Lesson Channels » Newbie
If you're brand new to Chinese, this level is for you. In our Newbie lessons, hosts Jenny and John (or Jenny and Ken) focus on delivering the most useful phrases for practical situations. Lessons are mainly in English, and when Jenny introduces Chinese words she speaks slowly and clearly. The dialogues are repeated three times, and your hosts then provide linguistic insights to help you learn. Newbie is the best place to start, whether you’re aiming to master the language or you just want a few phrases under your belt for a trip to China.
Newbie - Taxi to the Airport
Never leave it till the last minute to catch a taxi to the airport. If you are left with no choice, make sure you've listened to today's lesson - you'll be able to tell the driver the time of your flight in Mandarin. This should inspire them to use their 'driving gongfu' get you to the departure terminal in time.
Newbie - Which Time Zone?
Tossing and turning, lack of appetite, moodiness; these are all symptoms of one very common condition: jet lag! But the worst is when you forget to change the time on your phone and you show up somewhere at the wrong time! Find out how to describe this situation in today's ChinesePod lesson on time differences.
Newbie - Anybody home?
Halloween is coming, so we're getting making our lessons a bit scarier. Today we'll arm you with the right phrases in Mandarin for dealing with big scary creaky doors that are left ajar and asking if anyone is there. Just be prepared -- you may not like what you discover... *shiver*
Newbie - U-Turn
"Yep, straight through the light, then pull over to the right - WHAT? No you've passed it!" So you know how to give basic directions in Chinese, but what happens in this situation? In today's lesson we learn how to say "make a u-turn" -- essential taxi survival Mandarin.
Newbie - Turn Right, Turn Left
So you've successfully communicated the address to the taxi driver, but as he approaches your final destination he needs a bit more help. Be sure you know the Chinese for "turn right" and "turn left" so you can avoid the extra "I couldn't explain exactly where to go so I ended up just getting out at the wrong place" walk of shame.
Newbie - Where is the supermarket?
So you're in China. You don't need no stinking "maps." You'd rather just walk up to the nearest person on the street and ask where the supermarket is, in Chinese (of course). Tune in to today's lesson and learn how to do just that.
Newbie - It's Stopped Raining
Didn't it rain, children? Today we're going to talk about rain in Chinese. This podcast will discuss things that start and stop, like rainstorms. Bring your umbrella and your MP3 player and you'll learn how to talk about rainy days in Mandarin.
Newbie - Away on Business
Do you often travel on business in China? Here's a Mandarin lesson that will help you to explain where you're going and when you'll be back. In this class we'll explain some useful phrases to use when you're traveling on business.
Newbie - Getting Off the Metro
Squeeze your way to the front of the line for this useful Mandarin podcast. Today, we're explaining how to negotiate your way through a crowded Chinese subway car. Whether you take the metro to work, or even if you're just a fan of public transportation, this Chinese lesson will be a great blessing for you.
Newbie - Looking for Someone Else
Have you ever looked for someone, only to find someone else? In today's Mandarin podcast, you'll learn how deal with this common situation. Today, you'll learn how to use Chinese to tell someone: sorry, you're not the one I was looking for.
