Do you want to learn Chinese? It can be a great way to open up new opportunities and give you a more fulfilling life. Chinese is one of the most spoken languages in the world, and it is also a language with a rich cultural history. Learning Chinese can help you to understand the culture and customs of the Chinese people, as well as give you the ability to communicate with them.
Whether you are a beginner or an intermediate learner, there are many websites that offer free resources to help you learn Chinese. In this article, we will take a look at 10 great websites to learn Chinese online for free.
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Top 10 Online Resources for Learning Chinese
Pleco
Pleco is one of the most complete Chinese dictionary applications – lots of clip readers, sentences, syntaxes, words, and flashcards. It has anything to keep you entertained while you learn, yet some features are premium. The free version is quite handy for complete beginners though.
ChineseFor.Us
ChineseFor.Us is self-explanatory. There are lots of courses for absolute beginners and intermediate users, as well as interactive lessons, quizzes, and videos. While quite new when compared to other courses, it is very thorough and qualitative. You get some insights into aspects that other courses do not cover, such as accents and intonation.
Chinese-tools.com
Chinese-tools.com is a great resource for those looking to learn the basics of the Chinese language. The website offers lessons, dictionaries, and tools for learning Chinese, including a pronunciation guide and a Chinese character dictionary.
Nciku
Nciku is an online Chinese dictionary that helps you learn characters, words, and phrases. You can look up their meaning, writing, pronunciation, and example sentences.
The platform provides resources for learning conversational Chinese, vocabulary lists, and words grouped by themes. The platform also has a community aspect, allowing you to connect and communicate with other language learners, making your language learning journey more interactive and enjoyable.
Livemocha
Livemocha is a language learning platform that emphasizes the importance of both coursework and communication. With its focus on Chinese, you can enroll in a comprehensive Chinese course and get hands-on practice with the language. You can submit your answers to lessons, receive feedback, and chat with native Mandarin speakers to get a more immersive learning experience.
The combination of structured coursework and real-life conversation opportunities makes Livemocha a unique and effective way to learn Chinese online.
Italki
Italki is extremely cost-efficient and puts you in direct contact with Chinese tutors and professors. Prices vary from one tutor to another, but some of them can be quite inexpensive – not to mention the top-rated ones that will charge more. There are language exchange features for those who want to take this venture further too.
TutorMing
TutorMing brings in Chinese classes on a daily basis – round the clock. You get access to all kinds of qualified tutors, so the content is always different. The first class is free, so you can get some clues about what to expect from this experience.
The Chairman’s Bao
The Chairman’s Bao is practically a newspaper. There are lots of articles released on a daily basis – some of them written at a basic Chinese level for complete newbies, while others are a bit more sophisticated. You have dictionaries, notes, flashcards, audio elements, and so on. Practically, it makes learning a bit more exciting.
Lang-8
It provides a unique approach to learning Mandarin Chinese by allowing you to write in the language and receive feedback and corrections from native speakers. With Lang-8, you can practice your written Chinese and receive valuable insights and corrections from native speakers. Additionally, you can also help others by correcting their writing in your native language. This mutually beneficial approach to language learning creates a supportive community of language learners, where everyone can help and learn from each other.
ChinesePod
ChinesePod is a podcast-style language learning platform that offers lessons on various aspects of Chinese culture and language. The website has a simple, intuitive interface, and offers lessons on topics such as grammar, pronunciation, and cultural aspects of the language. It also offers a variety of tools and features to help you practice and track your progress.
Why You Should Learn Chinese
It’s not that hard
A lot of people complain that learning Chinese can be surprisingly very difficult. But the people who are learning Chinese say that this statement is completely wrong.
There are easier languages to learn than Chinese, but this is no reason not to study the language.
How about you? Do you think some people say that Chinese is hard to learn?
The Chinese language has gained a reputation for being difficult to learn due to several factors. One of the main reasons is the writing system, which is composed of semi-phonetic ideograms and pictograms, rather than a phonetic writing system like many other languages. This is the most challenging aspect of learning Chinese, however, it is not as intimidating as it may seem.
In comparison to languages that are not widely spoken, such as Finnish, Chinese is not particularly difficult. While it is the most grammatically complex language, with the right guidance and practice it can be learned.
China will open up for you
Just as mentioned, you shouldn’t study a language because it’s easy, but learn it for the benefits it will give you!
Learning Chinese will give you the opportunity to access the Chinese market, which is one of the biggest and most profitable markets in the world. Moreover, it will also give you the chance to understand the culture and the people of China, which will be a great advantage for you in the future.
With China’s economy has grown and improved significantly over the past 35 years, it is now the third-largest global economy. This means that the Chinese market is one of the biggest and most profitable in the world. By learning the language, you will be able to access this market and gain a better understanding of Chinese culture and people. This knowledge can be invaluable for your future.
Better communication
Once you have learned how to speak in Chinese, you will be able to communicate better. If you plan to visit China for a while knowing how to talk in Chinese can be handy, if you are going on a trip alone to China, it is really, and I mean important to know its language before you visit.
If you find yourself in China and struggling to navigate, being able to communicate comfortably with locals can provide a sense of security and make it easier to get around. Knowing the language can also greatly improve your overall experience while traveling, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the culture and make meaningful connections with the people you meet.
