Learning Chinese using the fast method. Learning Chinese from scratch on your own

Chinese from scratch

I am very glad that my posts are useful to you and we are together. In this post, I don’t just want to tell you something new about the Chinese language or ways to study it, but to answer the most common questions that new Chinese scholars ask me. The answers to the questions below will be useful to those who are just thinking about plunging into the mysterious and fascinating world of China. So, let's learn Chinese from scratch!

Although Chinese is one of the most complex languages world, but, in my opinion, quite realistic for study. Here we can at least compare it with the Russian language, with its cases, declensions, and also our favorite “no, I don’t know.” How easy can it be, but nevertheless, most of us master it perfectly.

I also want to dispel the myth that to learn Chinese you need to have perfect pitch and incredible graphic memory. No, it's not necessary. Naturally, having these talents, you will need less time to learn the language, but even without them everything will work out.

The difficulty of the Chinese language lies in the presence of characters and tones. But it will be difficult only the first time. With due diligence and a responsible attitude, you will cope with them very soon.

How long does it take to learn Chinese?

It all depends on how and where we learn Chinese from scratch, as well as how often. The fact is that you can reach the average level of knowledge in a year or two, but only if you fully dedicate yourself to your studies. If you attend courses or a tutor only twice a week, then this period will increase to an indefinite extent.

To make it more clear, I will give an example. If we learn Chinese from scratch, without particularly straining, then in two years it is quite possible to learn one and a half thousand characters. It is important that not words, but hieroglyphs, because from them you can make any word. This amount will be quite enough to communicate with the Chinese, discuss everyday topics and even cover some professional ones.

Is it possible to learn Chinese in two weeks, a month or three months?

There are a lot of different tutorials, which are full of titles “Chinese in two weeks”, “Learn Chinese from scratch in three months” and others. Is it really possible to learn Chinese in such a time frame? Yes, but you will only speak a few phrases. If you are content to know only words to say hello, get to know each other, tell a minimum about yourself, or simply explain where to go, then this is the place for you. If your intentions are more serious, then be prepared to devote more than one year to your studies.

How many letters are in the Chinese alphabet?

When we learn Chinese from scratch, we draw parallels with our native language to find similarities. This is the only way I can explain the presence of such a question, because in the Chinese language there are no letters, only graphic elements. They are the ones that form a hieroglyph and together carry a semantic load. There are a little more than 200 such elements in the Chinese language. In order to learn how to read and compose hieroglyphs, you will need to learn the meaning of all graphic elements. All hieroglyphs are built according to a clear structure, this greatly facilitates the memorization process.

Chinese linguists created a phonetic alphabet called Pinyin. This alphabet is based on Latin, so it is understandable to students in any country in the world. However, you should not get carried away with it, because it is created only for the entry level.

So, let’s decide where, by what method and with whom we learn Chinese from scratch and move on! After all, it is not as scary as it seems, and the result will not only benefit you, but will also reinforce your self-esteem, because you will know one of the most difficult languages ​​in the world!

The best solution, of course, would be to go to China to learn Chinese from scratch. A language environment, native speakers around, a well-thought-out training program that produces excellent results - all this will save you a lot of time and money. Paid courses in your own country only at first glance seem cheaper than studying in China. I myself, having spent more than 50,000 rubles in a year on a tutor, still don’t understand why I did it. if I completed the same program at a university in China in less than a month.

As the saying goes: if you want, you can learn Chinese overnight. Well, of course, you’re unlikely to master it in 12 hours, but in a month, with complete immersion in the environment, it’s quite possible. Do you want to become a sinologist? We will be happy to assist you. , and we will select the optimal program for you.

Chinese language tutorial

This article will be useful to those who have decided to learn Chinese on their own and, accordingly, are looking for the best one for themselves. Chinese language tutorial for beginners. In fact, on the Internet you can find a lot of literature on the Chinese language for any level of knowledge. But this will probably confuse more than help. After all, those who are just starting to learn the language are unaware of many of the nuances and variety of methods for learning the Chinese language.

I advise you to definitely look at various forums, where experienced students will tell you how to choose a Chinese language tutorial for beginners. I, in turn, want to tell you about several main and most popular publications.

Practical course of the Chinese language by Kondrashevsky A.F.

