Mandarin From the Ground Up

Ah-Ming (阿明) and Xiao-Li (小李) are enjoying the food they ordered, and we learn how to talk about trying things, whether or not you can handle spicy foods, and how to compare foods that look (or sound) different. Dialogue transcript (Chinese characters only) Ah-Ming (M): 菜都上了！你快試試看！ Xiao Li (L): 好 M：好吃嗎？ L：好吃！但很辣！ M：你會怕辣嗎？ L：還好，不會，我喜歡 M：那就好，要不要...

After you've listened to Lesson 13, use this track to reinforce what you've learned with short listening and speaking practice sessions every day over the following week. Dialogue transcript (Chinese characters only) A-Ming (M): 不好意思，可以點餐了！ Waiter (F): 好，你要點什麼呢？ M: 一個宮保雞丁，一份鍋貼，還有一個炒青菜 F: 要白飯嗎？ M: 要！誒，小李，你要吃飯嗎？ Xiao Li (L): 好啊 M: 那我們要兩...

Which dialect of Mandarin should you learn? In the dialogue, Ah-Ming (阿明) and Xiao-Li (小李) order some food! How do you call the waiter in Mandarin? (Hint: it doesn't involve eye contact.) Dialogue transcript (Chinese characters only) A-Ming (M): 不好意思，可以點餐了！ Waiter (F): 好，你要點什麼呢？ M: 一個宮保雞丁，一份鍋貼，還有一個炒青菜 F: 要白飯嗎？ M: 要！誒，小李，你要吃飯嗎？ Xiao Li (L...

After you've listened to Lesson 12, use this track to reinforce what you've learned with short listening and speaking practice sessions every day over the following week. Dialogue transcript (Chinese characters only) L：到了！好餓！ M：我也是，我們快一點點菜吧！ L：好，菜單呢？ M：菜單在這裡！看你想吃什麼... L：呃...  M：怎麼了？ L：我看不懂...  M：喔！你看不懂中文字！ L：對啊，還是看不太懂 M：那...

In this lesson, I talk about how I went from not knowing a single word of Mandarin to starting a Mandarin learning podcast! Meanwhile, Ah-Ming (阿明) and Xiao-Li (小李) finally sit down at the restaurant to order. But there's a problem... Dialogue transcript (Chinese characters only) L：到了！好餓！ M：我也是，我們快一點點菜吧！ L：好，菜單呢？ M：菜單在這裡！看你想吃什麼... L：呃...  M：怎麼了？...

After you've listened to Lesson 11, use this track to reinforce what you've learned with short listening and speaking practice sessions every day over the following week. Dialogue transcript (Chinese characters only) L：欸？餐廳在哪裡...  M：你不知道怎麼去？ L：我忘記了... M: 你忘記怎麼去！要不要我幫你看Google Maps?  L：不用了，我可以的 M：你看左邊！是那家嗎？ L：喔？不是。不是那家 M：好吧... 欸？...

In this lesson, we talk about the similarities between learning a language and learning to play music. In the dialogue, Ah-Ming (阿明) and Xiao-Li (小李) get lost looking for the Korean restaurant. Language and music have a lot in common. We learn both of them in large part because they feel good. It feels good to connect with other people; it feels good to express yourself. Sure, you might say th...

Dialogue transcript (Chinese characters only) M：怎麼辦？我好餓。我想去吃飯！ L：喔！我知道了！我們可以開我媽的車 M：真的嗎？真的可以嗎？ L：可以啊，沒問題！ M：你不是不會開車嗎？ L：呃... 騙你啦！我只是沒有駕照。 M：沒有駕照... 這樣可以嗎？ L：還好吧，沒有人知道 M：好吧，那... 我們走吧。你知道怎麼去嗎？ L：我當然知道啊！沒問題的！ M：好！走！ Dialogue transcript (w/ pinyin and translation) M：怎...

In this lesson, I talk a little about discovering the unique logic of a new language. In the dialogue, Ah-Ming (阿明) and Xiao-Li (小李) decide to break the law. One of my favorite things about learning a new language is discovering the unique way it expresses ideas: the logic, the way of thinking that the language makes possible. For example, take the word get in English. There are so many ways E...

After you've listened to Lesson 9, use this track to reinforce what you've learned with short listening and speaking practice sessions every day over the following week. Transcripts are available below, first with only Chinese characters, and then with pinyin and the translation. Dialogue transcript (Chinese characters only) M：小李，你吃飯了嗎？ L：還沒，你呢？ M: 我也還沒。你餓了嗎？ L：好餓！ M...

This dialogue reinforces a lot of words and phrases you already know, which just a few new ones. In this dialogue, 小李 and 阿明 are talking about going to have some food, and who is going to drive. We learn best when we learn from context. Letting your brain try to infer the meaning and usage of a word or phrase is much more effective than having someone just tell you. Facts are forgettable, but...

After you've listened to Lesson 8, use this track to reinforce what you've learned with short listening and speaking practice sessions every day over the following week. Dialogue transcription M: 小李，你最喜歡吃什麼？ L：我最喜歡吃韓國菜，你呢？ M：我也喜歡吃韓國菜，但我最喜歡吃拉麵 L：我要去吃晚餐了，你要不要跟我一起去？ M：好啊，但你要去哪吃？ L：我要去韓國餐廳，很久沒去 M：好啊，你開車嗎？ L：...

