Is it your dream to learn Chinese?
Learning Chinese opens so many doors whether for travel, work opportunities or just for fun.
And there are a ton of different ways to learn the language. Courses, apps, YouTube channels, books and more. There’s something for every Chinese learner.
But what’s the best way to learn Chinese?
No matter how you learn Chinese, you’re in for a treat as you embark on your Chinese learning journey.
Here’s what you’ll discover in this post.
Table of Contents
How Not To Learn Chinese
Have you failed to learn Chinese in the past? You’re not to blame. The reason why so many Chinese learners don’t succeed is due to something I call the Parrot Problem of language learning.
The Parrot Problem means you learn Chinese using a “repeat after me, like a parrot” approach where you try to cram words and rules into your brain through learning by heart.
You no doubt encountered the Parrot Problem back when you learned languages at school. But these Parrot methods are still with us today in many Chinese apps and courses.
Unfortunately, whether you come across it in a classroom or in a flashy app, rote memorisation just puts Chinese words into your short-term memory. You’re almost guaranteed to forget the Chinese you learn over time.
So when it’s time to actually chat to Chinese people, your mind goes blank. When you learn like a Parrot, you communicate like one too. You don’t learn Chinese in a deep, meaningful way.
What Is The Best Way To Learn Chinese?
The best way to learn Chinese online is with a natural approach where you have fun and get to see and hear plenty of Chinese so it makes sense to your brain on a deep level.
StoryLearning is a method I invented to teach you languages naturally. It’s so natural, in fact, that it’s based on how you learn your native language. In this fresh approach, you learn Chinese through stories, not rules.
With StoryLearning, your main goal is to read and listen to stories at your level. As you read and listen, you can put Chinese directly into your brain.
Stories are our most basic form of human communication. They’re how we understand the world and communicate with others.
Stories are also a powerful way to learn Chinese because reading and listening to a story is fun and motivating. You want to know what happens next so you keep coming back, page after page, chapter after chapter.
Best Way To Learn Chinese Online
The best way to learn Chinese online is with my popular Chinese Uncovered courses, which make learning fun and grammar a breeze.
Chinese Uncovered will help you make your next breakthrough in Chinese, by taking you from total or false beginner up to intermediate level.
The StoryLearning method combines all of the benefits of online learning—like flexibility, modern engaging materials, and different types of media—with a fresh approach that hardwires the language directly into your brain.
If you’re fed up of forgetting the Chinese you learn due to the Parrot Problem, Chinese Uncovered will finally get you fluent in Chinese.
Best Way To Learn Chinese Fast
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”. This saying comes from a Chinese proverb, which is fitting because learning Chinese is very much a journey of a thousand miles!
While some might try to convince you that learning Chinese is “a walk in the park”, it takes time and dedication to truly be able to understand and speak Chinese.
Whilst on your Chinese learning journey, there may be times where you lose motivation or life gets busy and it’s hard to keep taking your daily steps towards fluency.
I know what it’s like to get lost along the way as I learn languages. So I’ve always enlisted the help of teachers and tutors to support me and keep me accountable. And Chinese, well Cantonese in my case, was no exception.
Knowing how crucial accountability is to getting fluent fast, I decided to create StoryLearning VIP – a 10-week coaching programme to get you your big language breakthrough!
StoryLearning VIP gives you the best of both worlds – the fun and effective StoryLearning method plus the expertise of a Chinese coach to hold you accountable.
With hours of personal coaching lessons to practise speaking, unlimited feedback and corrections, and a supportive cohort of fellow VIP language learners, you WILL finish the 10-week programme with your Chinese transformed.
Let me be straight – VIP requires a lot of your time and effort. But in return you get the highest level of learning support we offer and your fastest ticket to fluency in Chinese.
Best Way To Learn Chinese For Travel
Not interested in Chinese fluency but just need to know enough to get by on a trip to China?
If you’re headed to China, the best way to learn Chinese for travel is to focus on the words and expressions you’ll need for getting a taxi, checking into a hotel and ordering food.
When you concentrate on the language you need to survive in concrete situations like these, you can pick up the Chinese you need fast, without studying a whole textbook or course!
If your goal is to learn Chinese for travel, then my blog post on common Chinese phrases will teach you the language you need.
In this blog post, you’ll learn 121 Chinese phrases for asking for directions, getting around, eating out, shopping and more.
This concrete approach is the best way to be able to speak Chinese with the locals the next time you’re in China.
Best Way To Learn Chinese While Driving
Do you have a daily commute that you’d like to make the most of? A great way to use that “dead time” as I call it is to learn Chinese while driving.
But what’s the best way to learn Chinese while driving?
Your health and safety is paramount so I won’t suggest anything risky like watching a video or reading a book.
Here’s how to keep your eyes on the road so you can learn Chinese while driving: listen to a Chinese audio course or podcasts in Chinese.
Just getting started in Chinese? Pick up the basics with the Michel Thomas Chinese audio course for beginners.
Have you reached the intermediate level in Chinese? At this level, it can be tricky to find listening material that’s not too easy or too hard. But don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.
I’ve created substantial listening material in Chinese that’s designed to bridge the gap between beginner and native-level material. It’s called Chinese Conversations and it will transform your listening skills in just 90 days.
Finally, if you’re an advanced learner of Chinese then you need to forget learner material and listen instead to native-level Chinese listening material such as podcasts.
Best Way To Learn Chinese On Your Own
One important thing about learning a language is that it must come from the learner, not the teacher. The teacher’s job is to guide you – but you must do the learning.
