Diploma in Basic Chinese Language Studies

In this free online Diploma in Basic Chinese Language Studies course you will learn the basics of written and spoken Mandarin Chinese. Modern China is playing an increasingly influential role in the world's political, financial and economic spheres, and with Mandarin Chinese being spoken by over one billion people within China and the Chinese diaspora it makes learning Chinese, even the basics, increasingly important. The course starts with a brief overview of the language, its dialects and a brief look at pronunciation through the use of Pinyin. You will also learn about the formation of the written Chinese characters and the formation of words. For learners whose native languages use the Roman or Latin alphabets it is critical that you become familiar with Pinyin which is used to transcribe Chinese sounds into the Roman or Latin alphabets you are accustomed to. You will learn how to greet people and introduce yourself, say what you do and where you are from. You will also learn how to talk about your family and friends as well as you hobbies and interests. Practicalities such as using public transport and asking directions are covered along with ordering food in a café or restaurant, asking for information when shopping and checking into and out of a hotel. Words and phrases are presented via audio, Chinese script, Pinyin and English to facilitate learning. The content is also broken down into key terms and vocabulary. The video clips are accompanied by a transcript and translation with key cultural and grammatical points being highlighted and explained. This free online Diploma in Basic Chinese Language Studies course will be of great interest to anybody wanting to travel to China, either as a tourist or in a professional capacity, business people who have regular contact with Chinese colleagues and for any learner who has an interest in speaking or reading Chinese.

To qualify for your official ALISON Diploma, Certificate or PDF you must study and complete all modules and score 80% or more in each of the course assessments. A link to your Diploma certificate will then appear under the My Certificates heading of your My Account page.

Having studied this course learner will be able to: - Understand the basic dialects and prevalence to the Chinese language; - Become familiar with the basics of pronunciation of Mandarin Chinese through the use of Pinyin; - Gain a core knowledge of the core sounds in spoken Chinese, the sound of the 6 Chinese vowels (also known as finals) and the sound the 36 Chinese consonants (known as initials); - Understand how characters are formed in written Chinese, and how the words are composed as well as the different styles of writing; - Meet and greet people, introducing yourself, and say what you do or what you are studying; - Describe your family in more detail, from their age to the year the person were born and the number of siblings, aunts and uncles to where they live and work; - Request a table in a café or restaurant, order food and drink and ask for the bill and pay; - Phone a hotel and make a reservation, check in and provide some ID and check out and pay the account; - Use basic Chinese to ask for directions, take a bus and ask for a specific stop, get a taxi, give the driver directions and pay the fare; - Use basic Chinese to inquire about train times and reserve tickets as well as asking about local places of interest; - Talk about hobbies and interest, what sport you like and how good you are; - Make plans to meet friends and talk about vacation plans, including the Chinese festivals and other holidays.