This Chinese language tutorial for beginners is considered almost the most popular in Russia. The fact is that the publication of this manual is regularly updated and improved in accordance with the latest requirements. The main objective of the textbook is to provide the student with basic knowledge. As for the content of this course, it consists mainly of texts and dialogues regarding everyday life and life in China. Thus, by studying this tutorial, you not only gain basic knowledge of the Chinese language, but also a general understanding of the culture, traditions and even history of China.

Kondrashevsky's textbook is written in a language that is easy and understandable even for a schoolchild. The basic rules of grammar and pronunciation are explained in a simple manner. Thanks to this manual, you can really master the basic knowledge on your own.

It is known that in Chinese it is very important to learn to speak with the correct tone. Taking this into account, the author has prepared an audio CD, which is included with each edition. Practical course Chinese language". The disc includes all the textbook materials, namely texts and dialogues, and was recorded exclusively by native speakers, so you don’t have to worry about the correct pronunciation.

Self-instruction manual of the Chinese language for beginners by Kondrashevsky A.F. also contains basic hieroglyphs that are necessary in the first stages of language learning.

Generally training manual it was compiled competently and for people, so I can confidently recommend it to you.

“Basics of the Chinese language” by T.P. Zadoenko, H. Shuin

As for me, this textbook is the second most popular Chinese language tutorial for beginners. This manual is written in a more strict language, some even consider it boring, but we are still doing serious business, so the textbook should be taken seriously. It contains materials on vocabulary, grammar, phonetics and, of course, hieroglyphs of the Chinese language in accordance with modern requirements. The highlight of the manual is the teaching of rhythm, which you will not find in any other textbook. Otherwise, the structure of the tutorial is very ordinary: the main course, at the end of which there is a dictionary, an index and answers to assignments.

Milena Karpova “Chinese language self-teacher”

First, I would like to say a few words about the author of this manual. Milena Karpova is a Chinese language tutor and the author of many scientific works with extensive experience. Taking this into account, her textbook came out convenient and understandable to everyone. All the material is simply chewed to the bone. Karpova's Chinese language tutorial for beginners also includes an audio CD, which she recorded herself. Each lesson in this textbook contains exercises, tasks and even recipes that allow you to use all types of memory and reduce the time spent studying the material.

I would like to repeat once again that there is plenty of literature for learning the Chinese language on the Internet, therefore, when choosing a manual, rely on personal requirements and wishes regarding the presentation of material, disclosure and consolidation.

Title: Self-instruction manual of modern Chinese.

Here is a self-instruction manual for the Chinese language - one of the most common languages ​​in the world. The advantage of the Self-Teacher is the completeness of information and accessibility of presentation for beginners in learning Chinese. With some effort, but in a reasonable amount of time, you will learn to have conversations on everyday topics and read simple Chinese texts, which will allow you to feel quite comfortable in the Chinese language environment.
The self-instruction manual is equipped with a language laboratory course.

The Chinese language self-instruction manual is intended for a wide range of readers. This publication has been developed as a guide for schoolchildren, students, teachers and others interested in beginning to study the Chinese language. The self-instruction manual consists of a theoretical part, conversational lessons and educational texts.
When learning any language, you need to pay special attention to pronunciation, Chinese is no exception. The main difficulty of Chinese pronunciation is the abundance of palatal and aspirated sounds, which are unusual for us, and the presence of tones. The Chinese language is very melodic, so the presence of musical abilities and hearing greatly facilitates the process of mastering Chinese pronunciation, however, even in the absence of special musical talents, but subject to systematic study and listening to audio materials, it is quite possible to master Chinese phonetics. Another difficulty of the Chinese language is the hieroglyphic letter (“Chinese letter”), which is extremely difficult for people accustomed to alphabetic writing. The hieroglyphics section contains a table of Chinese keys, the study and memorization of which is essential in order to learn to read and write in Chinese. One of the most the best ways memorizing Chinese characters means practicing calligraphy and systematically writing down characters and their individual elements (see the corresponding section).

