Of course the title is just a clickbait, it is impossible to master a language in one day, not mentioning Mandarin-Chinese is one of the hardest languages to learn in the world. But is it really that hard? You cannot improve yours in a day but can probably speak more fluently in a few months to one year. Check out Jade’s tips based on her learning experience on how to improve it!
Write as much as you can!
Even though I had full-time language courses for three semesters (roughly nine months) during my first year in Taiwan, I must admit that we usually don’t have enough vocabulary or know enough grammar structures to write a lot in the first stage of learning. But still, you can start from the very basic things, simple sentences. Before, I liked to write diary, describing what I did every day (even when it was almost the same thing - going to language class, studying in the library, taking the train home...). By doing this, I could practice and get used to thinking and expressing my thoughts in this language, not like translating word-by-word from my mother tongue.
Later, when my ability started to get better, I tried to write personal journals on more topics. Of course, my vocabulary was not enough to write about complicated topics, but I went on searching and collecting a word family of each topic and used them in my journal. It was tough in the beginning, but step by step my writing got improved, and so did my researching skills!
Compare it with your native language (applicable for Vietnamese/Korean/Japanese/Cantonese)
As far as I understand, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese and Cantonese are all from the Sinosphere culture and our languages are influenced by each other. That’s why there are so many similarities between these languages (for example, same word same meaning, different pronunciations and writings in different languages). When comparing Mandarin-Chinese with my language and finding similarities between them, I can memorize more quickly, from the words to the concepts, and easily widen my vocabulary range.
Make use of online learning tools
As a youngster who likes to use social media, I would suggest using it as a tool to learn the language. I often read online posts and articles and even follow the pages that are popular to young people in Taiwan. For online forums, I go for D-cards and PTT, which have several topics and anything you want to know here (fun fact, I once searched for instructions online to fix my Wi-Fi router and some random posts on PTT popped up and actually saved me!).
When reading the posts, I can take notes on how people write or talk, slangs or common phrases, which helps me to learn how to speak like a native and blend in more easily.
Have learning buddies
It’s very common to tell new learners of a language to make friends with native speakers. But indeed, Taiwanese friends can help you understand more, not only the language but also the culture. Sometimes, I even ask them about the phrases I learn from the internet or the uncommon things I see in daily life, and the explanation turns out satisfying every time, that inspires me to learn more.
Having other international students to accompany you during the learning process can also be a plus. I often find more fun and cultural exchange opportunities when chatting with my non-native friends about how to learn the language. It can also be a boost for motivation!
Photo: Me and my classmates back in 2016 when I took language courses in NTNU
Conclusion
As an expat living in Taiwan for more than six years, I have become more familiar with the language compared with when I just arrived in 2016. I would not say Mandarin-Chinese is easy, but it’s too hard if you practice every day and have the right strategies to approach it.
Good luck!
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