In this lesson, we'll talk about the single most important thing you should be doing for your spoken Mandarin. We'll also learn how to talk about food, and how to make plans to go eat with other people. Have you ever had the experience of studying a language for a long time, of feeling like you should be able to speak it by now, but then when the opportunity arises you get stuck, or maybe even get...

Dialogue transcript L: 你今天也在咖啡店？ M: 對啊 L: 但是，今天的咖啡店跟昨天的不一樣 M: 對，你看： 今天的咖啡店有貓咪！ L: 為什麼？ M: 沒有為什麼啊 L: 為什麼你每天都去咖啡店？ M: 你問我為什麼...  L: 為什麼你可以每天出去，但我每天要待在家裡？！ M: 這個嘛...  L: 為什麼？！你跟我說！ M: ...你不喜歡待在家裡？ L :沒有人喜歡待在家裡啊 M: ... 你想再看一下貓咪嗎？ L: 好吧 Want to support the podcast? ★ S...

In this lesson, you'll learn how to identify and produce the four main tones in spoken Mandarin, and some essential COVID-19 vocabulary to help you talk about your situation -- whatever it may be -- plus how to ask why? Why??! Let's talk about tones. For someone coming from a non-tonal language background, it's easy to imagine that tones are something extra, like some kind of garnish sprinkled on...

Dialogue transcript:  M: 嘿，你今天好嗎？ L: 我今天還OK啊，你呢？你在哪裡啊？ M: 我在咖啡店，你看 L: 喔！很漂亮！ M: 對啊 L: 你在喝咖啡嗎？ M: 還沒，等一下 L: 你在等咖啡？ M: 對啊，我還在等 L: 欸！有東西來了！ M：喔對！（謝謝）我的咖啡來了！ L: 好喝嗎？ M: 等一下！我還沒喝... 喔！好喝！ L: 我也要一個！ Want to support the podcast? ★ Support this podcast ★ Thanks for listening! 

In this lesson, you'll learn how to talk about things that haven't happened yet. Learning how to say familiar words in another language, it's easy to get the impression that every language is simply another way of saying the same things, but using different sounds. The truth, however, is that each language is a unique system for dividing up all the meaning and concepts that the human mind is capab...

Dialogue transcript M: 喂？你聽得到嗎？ L: 我聽得到！你呢？你聽得到嗎？ M: 有，我聽得到 L: 那，我們開始說中文吧！ M: 呃。。。我們在說中文啊 L: 喔，對了，哈哈。嘿，你在喝東西嗎？ M: 有啊，我在喝東西 L: 你在喝什麼？ M: 我在喝咖啡。你喜歡咖啡嗎？ L: 我還好，我喜歡喝茶 M: 你現在在喝茶嗎？ L: 有！你看，這是我的茶 M：那是什麼茶？ L：這是烏龍茶 Want to support the podcast? ★ Support this podcast ★ Thanks...

In this lesson, you'll learn how to have a successful video call, and how to talk about what you're drinking, and what you like. It's tempting to focus on all the things you don't know how to say yet. But really, why do that? If you consider what you already do know how to say, even after just a handful of lessons, you might be surprised. It's all about combinatorics -- at this stage, everything y...

About learning Chinese characters Teaching Chinese characters is outside the scope of this podcast, but if you are learning Chinese characters with another course or method, you can use the transcript below to follow along. Learning characters can be a fulfilling project, and can help you to remember and differentiate similar-sounding words. And, of course, it opens up more avenues for practicing...

The contents of this episode are pretty standard fare for a language learner, or anyone else for that matter: What's your name? Nice to meet you. Do you have an English name? But hidden in the sentences are a handful of other extremely useful expressions. A note about pronunciation : The vocabulary list below includes the Chinese characters and the pinyin romanization system. The advantage of piny...

About learning Chinese characters Teaching Chinese characters is outside the scope of this podcast, but if you are learning Chinese characters through another course or method, you can use the transcript below to follow along. Learning characters can be a fulfilling project, and can help you to remember and differentiate similar-sounding words. And, of course, it opens up more avenues for practici...

A big part of being able to speak naturally and fluently is being able to convince yourself on some level that you're actually from the same place as other native speakers. It’s one thing to learn a bunch of words and phrases. But to be able to use them like a native speaker requires being able to think like one. In this episode, you'll learn how to tell people where you are, and where you're from...

About learning Chinese characters Teaching Chinese characters is outside the scope of this podcast, but if you are learning Chinese characters through another course or method, you can use the transcript below to follow along. Learning characters can be a fulfilling project, and can help you to remember and differentiate similar-sounding words. And, of course, it opens up more avenues for practici...

It's OK to feel tired sometimes, and acknowledging it is part of staying motivated. In this episode, you'll learn how to ask and talk about feelings, especially that feeling of needing some rest. --- Learning a language is the project of a lifetime. There's usually a starting point -- that day you decide will be your first day learning Mandarin, say -- but there's never a stopping point. From that...