Content
PREFACE
INTRODUCTION TO CHINESE LANGUAGE
Pronunciation
Chinese phonetic alphabet
Tones
Changes in tones Hieroglyphics
Rules for writing hieroglyphs
Key Table Grammar
Parts of speech
Word order in a sentence
Grammatical constructions
CONVERSATION PRACTICE
Lesson 1. Greetings
Lesson 2. Getting to know each other
Lesson 3. Age. Family
Lesson 4. Study. Language
Lesson 5. Seasons. Weather
Lesson 6. Shopping. Shop
Lesson 7. In a restaurant. Food
Lesson 8. Clinic
Lesson 9. Sports
Lesson 10. At your leisure
Lesson 11. Traveling around China
Answers to exercises
EDUCATIONAL TEXTS with grammatical comments
Text I. Sincere Concern
Text 2. Shanhaiguan
Text 3. The Peasant and the Snake (parable)
Text 4. Da Yu controls the elements (parable)
Text 5. Excursion to Xiangshan
Text 6. Letter
Text 7. At a sports festival
Text 8. Yu Gong moves mountains (parable)
Text 9. Wallet
Text 10. An inconspicuous bird (parable)
APPLICATIONS
Appendix No. 1
A quick overview of grammar
Grammar test
Answers to a grammar test
Appendix No. 2
Minimum dictionary
Appendix No. 3
Chinese syllable table
Correspondence table between Russian and Chinese transcriptions (according to Palladium)
Appendix No. 4
Table of hieroglyphic keys (radicals)
Appendix No. 5
Chinese calligraphy


Download the e-book for free in a convenient format, watch and read:
Download the book Self-instruction manual of the modern Chinese language. Shenshina M.A. 2006 - fileskachat.com, fast and free download.

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Learn pinyin. This is a system for recording sounds in the Chinese language using Latin letters.

  • This system is very suitable for beginners to learn Chinese. This way, less time is spent studying traditional hieroglyphs. Using Pinyin, you can learn to read and write Chinese without using characters. There are a lot of materials and textbooks on Pinyin.
  • However, it should be noted that not all Latin letters can convey the true pronunciation. Therefore, you should learn Pinyin with the help of a teacher or appropriate video and audio materials.

  • Learn to read some Chinese characters. Despite the fact that it is not necessary to be able to read hieroglyphs, many students of this language still try to learn it in order to get to know Chinese culture better.

    • Learning hieroglyphs is not an easy task. To read a newspaper, you need to know about 2,000 thousand hieroglyphs - and this is just the beginning. In total, the Chinese language has more than 50,000 characters (many of which are not used today).
    • The main benefit of learning characters is that it will open the door to other languages, including Cantonese, Japanese and Korean. All of these languages ​​use a simplified form of Chinese characters in writing, but speech differs.

  • Learn to write hieroglyphs. If you have learned to read hieroglyphs, you will most likely want to learn how to write them. This is a complex skill that will require patience and creativity to master.

    • First, you will have to study the table of radicals. These are individual strokes from which a hieroglyph is formed. There are a total of 214 radicals in the Chinese language, some of which have meaning on their own, while others gain meaning when attached to other radicals.
    • It is important to consider the direction of the strokes when you write them. For example, from top to bottom, from left to right, and a horizontal stroke is written before a vertical one. If these rules are not followed, the hieroglyph will be written incorrectly.

  • Read texts in Chinese. If you want to improve your Chinese reading skills, you should spend 15 to 20 minutes a day on it.

    • To start, you can use children's books or textbooks (they are often published in Pinyin). You should also look for useful materials on the Internet.
    • Practice anytime, anywhere. Read labels and signs in Chinese. Ask for a menu in Chinese at a Chinese restaurant.
    • Having learned to read well, you can switch to newspapers (printed in hieroglyphs). In addition to improving your reading, you will become more familiar with the culture and society of the People's Republic of China.

  • Write something every day. To improve your writing skills, write Chinese characters or use Pinyin daily.

    • You can keep a diary in which you write simple expressions in Chinese. For example, what is the weather like today, how are you feeling, or what are you doing. If there is nothing personal in the diary, you can ask a Chinese language teacher or just a Chinese friend to read it and point out mistakes.
    • You can find a friend on the Internet and correspond with him. Your correspondence may also be useful for him if he becomes interested in the Russian language. Ask your pen pal to correct mistakes in your letters and forward them back.
    • We also recommend making simple lists in Chinese. For example, lists of products to buy. Or put stickers around the house with the Chinese names of specific things.

