Make Chinese
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Learn everyday Mandarin with simplified characters and pinyin.
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Chapter 1 of 12
First words, new places
First conversations
Unit 1 · beginner
First Sounds and Greetings
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First Sounds and Greetings
10 lessons- 1
Hello and Goodbye
Learn essential Mandarin greetings and goodbyes with clear usage notes. Master 你好, 您好, 再见, and more to handle first meetings and partings naturally.
- 2
Introduce Yourself
Learn to introduce yourself in Mandarin: say your name, where you are from, and ask the other person. Includes the reusable 你...吗？ question pattern with pinyin and tone marks.
- 3
Basic Vowel Sounds
Learn to say and recognize Mandarin's five basic vowel sounds in isolation and in simple words, and tell easily confused pairs like i versus ü apart.
- 4
Responding to Greetings
Learn to reply when someone greets you in Mandarin, using short natural answers and returning the question with 你呢 (nǐ ne), so you keep the conversation going instead of just saying hello.
- 5
Using Excuse Me
Learn the Mandarin phrases for politely getting attention, passing someone, or interrupting in public, and see why they are not the same as apologies.
- 6
Asking Yes/No Questions
Learn to turn statements into simple yes/no questions in Mandarin using 吗 (ma), and answer them naturally with 是 (shì) or 不 (bù).
- 7
Counting 1 to 10
Master Mandarin numbers one through ten and use them to count fingers, books, and other items. Includes pinyin, tone marks, and measure word basics.
- 8
Responding to Apologies
Learn beginner Mandarin phrases to accept an apology gracefully, including 没关系, 没事, and 不要紧, with pinyin, tone marks, and a short dialogue.
- 9
Basic Consonant Sounds
Learn to hear and say Mandarin consonants, focusing on the tricky p vs. b contrast. Includes pinyin, tone marks, and practice words.
- 10
Asking How to Pronounce a Word
Learn to ask how a Chinese word is pronounced and repeat it back to confirm. Master the key phrase 怎么读 and the verb 念 for checking pronunciation.
First Bites: Essential Food Basics
10 lessons- 11
Name Common Foods
Learn 10 common food words in Mandarin Chinese and use them in two simple sentence patterns: 我吃 (I eat) and 我喜欢 (I like). Includes pinyin, tone marks, and a short dialogue.
- 12
Express Basic Tastes
Learn to say if food is sweet, salty, sour, bitter, or spicy in Mandarin Chinese using 'This is ___' and 'It tastes ___'. Describe inherent qualities, not personal preferences, with beginner-friendly examples.
- 13
State Food Preferences
Learn the Mandarin pattern 我喜欢 / 我不喜欢 to talk about food preferences, with common foods, a short dialogue, and practice distinguishing personal liking from describing how something tastes.
- 14
Order at a Cafe
Learn to order a drink in Mandarin Chinese, specify size or options, and ask the price politely with culturally appropriate phrases and a realistic café dialogue.
- 15
Ask for the Bill
Learn beginner Mandarin phrases to end a restaurant meal: ask for the bill, ask whether card payment is accepted, and understand common replies about payment methods.
- 16
Identify Meal Times
Learn the Mandarin names for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack, and how to say when you eat each meal using time words and the particle 吃 (chī).
- 17
Say What You Eat for Breakfast
Learn to say what you eat and drink for breakfast in Mandarin using 早饭 (zǎofàn) and the verb 吃 (chī) or 喝 (hē), with common breakfast foods and drinks.
- 18
Ask Someone Their Favorite Food
Learn to ask 'What is your favorite food?' in Mandarin Chinese and answer with common foods. Focus on asking others, not just stating your own preferences.
- 19
Express Hunger and Thirst
Learn to express hunger and thirst in Mandarin, ask others about their states, and distinguish these from ordering food or drinks.
- 20
Name Common Drinks
Learn six common Chinese beverage words—water, coffee, tea, juice, milk, soda—and the pattern 我喝 (wǒ hē) to say what you drink. Includes pinyin, tones, and a short dialogue.
Getting Around: Basic Transport
10 lessons- 21
Buying a Single Ticket
Learn beginner Mandarin for buying a single one-way local transport ticket: ask for one ticket to the city center, say where you are going, and pay. Return tickets are covered in the next lesson.
- 22
Buying a Return Ticket
Learn to ask for and buy a round-trip ticket in Mandarin, including return date and time. Build on single-ticket phrases with 往返 (wǎngfǎn) and specify when you want to come back.
- 23
Asking the Price of a Ticket
Learn to ask 'How much is a ticket to...?' in Mandarin with 多少钱 and 到, understand price answers in yuan and kuai, and ask politely without buying anything yet.
- 24
Asking About Departure Time
Learn to ask what time the next bus or train departs in Mandarin Chinese, and understand simple schedule responses. Focus on departure time, not arrival time.
- 25
Asking About Arrival Time
Learn to ask what time a bus or train arrives in Mandarin, using 几点 and 到. Practice a short dialogue and avoid common mistakes.
