I’ve been learning Mandarin Chinese for a little over a year now (not counting the handful of mangled phrases I’d picked up from various martial arts over the years or watching too much Firefly). So I thought I’d share a little of the experience.
First of all, why?
Because it’s fun, it’s a challenge and getting started isn’t nearly as impossible as a lot of people think.
Yes, I find the tones difficult — measure words as well — but I’d counter this by saying that the lack of verb tense modification and a simple numbering system makes for a balanced learning experience. Here are three quick tips for getting started . . .
Craig Pay 