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Why learn Chinese?
Chinese (Mandarin) is the most spoken language in the world by native speakers, with over 900 million. It is a tonal language written in characters rather than an alphabet, and its grammar is remarkably simple - no verb conjugations, genders, or plurals.
In the US Foreign Service Institute ranking, Chinese is a Category IV language - about 2200 class hours to professional working proficiency for English speakers. Chinese forms its own branch - learners commonly study it alongside Japanese or Korean.
The 50 most common Chinese words
Start with the words you will actually meet: learn these and you will recognize something in almost every Chinese sentence.
| # | Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 的 | duh | of |
| 2 | 我 | woh | I |
| 3 | 你 | nee | you |
| 4 | 是 | shir | be |
| 5 | 了 | luh | (completed-action particle) |
| 6 | 他 | tah | he |
| 7 | 不 | boo | not (negation) |
| 8 | 在 | dzahy | at |
| 9 | 有 | yoh | have |
| 10 | 这 | juh | this |
| 11 | 个 | guh | (measure word) |
| 12 | 好 | how | good |
| 13 | 就 | jyoh | just |
| 14 | 会 | hway | can |
| 15 | 要 | yow | want |
| 16 | 什么 | shen-muh | what |
| 17 | 说 | shwoh | say |
| 18 | 她 | tah | she |
| 19 | 想 | shyahng | want |
| 20 | 一 | ee | one |
| 21 | 很 | hun | very |
| 22 | 知道 | jir-dow | know |
| 23 | 人 | ren | people |
| 24 | 吗 | mah | (question particle) |
| 25 | 来 | lahy | come |
| 26 | 都 | doh | all |
| 27 | 去 | chyoo | go |
| 28 | 到 | dow | to |
| 29 | 那 | nah | that |
| 30 | 也 | yeh | also |
| 31 | 没有 | may-yoh | not have |
| 32 | 看 | kahn | look |
| 33 | 对 | dway | correct |
| 34 | 能 | nung | can |
| 35 | 还 | hahy | still |
| 36 | 把 | bah | (object-fronting particle) |
| 37 | 给 | gay | give |
| 38 | 上 | shahng | on |
| 39 | 和 | huh | and |
| 40 | 让 | rahng | let |
| 41 | 做 | dzwoh | do |
| 42 | 大 | dah | big |
| 43 | 里 | lee | in |
| 44 | 时候 | shir-hoh | time |
| 45 | 自己 | dzih-jee | self |
| 46 | 现在 | shyen-dzahy | now |
| 47 | 怎么 | dzen-muh | how |
| 48 | 可以 | kuh-yee | may |
| 49 | 事 | shir | thing |
| 50 | 点 | dyen | point |
Useful phrases in Chinese
- 你好 · nee HOW · Hello / Good day
- 你好吗? · nee how mah · How are you?
- 谢谢 · SYEH-syeh · Thank you
- 请 · ching · Please
- 我叫... · waw jyaow · My name is...
- ...在哪里? · ...dzai NAH-lee · Where is...?
- 再见 · dzigh-JYEN · Goodbye
- 对不起 · dway-boo-CHEE · Excuse me
- 我不明白 · waw boo ming-BYE · I don't understand
- 你能帮我吗? · nee nung bahng waw mah · Can you help me?
- 多少钱? · dwaw-shaow chyen · How much is it?
- 明天见! · ming-tyen JYEN · See you tomorrow!
Learn Chinese with comprehensive language resources
- Pronunciation
- Numbers
- Verbs and adjectives
- Frequency dictionaries
- Basic sentences
- Thematic dictionaries
- Politeness
- Idioms
Learn Chinese, wherever you are
- AI-powered spaced repetition learning system on the go
- Audio processing for pronunciation
- Creation of visual language flash cards with images
- Search for speaking practice partners
- Frequency and thematic dictionaries for any language
- Alert system with exercise reminders
- Live video and messaging to facilitate learning
Join our global Chinese learning community
Collaborate with native Chinese speakers and fellow learners: exchange messages, correct each other's cards, and practice real conversation.
Send friend requests to the speakers you click with and build your own friends list - many practice partners become real friends.
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Frequently asked questions about learning Chinese
How difficult is it to learn Chinese?
Chinese (Mandarin) has no alphabet and uses tones, which are new to English speakers, but its grammar is remarkably simple with no verb conjugation, gender, or plurals. The Foreign Service Institute rates it among the most challenging, at roughly 2,200 hours of study.
What should I learn first to reach a basic level in Chinese?
Start with the 100-500 most frequent words (free in our apps) and the thematic dictionaries most relevant to your daily life. Set clear goals and practise a few minutes every day - consistency is what produces results. Then connect with other learners to build confidence at your new basic level.
How long does it take to learn Chinese?
Most learners reach a comfortable conversational level within 18-24 months of consistent daily study. Practising vocabulary with spaced repetition and speaking regularly speeds this up considerably. About 900 million people across 3 countries speak Chinese, so you will never run short of practice partners.
How do I improve my Chinese vocabulary?
Use the spaced-repetition and flashcard systems in the app. You can set daily, weekly, or yearly goals in our mobile apps and steadily reach the vocabulary size you’re aiming for.
Is Chinese pronunciation hard?
Mandarin's four tones are the main early challenge, since they change a word's meaning, but they become natural with listening practice. The individual sounds themselves are mostly straightforward.
How do I get Free Chinese speaking practice?
Open the Practice or Friends page in the app, send practice requests, and start real conversations with other learners - don’t be shy! You can also mention that you want speaking practice when you create your account, and the platform will help match you with suitable partners.
Do I need to learn the Chinese alphabet first?
Chinese is written with characters rather than an alphabet, but the Pinyin romanization lets you start reading and pronouncing right away. On Lingocard you'll find every alphabet, with example words, free.