The Latest Mandarin Chinese Language Lessons
Excellent Materials for You to Learn Chinese Mandarin Language
Latest Lessons
Franklicious Comes to Shanghai Dear Amber
That's right! This week Frank Fradella, our famous ChinesePod Newbie blogger (though I'm pretty sure he's at least an Intermediate after this trip!), joins us on Dear Amber to tell us about what he's doing back in China (exciting stuff!) and also regales us with some of his forays into experimenting with his Chinese on location in Shanghai. Drop a hello to Frank in the comments section, and he'll be sure to answer any questions you have too!
马丁· 路德 · 金 Media
你知道马丁·路德·金 (Martin Luther King, Jr.)吗？听说过马丁·路德·金全国纪念日吗？他有什么杰出贡献和成绩呢？今天我们为大家节选了一段他的著名演讲，一起来学习吧。 媒体MP3文件
people
Valentine's Day Elementary
Wo ai ni. I love you. I mean it. Look at these flowers i bought you, and these chocolates. And this card... it is a Hallmark day after all. Nothing says i love you like a lesson about Valentine's Day. After all... the Chinese celebrate not one, not two, but THREE Valentine's Days. And who said Mandarin wasn't the language of love?
emotions, holidays
#37 Movie Madness
What do onions, class, and catching rays have in common? We don't know either, but if you do, it may help you figure out the title for this weeks movie. See if you can decipher this Hollywood film dubbed into Mandarin, and get your guesses in to either Clay or Amber. Winner gets a free month of premium access to ChinesePod.
Study Abroad Intermediate
Studying abroad: glamorous, exciting, and culturally stimulating, all wrapped up in one ball. That is, till you found yourself living in the backwaters of Arkansas, picking up a drawl and eating grits pretending they were rice porridge. In this lesson, listen as our excited yet possibly naive student prepares for the trip of a lifetime (or not), in Mandarin Chinese.
education, travel
最低工资 Advanced
什么是最低工资？最低工资标准是谁制定的？每个城市的最低工资一样吗？物价飞涨的时候，最低工资会提高吗？关注热点问题，一起来学习、分享并讨论“最低工资”吧。
communications, government, wages, standard of living, city, country
The Neutral Tone Newbie
Oft over looked due to its timid tone and quiet presence, this Mandarin Chinese tone is anything but passive. In this podcast, we visit the sometimes forgotten and difficult to define tone that makes love, not war... impartially takes no sides and conscientiously objects to raising its voice. Its only flaw is perhaps a slight tendency toward wimpiness, but hey it'll never get in your face... the neutral tone.
language, tones
Iron Your Clothes Pre Intermediate
Your mom's not here and neither is your ayi, and where is a Chinese laundry when you need one? Yes, we know it's true that shirt will get just as rumpled after your sardine subway ride to work, but hey... you never know when you'll be sandwiched up against Mrs. Right. Make a good impression--learn how to iron, and how to say it in Mandarin in this podcast. Women love a man that can pull off a great pant crease.
appearance, clothes
Finding One's seat Elementary
Even though your waiguoren butt is not going to fit in these seats, you'll at least be able to find the right one. Avoid becoming the event sideshow whilst dislodging said bum from said seat in front of an audience of 50,000. Study this lesson and you'll know how to find your correct seat in Mandarin. Listen to the podcast while running on the treadmill and kill two birds with one stone.
directions, location, entertainment
Chinese New Year! Dear Amber
This week a special Chinese New Year's edition of Dear Amber. We always hear about it... or, at least 'hear it' (read: firecrackers at 3:00am). But what would it be like to actually celebrate it? Jenny tells us all about it in this weeks special episode, where you'll find out what Chinese New Year is really all about!
The Fourth Tone Newbie
Here we arrive at the last stage in the rise and fall of the four tones of Mandarin Chinese, and poor fourth is a bit of an enigma. Due to his angry tone of voice and overbearing sharpness, some find it hard to get to know him. In this podcast, we peel back the layers and help fourth tone make peace with his inner child. He's not mad, just misunderstood.
language, tones
#36 Movie Madness
In this weeks Movie Madness we have a bit of a confrontation amongst brothers. One clearly picks on the other, while the other just takes it. And this is not in the same league as getting handcuffed to the garage door handle while your older brothers shoot baskets on the hoop directly above while laughing as the ball bounces off your defenseless head, it is a bit more intense. Listen us break down this Hollywood film dubbed into Mandarin, and we'll see if you can guess the title. Place your guesses with Amber or Clay, and best of luck to you this week.
Chinese New Year Plans Intermediate
Certain ancient Chinese traditions are more easily assimilated to the Western mind. Five days straight of blowing off firecrackers tends to sit better than 12-course dinners. If you don't join 'em, you aren't gonna beat 'em, so put on your protective glasses and light up your xiaoqu with China's gift to the world. In this podcast, plan your Chinese New Year in Mandarin.
culture, family
Even you can use the (连...都...) pattern Qing Wen
Yes...even you can learn this fun way to put a bit of moxy in your Mandarin. Whether its to put in a dig on a colleague of yours, or if its to tell someone how nice you can be.... Listen in to find out how you can use this pattern to put some emphasis into your Chinese.
Whatever... Elementary
Coined phrase of sulky teenagers and pet phrase of indecisive girlfriends. When you know what you don't want but not what you do want, turn to this lesson to learn how to non-commit, in Mandarin Chinese. In this podcast, a motley assortment of ambiguous phrases for the indecisive amongst us. *Class materials removed because of corrupted file. Apologies.
people, preferences, daily life
Hiring a Courier Upper Intermediate
Here in China, there is a courier for every purpose. True, none of them really look like Kevin Bacon in Quicksilver or Jessica Alba in Dark Angel, but if you do want something delivered across town or across the country, and don't like the color of those poo-brown UPS uniforms, listen to this podcast and learn how to hire one, in Mandarin Chinese.
business, home and office
The Third Tone Newbie
The third tone is basically the middle child of the Mandarin line-up. It gets abused like a red-headed step child. Sometimes it's third, sometimes it gets ridden roughshod by second tone, and sometimes it straps a fourth tone on for good times. Third tone suffers from low self-esteem and is still trying to find its true self. Listen to this podcast and give the third tone the love it missed out on as a child.
language, tones
All You Can Eat and Drink Upper Intermediate
Awww yeah. Another Olympic lesson for you, Olympics for gluttons that is. For many of us, the only four words more satisfying than 'your Chinese is excellent' and 'you look like Brad Pitt', are 'all you can drink.' In this podcast, find out how to take advantage of a Shanghai buffet phenomenon, in Mandarin.
food, preferences
Buying a Pet and Food Poisoning Dear Amber
Today on Dear Amber an episode for all you pet-lovers in China... Rebecca tells us the joys of pet-ownership in China, and lets us know how to go about adopting and caring for your furry (or not) little critter. (Amber the cat-hater had to call in an expert for this question!) And, as a sequel to our popular episode on "Street Food," we have a follow-up, namely: "Avoiding Food Poisoning." Hopefully the advice hasn't come too late. Enjoy! And we love to hear from you on these topics and more in the comments section.