    • ShaoLan Xue is an entrepreneur, creator of a cool learning portal, author of a visual method for learning the Chinese language. At her Ted Talks, she taught the audience almost 30 characters in just 5 minutes!

    ShaoLan grew up in Taiwan, but since she was the daughter of a calligraphy master, she studied Chinese characters from the age of 5, drawing each line in a special order every day.

    ShaoLan was fascinated by the Chinese language, but realized that for an uninitiated person, it seems impregnable, like the Chinese Wall. She had the idea to try to “break this barrier” and show everyone who is interested in Chinese that they can understand it.

    She took the risk of inventing a new language learning method that allows her to quickly learn to read Chinese. This is how the chineasy educational project was born.

    According to ShaoLin, a Chinese scientist knows 20,000 characters, but you and I only need to master a thousand to understand Chinese in basic terms. Two hundred basic hieroglyphs will allow you to understand a little less than 50% of texts, and this amount will be enough to read a menu in a restaurant, understand signs on the roads, or grasp the essence of an article in a newspaper or on an Internet site.

    ShaoLin studied Chinese characters for 15 years of her life, but thanks to the visual method she invented for learning Chinese, it can be learned much faster. She clearly showed how to master 8 hieroglyphs in 5 minutes.

    If we imagine that in front of us is a wide open mouth of a square shape, then it is easy to remember the hieroglyph next to it - “mouth”.


    Everything is clear here - this is some person walking down the street.


    Let's say that on the left there is a person with his arms open to the sides who is calling for help, this is “fire”. This symbol just comes from the form that the flame takes.

    Here are some more examples of how you can visually represent and remember simple Chinese characters.







    This is where it gets more interesting... The first hieroglyph is “man”, and two such hieroglyphs mean “to pursue”. Three people nearby is already a “crowd”. And if the fourth hieroglyph is imagined as a man who opened his hands, as if showing huge size something? That's right, we get the adjective "big". And the colored hieroglyph on the right, the person seems to be “in the mouth” - that is, in a trap - this is a “prisoner”.


    One tree in the picture means “tree”. Two nearby - a “group of trees”. But three trees form a whole “forest”. If we place a board under a tree, we get a “foundation”. If you put the “mouth” on the top of the “tree”, you get... “idiot”!


    The hieroglyph “fire”... If one is placed above the other, it will be “very hot”. And when there are three of them? There will be "flame"! Let's put two trees above the hieroglyph "fire" - this is "fire".


    The sun does not always cause harm, it is also our source of energy, happiness and... prosperity. So, two suns, one above the other, means “prosperous.” Three suns nearby will give “sparks,” and if we combine the moon and the shining sun, we get “brightness” (another meaning is “tomorrow”). When the sun rises above the horizon, we recognize "sunrise".


    Did you recognize the "door"? Let's put a board in the door - we'll get a "door bolt". Let's add the hieroglyph "mouth" in the center - we get the phrase "ask questions." And the person inside the door is leaving, slipping away, disappearing.


    The hieroglyph on the left means "woman". Two women create the hieroglyph “dispute,” but three together create the word “treason.”

    Imagine, we were able to master almost three dozen hieroglyphs using the chineasy method!


    From these eight radicals it is possible to make more than 30 more, and from the new group there are also eight hieroglyphs, more than 30 more... And this way you can master a couple of hundred hieroglyphs, which will give you the vocabulary of an 8-year-old Chinese. Well, of course, it takes a little effort!

    Once the hieroglyphs are learned, you can begin to construct entire phrases.


    For example, if you combine the hieroglyphs “mountain” and “fire”, you get “burning mountain”, that is, “volcano”.


    Everyone remembers that Japan is called the land of the rising sun. The character for Japan consists of "sun" and "foundation" or "source". After all, Japan is located east of China, and the day begins there.


    If you put a little man next to “Japan”, we get a Japanese person.


    The first hieroglyph is mountains, placed one below the other. Interestingly, for the ancient Chinese this character meant “exile.” In those days, emperors exiled their enemies far beyond the mountains. Now the hieroglyph has acquired a different meaning - “care”. Well, together with the hieroglyph “mouth” they mean “exit” in Chinese.

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