Hi, there! This is Mandarin Weekly #131, a free newsletter read by more than 20,000 students of Chinese around the world.
If you enjoy Mandarin Weekly, please share it with others. And don’t forget to take advantage of our list of discounts for students of Chinese.
To receive Mandarin Weekly every Monday, sign up MandarinWeekly.com. Every Tuesday, we go up on Facebook, at http://facebook.com/MandarinWeekly, Medium, at http://medium.com/@mandarinweekly, and Twitter, at @MandarinWeekly. Please like, share, and retweet us!
Next week, we’ll be launching Mandarin Weekly Plus, allowing you to tailor the newsletter, such that you’ll receive only the levels and topics you want. Look for our announcement next week for how to sign up, and customize your Chinese learning experience!
Useful sentence patterns Intermediate Grammar
Chinese sentence patterns are usually quite standard. Here are some unusual and more advanced patterns you can use:
https://www.writtenchinese.com/18-intermediate-chinese-sentence-patterns-you-need-to-learn/
Twitter: @WrittenChinese
The three de’s Intermediate Grammar
Three characters (的, 得, and 地) are all pronounced “de,” but have different meanings and uses:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggPbyZN96ss
Twitter: @ChinesePod
Characters with multiple sounds Intermediate Characters
Every character has a sound and a meaning, right? Well, sort of — many characters have multiple meanings, and many also have multiple sounds! Here are some common examples to keep in mind:
https://medium.com/@TutorMing/chinese-characters-with-multiple-pronunciations-9e9b189c0925
Wild phrases Intermediate Expressions
Here are some useful, if edgy and weird, phrases you can use in Chinese:
http://www.digmandarin.com/wild-chinese-phrases.html
Twitter: @DigMandarin
Is it? Beginner Grammar Video
Want to ask if something XYZ or not? Here’s the grammar pattern you will need:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoKQAVcQk9c
Twitter: @ECLSchool
Podcasts for learning All Reviews
There are lots of podcasts out there, and some of them exist to help you improve your Chinese. Here is a roundup (and review) of a number of good podcasts:
http://www.alllanguageresources.com/learn-mandarin-podcasts/
Overcome your fear All Learning
Learning Chinese is hard, and can take time. How can you overcome your fears, and push ahead so as to improve?
http://justlearnchinese.com/how-to-overcome-your-fear-of-speaking-chinese/
Twitter: @graceJLC
Job interview Intermediate Expressions Video
Going for an interview? Here are words and phrases you really should know:
https://chelseabubbly.com/2017/07/11/how-to-handle-an-interview-in-chinese/
Twitter: @Chelsea_bubbly
Directions in Chinese Beginner Grammar
How do you give (or receive) directions in Chinese? Here are some useful vocabulary words and grammar patterns for getting where you need to go:
http://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/directions-and-locations-in-chinese-part-one/
Twitter: @ChineseLanguage
Directions in Chinese Beginner Grammar
How do you give (or receive) directions in Chinese?
http://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/directions-and-locations-in-chinese-part-two/
Twitter: @ChineseLanguage
What’s the weather? Beginner Vocabulary Video
How is today’s weather? In this video, we can learn some basic weather expressions:
https://chelseabubbly.com/2017/07/09/lets-talk-about-todays-weather/
Twitter: @Chelsea_bubbly
Bad Chinese song All Video
Do you mispronounce words, perhaps saying 睡觉 (shuì jiào) instead of 水饺 (shuǐ jiǎo)? Here’s a cute song by some English singers who have made lots of mistakes:
https://www.misspandachinese.com/songs-to-learn-chinese/
Twitter: @MissPandaChines
Taking the HSK All Learning
Want to prove that you know Chinese? You can take the HSK examinations, levels 1-6, given by the Confucius Institute. Here is some background on the tests:
http://www.saporedicina.com/english/confucius-institute/
Stood up? Intermediate Expressions Video
Here’s a great expression that really means, “You’ve been stood up”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Pa_mUxtxvI
Twitter: @MyTutorMandarin
Ninchanese review All Reviews
How good is Nichanese for learning and improving your Chinese reading, speaking, and listening? Surprisingly good, it turns out:
http://www.alllanguageresources.com/ninchanese-review/
Chinese hip-hop Intermediate Video
Enjoy hip-hop music? Perhaps, but have you ever heard it in Chinese? Here’s a song called “Purple soul,” with characters + pinyin + translation, if you don’t quite know what’s going on:
http://www.alllanguageresources.com/practice-materials-music-purple-soul/
Dialects Advanced Story
Chinese has many different dialects, as described in this story:
http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/13-2009-12-02-23-35-40/2889-2017-07-12-05-43-45
Twitter: @imandarinpod
Your kind of animal Beginner Story
What kind of animal do you resemble?
http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/14-2009-12-02-23-37-05/2888-2017-07-12-05-09-18
Twitter: @imandarinpod
Basic travel phrases Beginner Expressions
Traveling to a Chinese-speaking country for the first time? These phrases can come in handy:
http://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/chinese-for-travelers/
Twitter: @ChineseLanguage
Learning strategies All Learning
You want to learn a new language. That’s great! What can you do in order to speed up your language learning?
http://www.iwillteachyoualanguage.com/embrace-mistakes/
Losing your house Intermediate Vocabulary
The word 拆迁 (chāi qiān) refers to destroying a building and forcing the residents to move elsehwere. Surprisingly, it’s not seen as a bad thing. Here’s some background on this word, and why it’s so common in today’s Chinese cities:
https://themandarincornerblog.com/2017/07/10/why-do-many-chinese-want-their-homes-demolished/
Interjections show excitement Beginner Grammar Video
Wow! Oops! How do you say those in Chinese? Here are some examples of interjections you can use in your conversations:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzrj8MD95qk
Twitter: @ECLSchool
Sentence structure Beginner Grammar
Chinese sentences have a set structure, and the earlier you can learn it, the better you’ll be able to express yourself. Here are some hints and ideas regarding that structure, and some variations on it:
https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/25435/should-the-object-always-be-placed-after-the-verb-and-is-a-target-and-an-object
Vulgar expressions Intermediate Expressions
Every language has expressions that are considered rude; a simple question leads to an introduction to several of these:
https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/25508/what-does-the-phrase-%e6%88%91%e7%9a%84%e5%a6%88%e6%9d%a5-mean-when-it-is-used-to-express-shock-or-surprise
Dusk, evening, nighttime Intermediate Grammar
Different terms for “night” or “evening” in Chinese refer to specific periods of time:
https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/25501/difference-between-%e5%82%8d%e6%99%9a-and-%e6%99%9a%e4%b8%8a-and-their-etymology
Referring to people Intermediate Grammar
Is there a difference between calling someone a 中国人 (zhōng guó rén) and a 华人 (huá rén)?
https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/25480/%e4%b8%ad%e5%9b%bd%e4%ba%ba-vs-%e5%8d%8e%e4%ba%ba-which-should-i-use
|