Most internet searches bring up pretty commercialized results, sometimes hideously expensive.

What are some good, low cost ways of learning Mandarin?

Thanks!

    • comrade_toaster
      6·
      3 years ago

      I can absolutely vouch for HelloChinese, I’ve enjoyed it a lot more than Duolingo but definitely try both! Great list, recommend everything on here but here’s a couple extra things I use:

      Apps

      • Pleco – Dictionary app
      • 微信读书 – Audio book app

      Youtubers

      Websites

      Anki

      • Ultimate Chinese Deck – Deck of Chinese words in order of common usage. Definitely look up example sentences and watch content after learning new words so they stick
      • MorphMan – Add-on that generates sentences for you to learn and read from
    • jazzfes@lemmy.mlOP
      3·
      3 years ago

      Hello Chinese seems pretty cool and fun. Just finished the first lesson. Is it for free or will they charge at some point?

      Also do you know who operates it? Couldn’t find too much.

      Thanks heaps for the great list :)

      • Dessalines@lemmy.ml
        2·
        3 years ago

        Its mostly free, but they do have a paid plan for extra content. Not sure who operates it.

        No probs :)

  • ghost_laptop@lemmy.ml
    5·
    3 years ago

    First I would recommend Duolingo since it’s free, you won’t be able to learn using only that, though, since they don’t teach you hanzi memorization, you go there for grammar. Then, I’ve been using LingoDeer for Japanese and I’ve to say that except for a few nitpicks it works pretty good, they teach you pronunciation, and a few other stuff that Duolingo doesn’t have, but it’s paid and I can’t talk on how the Chinese tree works. Then CharacterPop is good if you want to look for radicals, hanzi or they meanings and so on. Remembering Simplified Hanzi by James W. Heisig is a good book to go through as you practice with more tools.

    Still I feel like you would need something like WaniKani but for Chinese, which helps you remembering the hanzi, of course you can always build your own Anki deck, but it is hard to create such a good one with mnemonics, pronunciations, meanings, etc.

    On top of all that, I would strongly suggest you to go with a professor at least the first couple of classes, or until you get a hold of the pronunciation, since tones are a pain in the ass to learn by yourself.

    Also, check https://lemmy.ml/c/chinese