Skarp
Everyday Mandarin: Practical Conversational Chinese
Learn to handle everyday conversations in Mandarin Chinese, from greetings and small talk to shopping, eating out, and getting around town. This course focuses on high-frequency words, essential sentence patterns, and real-life speaking practice so you can start communicating confidently in common situations.
What you'll learn
- Students will be able to pronounce basic Mandarin syllables using Pinyin.
- Students will understand and identify the four tones in simple words.
- Students will be able to use core greetings and polite expressions in short exchanges.
- Students will be able to respond to simple yes/no questions with appropriate short answers.
- Students will be able to introduce themselves with name and nationality in Mandarin.
- Students will understand how to use 是 (shì) in simple sentences.
- Students will be able to form and answer basic yes/no questions using 吗 (ma).
- Students will be able to ask others for their name and where they are from.
- Students will be able to count and understand numbers commonly used in daily life.
- Students will understand and use key measure words with common nouns.
Prerequisites
- Pinyin basics and tones
- Essential greetings and polite phrases
- Basic sentence structure
- Simple self-introductions
- Numbers and measure words
- Self-introductions with name and nationality
Course Content
9 modules · 2h 15m total
Getting Started: Sounds, Tones, and Essential Survival Phrases
Build a foundation in Mandarin pronunciation using Pinyin, understand the four tones, and learn a set of survival phrases you can start using immediately.
Introducing Yourself: Names, Nationalities, and Simple Questions
Learn how to say your name, where you are from, and ask and answer basic personal questions to start friendly conversations.
Numbers, Time, and Everyday Counting
Master numbers, basic time expressions, and counting language needed for dates, prices, and everyday situations.
Daily Life: Family, Occupations, and Simple Descriptions
Talk about your family, job or studies, and describe people and things using common adjectives and patterns.
Talking About Routines: Likes, Dislikes, and Daily Activities
Learn to talk about what you do every day, your hobbies, and express likes and dislikes in natural conversation.
Eating Out: Ordering Food and Drinks
Practice the language needed to order food and drinks, handle menus, and manage simple restaurant interactions.
Shopping and Money: Prices, Quantities, and Simple Bargaining
Learn how to ask about prices, talk about quantities, and handle simple shopping and payment conversations.
Getting Around: Directions, Places, and Transportation
Use Mandarin to navigate a city: ask for directions, talk about locations, and handle basic transportation situations.
Staying Polite: Social Etiquette and Conversation Strategies
Explore key politeness phrases, cultural norms, and strategies for keeping conversations smooth and friendly in Mandarin.
Read the Textbook
Read every chapter for free, right here in your browser.
In this step, you will learn core survival phrases for greetings, politeness, and simple yes/no answers. Pay attention to Pinyin and tones. The phonetic guides use English sounds to help you approximate Mandarin pronunciation. Pinyin Basics and Syllable Structure
Mandarin syllables usually have: Initial (consonant sound) + final (vowel or vowel + n/ng) Example: 你 nǐ (n + i), 好 hǎo (h + ao)
Pinyin uses the Latin alphabet, but some letters sound different from English: q as in 请 qǐng sounds like "cheeng" (similar to English "che" in "cheese" but with the tongue closer to the teeth) x as in 谢谢 xièxie sounds like "sh" but softer, like saying "see" with your tongue closer to your teeth zh, ch, sh are retroflex sounds (tongue curled slightly back), e.g. 是 shì (shir) The Four Tones + Neutral Tone
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