Madeline
Learning Mandarin Chinese is not an easy feat. And finding methods to teach you Mandarin Chinese are critical. One method, and one of many reasons I listen to Podcasts, I have been using is listening to podcasts, specifically Mandarin Chinese podcasts of course. Interested in doing the same? Here are my recommendations of podcasts that will actually teach you Mandarin Chinese.
It is also worth noting that each of these podcasts go along with apps and online lessons. Since I have never tried any of them, I cannot endorse them; however, given the quality of the podcasts, I’m sure the other content these podcasts create is fantastic.
Beginner: Talk Chineasy
Talk Chineasy is good to pick up a word here and there. There is an episode everyday and everyday there is a deep dive into a specific word. The discussion is not just around memorization, but also about the root of the word, where the character comes from, and a story with a guest as to why the word was chosen.
Although the pace is slow, I’ve found that Talk Chineasy is a good podcast to start with or to supplement with other methods of learning. I use this as a way to learn a word of the day.
Intermediate: Chinese Class 101
Chinese Class 101 is a bit more fast pace. They have a few different formats but the most common one is running through a bunch of words in a topic. For example, in an episode titled “Chinese New Year” you will learn not just to say “happy new year” in Chinese but also the treats that are eaten, the festivities that are to be had, and many other terms.
Advanced: Chinese Lessons by Melnyks
With Chinese Lessons, start from the beginning; otherwise, unless you are great with Mandarin Chinese already, you will be lost. Even when starting at the beginning it ramps up quickly. But if you really want a podcast to teach you Mandarin Chinese, this is the one you want. Just a few episodes in, you will be learning common phrases and then a few episodes after that, not so common conversations. The key here is to listen to the same episodes again and again, until you feel comfortable with them, then move to the next.