- 26
Finding the Platform
Learn to ask 'Which platform for the train to...?' in Mandarin. Master the pattern 去...的火车在几号站台? and understand platform numbers at Chinese train stations.
- 27
Asking for the Next Stop
Learn to ask "What's the next stop?" in Mandarin and understand stop names on buses and trains. Includes key phrases, a dialogue, and practice.
- 28
Asking to Be Notified of Your Stop
Learn to ask a Chinese bus or taxi driver to tell you when to get off, using 到站请告诉我一下 and 到了叫我一声, and understand the driver's short confirmations.
- 29
Buying a Metro Ticket
Learn to buy a metro ticket in Mandarin Chinese. Practice asking for a ticket, understanding zones and fares, and completing a simple purchase.
- 30
Asking for a Taxi
Learn beginner Mandarin to request a taxi by phone or at a stand: say where you are going, ask for the arrival time, and confirm the car. Simplified Chinese, pinyin and clear English explanations.
Foundations of Social Interaction
10 lessons- 31
Greeting Friends Casually
Learn relaxed Mandarin greetings like 嗨, 最近怎么样？, and 早 to use with friends and peers at different times of day. Includes pinyin and tone tips.
- 32
Introducing Yourself Socially
Learn to say your name, where you are from, and one interest in friendly, everyday Mandarin using 我叫, 我是, 来自, and 喜欢.
- 33
Asking Basic Personal Questions
Learn to ask simple open-ended questions in Mandarin Chinese, like what you do for fun or whether you have siblings, so conversations continue naturally instead of stopping at yes or no.
- 34
Responding to 'How Are You?'
Learn beginner Mandarin ways to answer 你好吗？ with more than 我很好, including 挺好的, 还行, and 有点累, and how to ask 你呢？ back in casual conversation.
- 35
Saying Goodbye in Social Settings
Learn relaxed Mandarin farewells for leaving a gathering politely, including 再见, 回头见, 下次见, 我先走了 and 有空再聊, with pinyin and tone marks.
- 36
Expressing Thanks Casually
Learn informal Mandarin thanks for small favors among friends, including 谢啦, 多谢, and 麻烦你了, with pinyin, tone marks, and usage notes.
- 37
Apologizing to Friends
Learn casual Mandarin apologies for small mistakes: 对不起我来晚了, 我错了, 不好意思, 没事, 没关系. Use brief, friendly phrases to apologize and accept apologies in everyday situations.
- 38
Giving Compliments to Peers
Learn to give sincere, specific compliments about clothes, skills, and possessions in Mandarin, and how to accept them naturally instead of denying them.
- 39
Inviting a Friend to Hang Out
Learn beginner Mandarin phrases for spontaneous, low-pressure invitations: ask someone to get coffee, ask if they are free this weekend, and suggest a time and activity naturally.
- 40
Accepting and Declining Invitations
Learn to accept enthusiastically with 'Hǎo ya, hěn hǎowán!' and decline politely with 'Wǒ bùxíng, dàn xièxie!' in casual Mandarin. Perfect for friendly invites, not formal RSVPs.
First Encounters: Polite Basics
10 lessons- 41
Formal vs. Informal Greetings
Learn when to use formal and informal Mandarin greetings. Compare 您好 and 嗨, see how time-of-day greetings work, and choose the right opening for work, strangers, friends and casual settings.
- 42
Introducing Yourself: Name and Basic Info
Learn to state your name and basic information politely in Mandarin Chinese. This beginner lesson covers formal and informal ways to introduce yourself and respond when someone introduces themselves.
- 43
Asking Someone's Name Politely
Learn to ask 'What's your name?' in Mandarin Chinese for formal and informal situations. Master key phrases like 你叫什么名字 and 请问您贵姓, understand politeness levels, and practice with a dialogue.
- 44
Saying Please and Thank You
Learn 请 (qǐng) and 谢谢 (xièxie) for everyday Mandarin: informal and formal uses, plus natural replies to thanks.
- 45
Apologizing for Simple Mistakes
Learn to apologize in Mandarin for small errors like bumping into someone or being late. Practice formal and informal apologies and how to respond politely.
- 46
Using 'Excuse Me' to Get Attention
Learn essential Mandarin phrases to politely get someone's attention or interrupt a conversation, including when to use 'láo jià', 'bù hǎo yì si', and 'qǐng wèn'.
- 47
Polite and Casual Requests
Learn how to make requests in Mandarin that fit the relationship, using 帮, 麻烦, 能不能, and 可以 to sound natural with friends and appropriately polite with strangers.
- 48
Responding to Thanks
Learn five natural Mandarin responses to xièxie, from polite formal phrases to casual friendly ones, and understand exactly when each reply fits.
- 49
Saying Goodbye: Formal and Informal
Learn five Mandarin farewell expressions and choose the right one for formal, neutral, and casual situations based on who you are speaking to and where you are.
- 50
Small Talk About the Weather
Learn beginner Mandarin phrases to open a short, polite chat about the weather, respond naturally, and end the exchange gracefully without going into deep topics.