by John Fotheringham
If you will visiting or moving to China, you would do yourself—and those you meet—a big favor by memorizing the ten tips in this infographic from Learn Mandarin Now: 1) Learn at least a little Mandarin. 2) Avoid fake taxis. 3) Prepare yourself to use squatty potties. 4) Avoid taboo topics: politics, Tibet, Taiwan, human rights, and Internet censorship. 5) Learn to bargain (the national sport!) 6) Cash is king. 7) Don’t refer to elderly individuals by their name. 8) Never stick chopsticks in your rice bowl. 9) The number 4 is bad luck. 10) Avoid bad luck gifts like clocks, white wrapping, and green hats. Read on to learn more about each.
by John Fotheringham
If you are learning Mandarin Chinese, check out this video interview Olly Richards from I Will Teach You a Language recorded last year. Olly is a great interviewer and even went to the trouble of getting a complete transcript made of the interview (available for free on his site). In the interview, we discuss: 1) My journey to learn Mandarin Chinese. 2) The ways in which Mandarin is actually an easy language. 3) How to best learn tones. 4) The myth that you need to move to China or Taiwan to learn Mandarin. 5) Differences between the Mandarin spoken in Mainland China and Taiwan. 6) The importance of chéngyǔ (成語, “idioms”), which are usually 4 characters in Chinese. 7) My top 3 resources for learning Mandarin Chinese. 8) More about what my Master Mandarin guide is and how it can help beginning and intermediate learners.
by John Fotheringham
Is it ideal to learn Japanese in Japan and Mandarin in China or Taiwan? Yes. Is it a mandatory condition? Absolutely not. Let me be clear: living in Japan and Taiwan for a number of years was one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and I go back to visit as often as possible. But while living in a Japanese or Mandarin speaking country can certainly provide learners of these languages many advantages, it’s critical to understand that it’s not a requirement for success. In today’s world, “I can’t learn Japanese or Mandarin because I live in rural Kansas” is an excuse, not a reality. With Internet access, a little creativity, and a lot of hard work, you really can learn any language, anywhere.
by John Fotheringham
The long wait is over. After many months of hard work, late nights, and early mornings, I have finally finished the second edition of my Master Mandarin guide. What’s New? 1) A new 300-page PDF version of the guide (nearly twice the length of v 1). 2) An EPUB version for use on iPhones, iPads, Macs, and other EPUB readers. 3) A MOBI version for use on your Kindle or in any of the Kindle apps (iOS, Android, etc.). 4) A new Chinese 101 chapter that covers the most important elements of how the Mandarin language works. 5) Tons and tons of new tools and online resources. 6) New discount codes for iTalki, Chinese Learn Online, and WaiChinese. 7) New expert interviews with Benny Lewis from Fluent in 3 Months, Olly Richards from I Will Teach You a Language, Jake Gill from Skritter, Vladimir Skultety from Forever a Student, Chris Parker from Fluent in Mandarin, Ash Henson from Outlier Linguistics, and Adam Menon from Chinese Learn Online. 8) New cheat sheets including: The Most Common 500 Words in Mandarin, complete lists for Remembering Traditional Hanzi and Remembering Simplified Hanzi, a Hanyu Pinyin chart, a Time Adverb chart, a SMART Goals work sheet, and a weekly study plan.
by John Fotheringham
Hola querida o querido lector, aquí Santiago. Ojalá disfrutes de estos artículos originalmente escritos por John y espero que te sean muy útiles en tu aprendizaje de idiomas.
by Chad Thiele
You’ve tried, but failed to learn Japanese. For some reason it just doesn’t seem to stick for you? I’ve got news for you: it’s your fault! Or is it? Maybe, but I think I can guess why, and it might be something you can fix—if that’s what you want. Do any of the following sound familiar to you?
