Can I become fluent in Chinese in 4 years?
Yes, it is definitely possible to learn Chinese in 4 years. Learning a new language requires dedication, practice, and consistency. With the right resources, such as language classes, language exchange partners, and immersive experiences, you can make significant progress in mastering Chinese within that timeframe.
On average, conversational skills can develop in 2 years, but expect the overall journey to fluency in Mandarin Chinese to take 3 or 4 years (2200 hours or 88 weeks of learning) for most students.
It takes about 4-7 years (roughly 2200 to 4000 hours) to become fluent in every aspect of the language, if you spend at least an hour and a half to study every day. However, it's quite common for learners to become more fluent in some areas than others depending on how they allotted their study time.
Most people who are interested in learning have two questions: "Is it hard to learn Chinese?" and "How long does it take to learn Chinese?" Based on government sources and anecdotes, Three to five years is a good estimate of how long it takes to learn Chinese fluently, but there are so many factors involved.
In any case, learning Chinese quickly will require time and motivation, so it's best to set out with reasonable expectations. While you can learn basic Chinese in a month or two, to become fluent enough to work in a Chinese company, you'll need at least a year of intensive study.
Mandarin Chinese
Interestingly, the hardest language to learn is also the most widely spoken native language in the world. Mandarin Chinese is challenging for a number of reasons. First and foremost, the writing system is extremely difficult for English speakers (and anyone else) accustomed to the Latin alphabet.
Learning Mandarin to fluency in three years is definitely achievable with dedication and consistent effort. Mandarin is a complex language, but with regular practice, immersion, and perhaps formal instruction, many people have successfully achieved fluency within this timeframe.
The world's most popular way to learn Chinese online
Whether you're a beginner starting with the basics or looking to practice your reading, writing, and speaking, Duolingo is scientifically proven to work.
- Frisian. Frisian is thought to be one of the languages most closely related to English, and therefore also the easiest for English-speakers to pick up. ...
- Dutch. ...
- Norwegian. ...
- Spanish. ...
- Portuguese. ...
- Italian. ...
- French. ...
- Swedish.
- 1 Choose a Chinese language to focus on.
- 2 Study the 4 tones in Mandarin.
- 3 Learn the 6 tones in Cantonese.
- 4 Practice simple phrases.
- 5 Focus on learning nouns and verbs.
- 6 Learn how to count in Chinese.
- 7 Practice writing in Pinyin.
- 8 Learn simplified Chinese characters.
What Chinese does Duolingo teach?
Ready to start learning? Here's a peek into the community of Mandarin Chinese learners you'll be joining on Duolingo. (Duolingo also teaches Cantonese for Mandarin speakers!)
With the right study techniques and attitude, you can make massive progress in Chinese in three months. And if having a Mandarin conversation is your primary goal, you can do so even if you're starting from zero.
Chinese language is one of the most spoken languages in the world, with over 1 billion speakers worldwide, yet it is also considered one of the most difficult languages to learn. Many people, especially those who are native English speakers, find it challenging to learn and speak Mandarin Chinese fluently.
All citizens must attend school for a minimum of nine years, known as nine-year compulsory education, which is funded by the government.
Chinese high school students typically study for about 12-14 hours a day, including both school and after-school study time. It is common for them to attend school from 7:30 or 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 or 6:00 p.m., and then spend several more hours studying in the evening.
The HSK tests put basic fluency around Level 4, but Level 6 is when you can effectively express yourself in spoken or written Chinese. Just remember that fluently speaking those characters and words doesn't completely depend on knowing how to read or write them.
The 3 hardest languages to learn include Mandarin, Arabic, and Russian. However, with the right strategies, overcoming these obstacles and succeeding in international markets is possible. One critical method is to invest in language training for yourself and your team.
Mandarin is easier to learn
Cantonese is seen to be more difficult because it has from 6 to 9 tones, each of which signify different things (while Mandarin only has 4 tones). In addition, because of its greater prevalence, it is easier to find Mandarin study materials than Cantonese study materials.
- Russian. ...
- Hindi. ...
- Vietnamese. ...
- Thai. ...
- Korean. ...
- Japanese. ...
- Mandarin Chinese. ...
- Arabic. Arabic is a Semitic language that's spoken in 26 countries throughout the Middle East as well as northern Africa, including in Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Egypt.
You can teach yourself Mandarin, but at the end of the day, language is a tool to communicate and communication is a two way process. Start finding opportunities to speak or write (and when we say write, we mean type) in Chinese. Basically, use it or lose it.
Can I self study Mandarin?
Self-studying Chinese online and learning the language alone is possible. There are plenty of helpful and high-quality online resources to help you build a solid foundation in Mandarin Chinese! If you plan to visit or study in China in the future, it's never too early to start learning Chinese online.
Generally, experts recommend studying for at least 2-3 hours per day, 5-6 days a week to make substantial progress in language fluency within a year. However, individual progress may vary based on factors such as language background, learning style, and immersion opportunities.
China's crackdown on off-campus tutoring and education has extended to overseas-based language-learning apps such as Duolingo, Memrise and Beelinguapp, which have all disappeared from some of China's biggest Android app stores.
Duolingo's gamified approach may appeal to some, while others might prefer HelloChinese for its Mandarin-specific focus and structured curriculum. It's worth trying both to see which suits your learning style better.
Firstly, Duolingo is a free and enjoyable language-learning app that provides a comprehensive Chinese course covering essential vocabulary and grammar points. The course aims to help learners pass levels HSK 1 through HSK 3, which are equivalent to A1 level to B1 level of CEF.
References
- https://www.brainscape.com/academy/mandarin-vs-cantonese-learn/
- https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-differences-between-Duolingo-and-HelloChinese-for-learning-Mandarin-Which-has-more-content-and-which-has-better-design-and-quality-of-lessons
- https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/faq/how-to-learn-chinese-quickly/
- https://www.berlitz.com/blog/hardest-languages-to-learn-english-speakers
- https://www.quora.com/How-many-hours-a-day-do-Chinese-high-school-students-study
- https://blog.duolingo.com/who-studies-chinese-on-duolingo/
- https://www.china-admissions.com/blog/best-free-ways-to-self-study-chinese-online/
- https://www.duolingo.com/course/zh/en/Learn-Chinese
- https://mandarincompanion.com/teach-yourself-mandarin/
- https://www.quora.com/How-many-hours-a-day-should-I-learn-Chinese-to-be-fluent-in-a-year
- https://www.quora.com/Is-three-years-enough-to-learn-Mandarin-and-become-a-fluent-speaker
- https://www.fluentu.com/blog/chinese/how-many-chinese-characters-do-i-need-to-know/
- https://www.fluentu.com/blog/chinese/learn-chinese-in-three-months/
- https://goabroadchina.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-learn-chinese/
- https://www.chineseclass101.com/blog/2021/06/25/how-long-to-learn-chinese/
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/16-hardest-languages-learn-english-183745024.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_China
- https://www.chineasy.com/unlock-the-secrets-of-chinese-with-these-5-digital-resources/
- https://www.wikihow.com/Learn-Chinese-Fast
- https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3144070/beijings-education-crackdown-hits-duolingo-memrise-language-learning
- https://www.berlitz.com/blog/easiest-languages-to-learn-for-english-speakers
- https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/6-hardest-languages-for-english-speakers-to-learn
- https://www.languagesunlimited.com/why-is-learning-chinese-language-difficult-when-compared-to-learning-the-english-language/
- https://goeastmandarin.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-learn-chinese-mandarin/