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Chinese

Learn modern standard Mandarin through pronunciation, Pinyin, characters, everyday language patterns, and practical communication.

For: Learners at any starting point, from beginners to returning students.

After this page you can: Choose a suitable learning route and practise connecting Mandarin sounds, writing, and everyday communication.

Page reviewed

Part of: Language

About Chinese

Chinese covers many written and spoken traditions; this hub narrows its scope to modern standard Mandarin and beginner-to-intermediate language learning. MIT’s introductory Chinese course describes its subject as modern standard Chinese, commonly called Mandarin, and includes pronunciation, Pinyin, reading and writing, and practical everyday conversation.

Study by moving between listening and speaking, Pinyin and characters, and short exchanges using everyday words and sentence patterns. MIT’s foundation materials include Pinyin, tones, pronunciation, character lessons, grammar topics, and dialogue practice. The course sequence is also offered for self-instruction and review. Choose a route that fits whether you need a foundation, a review, or focused writing practice.

Start here

route

I’m new to Mandarin

Start with MIT’s first Chinese course, which is designed for learners with no prior language background and covers pronunciation, Pinyin, literacy, and simple conversations.

Start with: Chinese I (Regular)

route

I’m returning to study

Use the foundation course sequence to review earlier material or continue through its beginning-to-intermediate levels.

Start with: Learning Chinese: A Foundation Course in Mandarin

route

I want to focus on writing

Explore character composition, brush practice, and reflection through MIT’s project-based Chinese calligraphy course.

Start with: Chinese Calligraphy

Learn the foundations

1.Build a foundation in pronunciation and PinyinMIT’s foundation materials introduce Pinyin through syllables, tones, initial consonants, and rhymes, with audio and practice.

MIT’s foundation materials introduce Pinyin through syllables, tones, initial consonants, and rhymes, with audio and practice.

Pinyin

A romanization used to represent Mandarin sounds.

Tone

A pitch contour associated with Mandarin pronunciation.

Try it

From the Pinyin overview, name two sound topics to practise and one way to check them.

Practise tones and initial consonants, then use the accompanying audio to check your listening and speaking.

2.Connect characters with writing practiceMIT’s foundation textbook pairs character lessons with stroke-order materials and includes writing practice.

MIT’s foundation textbook pairs character lessons with stroke-order materials and includes writing practice.

Try it

Choose a character from a lesson and practise it once by hand, following the linked stroke-order material.

A useful practice record is the character, the stroke sequence you followed, and one point you want to improve on the next attempt.

3.Learn words and language patterns in contextThe foundation sequence groups vocabulary and grammar topics with everyday situations, such as greetings, names, locations, and ordering in a restaurant.

The foundation sequence groups vocabulary and grammar topics with everyday situations, such as greetings, names, locations, and ordering in a restaurant.

Vocabulary

The words and expressions studied for understanding and communication.

Language pattern

A recurring way of combining words to express a meaning.

Try it

Pick one everyday situation in the foundation textbook and note one word or language pattern that would help you take part.

For an airport dialogue, I would collect the words and patterns used in that situation and practise them in a short exchange.

4.Practise listening and conversationMIT’s course objectives include simple practical conversations, and its foundation materials pair dialogue topics with audio recordings.

MIT’s course objectives include simple practical conversations, and its foundation materials pair dialogue topics with audio recordings.

Dialogue

A spoken exchange between people, used in these materials for practising situations and language.

Listening practice

Practice using spoken recordings to recognize and understand language.

Try it

Choose a dialogue with audio, listen once, and write down the situation and one phrase you recognized.

A model response could note that the dialogue is about asking directions and record one phrase that was clear on the first listen.

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Books

Glossary

Every free Chinese course and book on RedLectern

Free Chinese online courses

  1. Chinese CalligraphyMIT 21G.111 · Browse materials · Video
  2. Chinese I (Regular)MIT 21G.101 · Browse materials · Video
  3. Chinese I (Streamlined)MIT 21G.107 · Browse materials · Video
  4. Chinese II (Regular)MIT 21G.102 · Browse materials
  5. Chinese II (Streamlined)MIT 21G.108 · Browse materials
  6. Chinese III (Regular)MIT 21G.103 · Browse materials
  7. Chinese IV (Regular)MIT 21G.104 · Browse materials
  8. Chinese IV (Streamlined)MIT 21G.110 · Browse materials
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  1. Chinese V (Regular): Chinese Cultures & SocietyMIT 21G.105 · Browse materials
  2. Chinese VI (Regular): Discovering Chinese Cultures and SocietiesMIT 21G.106 · Browse materials
  3. Chinese III (Streamlined)MIT 21G.109 · Open on OCW
  4. Chinese VI (Streamlined)MIT 21G.114 · Open on OCW
  5. Learning Chinese: A Foundation Course in Mandarin (汉语基础教材)MIT RES.21G-003 · Open on OCW
  6. Project-Based Language Learning for Chinese II (Streamlined)MIT RES.21G-108 · Open on OCW
How these courses are chosen

Listed as Chinese courses: every course with the “Chinese” topic tag.

Free Chinese textbooks and books

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