Are you looking to learn Chinese but not sure where to start? Look no further! In this article, we’ll introduce you to some of the best beginner books for learning Chinese.
These books are specifically designed for those who are just starting out with the language and offer a structured approach to learning the basics.
With a mix of grammar explanations, exercises, and cultural insights, these books are the perfect resource for anyone looking to learn Chinese the right way.
So, let’s get started on your Chinese language journey today!
2000 Most Common Chinese Words in Context by Lingo Mastery
“2000 Most Common Chinese Words in Context” is a book that helps learners of Mandarin Chinese expand their vocabulary.
The book includes a list of 2000 of the most common words in Chinese, along with translations and example sentences in both Chinese and English.
It also includes tips and tricks for improving language learning, as well as a detailed introduction and conclusion.
According to a study, learning the top 2000 most frequently used words enables a person to understand up to 84% of non-fiction literature, 86.1% of fiction literature, and 92.7% of oral speech.
This book is suitable for those who have been trying to learn Chinese, feel like they are not making progress with their current methods, or want to learn the language more quickly without taking shortcuts.
Fundamentals of Chinese Characters by John Jing-hua Yin
“Fundamentals of Chinese Characters” is a book that helps students learn how to recognize and write Chinese characters.
It explains the connections between the shapes and meanings of basic Chinese characters and is organized based on the regularity of the characters rather than in the sequence that is often used to teach spoken Chinese.
This book can be used alongside a Chinese language course at the elementary level and includes interactive exercises, rhymes, and illustrations to make learning Chinese characters enjoyable.
The goal of this book is to help students learn to read and write Chinese characters before they learn to speak Chinese.
Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar by Qin Xue Herzberg, Larry Herzberg
“Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar” This book is designed to help you learn Chinese language skills. It covers topics such as word order, time, nouns, verbs, adjectives, and how to use verbs and adverbs correctly.
The book is easy to follow and is meant to help you quickly learn and become more confident in your Chinese language abilities.
The authors, Qin Xue Herzberg and Larry Herzberg are both experts in the Chinese language and have taught it for many years.
They have also written other books about China and the Chinese language, including the China Survival Guide and Chinese Proverbs and Popular Sayings.
This book can be used to supplement a Chinese language course or to help you prepare for tests or travel.
Beyond the Basics by Jianhua Bai
“Beyond the Basics” is a book that helps people learn more advanced Chinese language skills.
It covers topics such as grammar, sentence structure, and vocabulary, and is designed for people who have already learned some Chinese and want to improve their skills.
The book is written by Jianhua Bai, an expert in Chinese language education. It is organized in a clear and easy-to-follow way, with plenty of examples and exercises to help readers practice and apply what they have learned.
Overall, Beyond the Basics is a helpful resource for anyone looking to take their Chinese language skills to the next level.
Chinese Made Easier by Martin Symonds, Tian Haohao
“Chinese Made Easier” This book is a Chinese language textbook that is designed to help people learn practical vocabulary and grammar skills that are useful for everyday communication in China.
The content of each lesson is focused on topics that are relevant to daily life, and the grammar explanations are kept simple and easy to understand.
The book also includes activities related to each lesson’s topic, as well as a gradual introduction to reading and writing Chinese characters.
The book covers ten lessons, including topics such as introducing yourself, the classroom, the post office, the market, and getting public transportation.
It also includes a list of English-Chinese vocabulary and a list of hints for studying.
500 Common Chinese Idioms by Liwei Jiao, Cornelius C. Kubler, Weiguo Zhang
“500 Common Chinese Idioms” is a book that provides a comprehensive overview of 500 commonly used Chinese idioms, along with explanations and examples of their usage.
The idioms are organized by frequency of use, with the most common idioms appearing first.
Each idiom is accompanied by an explanation of its meaning, as well as example sentences demonstrating how it is used in context.
The book also includes cultural notes and cross-references to other idioms with similar meanings.
Overall, this book is an essential resource for anyone interested in learning more about Chinese idioms and how they are used in the Chinese language.
Chinese Short Stories for Beginners by My Daily Chinese
“Chinese Short Stories for Beginners” This book is designed to help people improve their Chinese language skills, specifically their listening, reading, and pronunciation abilities.
The book includes 30 short stories in Chinese, along with audio recordings of a native Chinese speaker and English translations.
The stories are designed to help readers gain new vocabulary and familiarize themselves with a range of grammar structures that they can use in everyday communication.
By listening to the audio recordings and comparing them to the written stories, readers can work on their pronunciation and improve their listening comprehension.
Overall, the book is intended to help readers improve their reading fluency in Chinese as quickly and naturally as possible.
Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar by Claudia Ross, Jing-heng Sheng Ma
“Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar” is a comprehensive overview of the grammar of Mandarin Chinese.