That’s why becoming a self-directed learner capable of learning on your own is so important. Learning languages in a self-directed way, rather than waiting to be “taught” helped me learn eight of them fast.
But what’s the best way to learn Chinese on your own, when there are so many different websites, apps, courses, textbooks…?
My top recommendation is Chinese Uncovered which was designed with independent Chinese learners in mind.
Chinese Uncovered includes all the resources you’ll need to learn Chinese and tips and advice about the best way to learn Chinese on your own.
Best Way To Learn Chinese Fluently
Do you want to speak Chinese fluently?
Throughout my time learning 8 languages I’ve always aimed to reach fluency, i.e a B2 level. I haven’t used many of my languages for a while, but I can still speak them if I need to because I learned to speak them fluently.
So how can you do the same as me and reach fluency in Chinese?
To learn Chinese fluently two essential ingredients you’ll need are a proven method and a daily commitment.
But what if life gets in the way? Or your enthusiasm wanes?
I couldn’t have learned so many languages so fast without accountability from language teachers and tutors.
If learning Chinese fluently matters to you, get the support, accountability and expertise you need with StoryLearning VIP.
StoryLearning VIP is a 10-week coaching programme which gives you the complete structure you need to succeed in learning Chinese.
It includes not only access to Chinese Uncovered, but also the 1-to-1 lessons, coaching and support that will not let you fail.
You’ll learn Chinese fluently with VIP thanks to twice-weekly sessions with a professional native-speaker coach. You’ll also work through the 10-module curriculum of Chinese Uncovered with your coach’s support.
This programme is the closest thing to “guaranteed progress” you can get. And the best way to truly learn Chinese for life.
Best Way To Learn The Chinese Characters
The Chinese writing system can pour fear into the heart of even the most motivated Chinese learner. Learning to write in Chinese is tough because of the Parrot Problem. When you try to learn Chinese characters by heart, they only go into your short-term memory.
While practising writing Chinese characters is helpful, my recommendation is to not to memorise them. So what can you do instead? Here’s the best way to get to grips with the Chinese writing system.
Once you’ve grasped the basic concept, by reading about what Chinese characters are and how they work for instance, follow the rules of StoryLearning and read in Chinese.
As you read and listen to Chinese books and stories at your level, you’ll pick up the meaning of the Chinese characters without “studying” them. Seeing Chinese characters in their natural habitat, instead of in isolation, ensures you know how to use them right.
Plus, reading and listening to stories means you’re motivated to keep coming back to find out what happens next. You have fun as you read a page-turning tale and the Chinese writing system will start to click.
If you’re wondering where to find Chinese stories at your level, take a look at my post about Mandarin readers. Graded readers are books with simple grammar and vocabulary that are suitable for learners, even beginners!
Best Way To Learn Chinese At Home
Are you planning on learning Chinese at home rather than moving to China? Wise decision! Learning Chinese from the comfort of your home is much more effective, especially if you’re a beginner. But how should you go about it?
The best way to learn Chinese at home is to read and listen to stories in Chinese at your level for an hour every day. This period is your core study time that you need to schedule and show up for daily for optimal results.
The ideal way to use your your core study time is to immerse yourself in Chinese. You can do this in different ways. For instance, you can read a beginner book, work through a StoryLearning Chinese course, or listen to Chinese podcasts.
This type of deliberate immersion is known as an “input method”. An input method means that you learn not from deliberate study, but by reading and listening to material that you want to understand.
Not only are input methods effective, but you also have much more fun in the process, because you’re immersing yourself in material that interests you.
Best Way To Learn Chinese FAQ
What Is The Best Way to Learn Chinese Online?
The best way to learn Chinese online is with Chinese Uncovered, which teaches you through the power of story. With Chinese Uncovered, you learn the language quickly, through stories, not rules.
What Is The Best Way to Learn Chinese While Driving?
The best way to learn Chinese while driving is by listening to Chinese audio courses or podcasts. My top recommendation for intermediate Chinese learners is Chinese Conversations, which will transform your listening skills in less than 90 days.
What's The Best Way To Learn Chinese Characters?
The best way to learn the Chinese characters is by reading and listening to stories in Chinese at your level. When you see the Chinese characters in the context of a story, you learn what they mean and how to use them naturally, without rote memorisation. Learn more about Chinese characters.
What's The Best Way To Learn Chinese Fluently?
The best way to learn Chinese fluently is with the combination of a solid method and the accountability and expertise of a Chinese coach. The ample speaking practice and support that comes from coaching will make sure you learn Chinese for life.
Ready To Start Your Chinese Learning Journey?
So there you have it – reading and listening to stories is the best way to learn Chinese.
Your desire to find out what happens next in the story will keep you motivated to learn Chinese, even on the busiest of days.
You can forget Parrot methods that start you off learning rules or memorising characters and words with no context.
When you start with a story, you’ll learn Chinese almost passively, via immersion. You’ll quickly know what “sounds right” because you’ve learned Chinese in a rich, meaningful context.
Most of all, you’ll enjoy yourself so much that learning Chinese will feel like a breeze. Stories truly are the most fun and motivating way to learn any language, including Chinese.
Olly Richards
Creator of the StoryLearning® Method
Olly Richards is a renowned polyglot and language learning expert with over 15 years of experience teaching millions through his innovative StoryLearning® method. He is the creator of StoryLearning, one of the world's largest language learning blogs with 500,000+ monthly readers.
Olly has authored 30+ language learning books and courses, including the bestselling "Short Stories" series published by Teach Yourself.
When not developing new teaching methods, Richards practices what he preaches—he speaks 8 languages fluently and continues learning new ones through his own methodology.
