Master Chinese

In this episode, John and Jared respond to a listener question about Cantonese, which leads to a discussion around China’s numerous dialects/languages, which are in fact “topolects.”Guest interview is with Daniel Pang, who grew up speaking Cantonese at home, became a doctor, then quit his job to learn Chinese.Links from the episode:Varieties of Chinese (Wikipedia)"A language is a dialect with an army and navy" (Wikipedia)Just Friends? / 我们是朋友吗？ (Mandarin Companion graded reader)Wu Chinese WikipediaDaniel Pang YouTube channelSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#76 Cantonese and the uniqueness of Chinese dialects

In this episode John and Jared share the proper way to compare similar words, characters, sounds, and grammar points. There’s a time and a place for everything, and once you know the right way to approach these comparisons, you can maximize your learning. Guest interview is with Stefan Erfurth, a Chinese learner from Germany working in artificial intelligence who decided to put his heart into learning Chinese all because of a little girl. Links from the episode:Pitfalls of Studying Similar Words (AllSet Learning)Jekyll and Hyde - Mandarin Companion Level 2 graded readerThanks for listening to the podcast! Please write John and Jared a review on Apple Podcastsand they’ll give you a shout-out! They are also taking questions from listeners. If you have a question, reach them at feedback@mandarincompanion.com. Follow them on Facebookand catch their latest Chinese-learning memes on Instagram.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#75 How to learn similar words the right way

John and Jared talk about three types of research-backed strategies and tips you can employ to improve your listening skills, specifically in the areas where you struggle. Guest interview is with Gabrielle Barnett from Jamaica, whose quest to learn Chinese has opened doors and taken her around the world, far beyond anything she could have imagined. Links from the episode:Intelligibility of normal speech I: Global and fine-grained acoustic-phonetic talker characteristics (research paper, PDF format)Chinese Pronunciation Wiki: Pinyin Chart, Pinyin “Gotchas”When a Window is a Door (Sinosplice)Thanks for listening to the podcast! Please write John and Jared a review on Apple Podcasts and they’ll give you a shout-out! They are also taking questions from listeners. If you have a question, reach them at feedback@mandarincompanion.com. Follow them on Facebook and catch their latest Chinese-learning memes on Instagram.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#74 Improving your listening skills (Part 2 of 2)

Listening is one of the biggest challenges for Chinese learners. In this two part series, John and Jared talk about the most complicating factors to understanding spoken Chinese. You’ll become aware of these and be able to pinpoint where you may be struggling.Guest interview is with Marc Dupont, a lobbyist from Canada whose personal quest has kept him learning Chinese for over 20 years.  Links from the episode:Chris Max interview episode: #28 A Method to Remember Thousands of CharactersRobin MacPherson interview episode: #62 Make your language learning learner-centricRobin MacPherson: Learning One Foreign Language Completely Changed My LifeThe Prince and the Pauper - Mandarin Companion level 1 graded readerMandarin Companion MemesThanks for listening to the podcast! Please write John and Jared a review on Apple Podcastsand they’ll give you a shout-out! They are also taking questions from listeners. If you have a question, reach them at feedback@mandarincompanion.com. Follow them on Facebook and catch their latest Chinese-learning memes on Instagram. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#73 Improving your listening skills (Part 1 of 2)

John and Jared use research to address issues related to watching movies in Chinese, with and without Chinese subtitles. Find out what the academics say and stick around for the practical advice!Guest interview is with Jeremy Bai, a translator, author, and ENNIE-winning game designer who turned his fascination with Chinese martial arts into a career of translating Chinese novels for a living. Links from the episode:Factors Influencing the Use of Captions by Foreign Language Learners: An Eye‐Tracking Study, Paula Winke, Susan Gass, Tetyana Sydorenko (​​2013, The Modern Language Journal)To Live / 活着 (IMDb)Mandarin Companion Memes on InstagramMandarin Companion Meme on FacebookMandarin Companion Memes on TwitterThe Garlic Hangover (Sinosplice)Jeremy Bai websiteDeathblade/Jeremy Bai YouTube channelThanks for listening to the podcast! Please write John and Jared a review on Apple Podcastsand they’ll give you a shout-out! They are also taking questions from listeners. If you have a question, reach them at feedback@mandarincompanion.com. Follow them on Facebookand catch their latest Chinese-learning memes on Instagram.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#72 The Truth about Chinese subtitles