It is divided into two parts: Part A covers traditional grammatical categories such as phrase order, nouns, verbs, and specifiers, while Part B is organized around language functions and notions such as communication strategies, making comparisons, giving and seeking information, and expressing apologies, regrets, and sympathies.
The book includes examples of simplified characters, traditional characters, and romanization (pinyin), clear explanations, and a focus on contemporary usage.
It also includes chapters on the aspect, resultative verbs, directional verbs, and “ba” sentences.
This book is suitable for learners of Mandarin Chinese at all levels, from elementary to advanced, and does not assume any prior knowledge of grammatical terminology. It includes a glossary of grammatical terms.
Niubi! by Eveline Chao
“Niubi!” is a book that teaches readers how to use colorful vernacular phrases in Mandarin Chinese, including slang, swear words, and insults.
These phrases are used by Chinese people in a variety of situations, such as flirting and dating, fighting and partying, and everyday life.
The book includes anecdotes, cultural lessons, and explanations of the context in which these phrases are used.
It is suitable for complete beginners, intermediate students of Mandarin Chinese, or anyone who enjoys learning how to curse in other languages.
The book is illustrated and intended to be a helpful resource for those planning a trip to China, interacting with Chinese people online, or wanting to understand Chinese slang and insults.
Colloquial Chinese by Qian Kan
“Colloquial Chinese” is a book that teaches the Chinese language to beginners. The book is written in a clear, practical style and is designed to help learners gradually improve their speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills.
It covers a wide range of grammar points and includes exercises for practice, as well as dialogues that cover a variety of real-life situations.
The book also includes helpful cultural information about China, as well as an overview of the sounds of Chinese.
The book is suitable for both independent learners and students taking Chinese language courses. It does not require any prior knowledge of Chinese.
Easy Peasy Chinese by DK
“Easy Peasy Chinese” is a book and audio app that teaches Mandarin Chinese to beginners. The book is aimed at children aged 8 and up but is also suitable for adults who want to learn the language.
It covers basic vocabulary and grammar and includes exercises and cultural information to help learners improve their skills.
The accompanying audio app helps with pronunciation and helps learners get used to the Mandarin tones.
The book teaches learners how to read, write, and speak Mandarin and includes more than 200 of the most frequently used Chinese characters.
It also covers Pinyin, a system that spells out Chinese characters using Roman letters. The book is designed to be fun and easy to use, with bold illustrations and photographs. It is intended to help beginners get started with learning Mandarin Chinese.
I found it! by Katrina Liu
I found it! is a children’s book that helps kids learn Chinese vocabulary through interactive scenes.
It is written in Traditional Chinese, Pinyin, and English and includes 12 different scenes with names of various objects and thought-provoking questions.
The book also includes a free audio reading in Mandarin to help with pronunciation. It is available in both Traditional and Simplified Chinese.
The book is intended for non-native speakers and parents who want to help their children learn a second language.
Learning a second language can have many benefits for kids, such as improving problem-solving skills, critical thinking, listening skills, memory, concentration, and the ability to multitask.
All of the books by Katrina Liu are designed to be easy for beginners to learn from and include large Chinese characters with Pinyin and English for support.
Integrated Chinese by Yuehua Liu
Integrated Chinese is a course that helps people learn Mandarin Chinese. It includes materials like textbooks and digital resources that are designed to be effective for teaching and learning the language.
It is very popular in the United States and other countries. The Workbook has been updated to meet the needs of modern learners and includes exercises that focus on core language skills like listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
It also includes exercises to help with idiomatic language, cultural literacy, and listening comprehension.
The Workbook includes audio for listening exercises and visuals to help students answer in Chinese.
It also includes realia to present language in context and exercises to help with pronunciation and recognition of Chinese characters.
There are also activities to help students build proficiency and communication strategies and review units to test progress.
Learn Mandarin Chinese with Paul Noble by Collins
This language learning program is a non-traditional approach that does not involve books or memorization.
It is designed for people who have struggled to learn Chinese in the past, those who think they are not good at learning languages, or those who do not have time or interest in studying from a textbook.
The program offers one-on-one lessons from Paul and native Mandarin Chinese speakers, and the lessons can be taken at the student’s own pace.
The program focuses on teaching real Chinese and how to use new vocabulary, rather than set phrases or lists of vocabulary.
It is a more in-depth course for those who want to improve their language skills, with over 12 hours of audio and a written revision guide to help reinforce learning.
Learn Mandarin Chinese by Collins Dictionaries
This Audiobook is designed to help people learn Chinese by listening to keywords and phrases, then repeating and practicing them.
The program covers topics that are important for everyday life in China, such as home life, work and school, shopping, food and drink, sports and leisure, transportation, technology, and the environment.
The program aims to represent modern Chinese culture and enhance the learner’s experience of China and its people, including food and drink, customs, celebrations, and festivals. The program is meant to be a relaxed and enjoyable way to learn Chinese.
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