How to Learn Chinese: A Beginner's Roadmap

Learn Chinese from scratch in 6 steps: pinyin and tones, first 300 words, radicals, graded reading, speaking and review.

To learn Chinese from scratch: master pinyin and tones, build 300 common words, learn characters through radicals, then read graded stories daily.

1. Learn the sounds (2 to 4 weeks)

Start with pinyin and the four tones. Tones change meaning: mā (mother), má (hemp), mǎ (horse), mà (scold). Repeat out loud from day one.

2. Build your first 300 words

Begin with pronouns, numbers and verbs like 是 (shì, to be) and 有 (yǒu, to have). Learn them in short sentences.

3. Learn characters through radicals

Radicals are the reusable parts of characters. Learn the 25 most common ones, then handwrite your first 100 characters.

4. Read graded stories daily

Short stories at your level repeat words in context. Read with pinyin first, then hide it.

5. Speak early and review often

Use a tutor or shadow recordings. Review flashcards for 10 minutes a day, which beats two hours on Sunday.

A simple weekly plan

• Daily: 10 minutes of flashcards and one short story.
• Three times a week: 20 minutes of speaking.

Thirty focused minutes a day for a year takes most learners to comfortable conversation.

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