How do Chinese people feel about a foreigner with a potty mouth in Chinese? Are curse words worth learning? John and Jared talk about swearing in Chinese and what you should be aware of.Guest interview is with Ashleigh Au, who combined her language skills and life experiences to create career opportunities that otherwise would have been unobtainable.  Links from the episode:Swearing in a foreign language is the first step to fluency… [Note: Clickbait title]Profanity: Types by Purpose (Wikipedia)Mandarin Chinese Profanity (Wikipedia) -- WARNING: this includes graphic stuff!Ashleigh Au at Ou & CompanyEducating Girls of Rural ChinaThanks for listening to the podcast! Please write John and Jared a review on Apple Podcastsand they’ll give you a shout-out! They are also taking questions from listeners. If you have a question, reach them at feedback@mandarincompanion.com. Follow them on Facebookand catch their latest Chinese-learning memes on Instagram. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#71 Colorful or clean? Swearing in Chinese

Reading a Chinese newspaper is a common goal for many learners, but is it the right goal for you? John and Jared talk about what you need to know about the news in Chinese, how to get started, and the options available to you.Guest interview is with Michael Berry, a professor at UCLA who specializes in Chinese literature, cinema, and pop culture. Links from the episode:The Chairman’s Bao (simplified news stories)ARC: Advanced Readings in Chinese (free Substack newsletter)Michael Berry professor at UCLAWuhan Diary: Dispatches from a Quarantined City - translated by Michael BerryKey Word of the Month: 减负 (jiǎn fù)Thanks for listening to the podcast! Please write John and Jared a review on Apple Podcastsand they’ll give you a shout-out! They are also taking questions from listeners. If you have a question, reach them at feedback@mandarincompanion.com. Follow them on Facebookand catch their latest Chinese-learning memes on Instagram. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#70 Reading the News: Do’s and Dont's

John and Jared answer a listener’s question about the rivalry between China’s two most famous cities: Shanghai and Beijing. They discuss culture, history, and language, and even provide one additional view from a mystery correspondent!The guest interview is with William White, a professional simultaneous interpreter in Chinese with decades of experience and stories.Links from the episode:“What are the differences between Shanghai and Beijing?” (Quora.com)“Shanghai vs. Beijing” (Sinosplice.com)“Beijing vs. Shanghai” (Versus.com)Heaven is high and the emperor is far away (Wikipedia)ARC: Advanced Readings in Chinese (Substack)Yangshuo County (Wikipedia)The China in Africa PodcastBio of interpreter William White Thanks for listening to the podcast! Please write John and Jared a review on Apple Podcasts and they’ll give you a shout-out! They are also taking questions from listeners. If you have a question, reach them at feedback@mandarincompanion.com. Follow them on Facebook and catch their latest Chinese-learning memes on Instagram. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#69 The rivalry: Beijing vs. Shanghai

John and Jared are going to revisit and unpack this classic question posed by Dr. David Moser three decades ago and identify what is hard about Chinese, what is easier now, and whether Chinese really is harder than other languages.The guest interview is with Sarah Kutulakos, a lifetime Chinese learner and the executive director at the Canada China Business Council.Links from the episode:Why Chinese Is So Damn Hard, by Dr. David MoserWhy Learning Chinese Is Hard (Sinosplice)The Princess Bride: "Life is pain, highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something." (YouTube)YCLC Episode #8: Tones, Music, and Confidence, with Dr. David MoserYCLC Episode #39: The Future of Learning Chinese, with Terry Waltz   The Monkey’s Paw (Mandarin Companion Level 1 Graded Reader)The Simpsons: The Monkey's Paw (YouTube)Thanks for listening to the podcast! Please write John and Jared a review on Apple Podcasts and they’ll give you a shout-out! They are also taking questions from listeners. If you have a question, reach them at feedback@mandarincompanion.com. Follow them on Facebook and catch their latest Chinese-learning memes on Instagram. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#68 Why is Chinese so damn hard?

Electronic pop-up dictionaries are all the rage! But are they really helping you improve your Chinese? John and Jared take a research-based look at the impact of pop-up dictionaries and answer the question “Can you really click your way to fluency?”The guest interview is with Chris Max, a famous YouTuber you’ve likely never heard of because his videos are in Chinese and made for Chinese audiences. This is a rerun interview from January 2020. Links from the episode:Research paper: Reading strategies and reading comprehension retention with and without a pop-up dictionary by beginning learners of ChineseResearch paper: The use of e-dictionary to read e-text by intermediate and advanced learners of ChineseThanks for listening to the podcast! Please write John and Jared a review on Apple Podcasts and they’ll give you a shout-out! They are also taking questions from listeners. If you have a question, reach them at feedback@mandarincompanion.com. Follow them on Facebook and catch their latest Chinese-learning memes on Instagram.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#67 Pop-up dictionaries: Helpful or not?

For everyone who is trying to learn Chinese or reaching for the next level, you came to the right place! Hosts Jared Turner and John Pasden bring you this new podcast series to discuss everything learning Chinese. Together they started the Mandarin Companion graded reader series and have spent countless years in Chinese education. You'll find helpful information, inspiring stories, and practical guidance on your journey of learning Chinese. You can do this! Visit us at MandarinCompanion.com.

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You Can Learn Chinese

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