Getting Started
Free Chinese Lessons is open to anyone with no previous knowledge of Chinese. We are going to start at the very beginning and work our way up to an intermediate level.
How this site works
If you are new to Mandarin Chinese you will want to start at the very beginning. To get started click on Lessons on the left side of the page. Each new lesson builds on concepts mastered in the previous lesson. Check the sitemap to find out where you are. You can always go back to review previous lessons or jump ahead to something more difficult.
The Basics
Pronunciation Basics (Basic)
This page provides the basic information for correct pronunciation of spoken Mandarin. You might want to refer back to it often as you proceed through the lessons.
Writing Basics (Basic)
Chinese writing is non-alphabetic and non-phonetic. The meaning of a character can be learnt without knowing its pronunciation.
Beginner Lessons
Lesson One: How are you? (Beginner)
This first lesson begins with some simple greetings that you can use at any time of day. Grammar focuses on two common forms of asking questions. Explanations are given for writing the eight new characters taught in this lesson.
Lesson Two: What's your name? (Beginner)
Taking up where we left off, this lesson shows you how to introduce yourself as well as explaining some important things to bear in mind when speaking to those you respect. Some of the more common Chinese family names are introduced, which will help increase your vocabulary as well as add to the number of characters you should be able to write.
Lesson Three: What country are you from? (Beginner)
The topic of lesson three is nationalities and countries. The dialogue introduces some new pronouns and lists the names of various countries. There are three new grammar points in this lesson including the introduction of plurals.
Lesson Four: What do you do? (Beginner)
Lesson four covers the topic of work and occupations. Using the examples in this lesson's dialogue you will be able to form sentences to explain what you do and what you are doing in China. A list of major cities in China is also provided.
Lesson Five: How many people are there in your family? (Beginner)
In lesson five we will be talking about our families and members of our families. New grammar introduces counting as well as the verbs have and have not. This lessons are more extensive than everything so far.
Lesson Six: Making an international phone call (Beginner)
Lesson Six presents a conversation with people in Chinese on the subject of making an international phone call. You are going to learn some very useful verbs and a few more new words in Chinese. Towards the end of the lesson are a few exercises you should do to consolidate the information you learned.
Lesson Seven: Changing Money (Beginner)
The dialogue in lesson deals with a situation all travelers to China will face sooner or later, changing money. In China the local currency is known as ÈË Ãñ ±Ò , which means literally People's Money. Foreign currency is generally exchanged at banks or large hotels.