By Song: Mandarin Chinese Teacher, Podcast Host, Lesson Presenter
Learning Mandarin Chinese Made Easy
The way people make payments when shopping nowadays is totally different than before. Technology plays a huge part in making shopping, one of China’s national pastimes, easier and quicker than ever. Be sure you are up-to-date with the ways you...
Many companies in China have offices and operations across the country and some people need to travel often to different regions and cities. Depending on your business you might be one of such people. In which case, you’ll need to...
Most people are able to accumulate some spare money from their salaries—but just what do you do with it? Keep it in a tin under the bed? Or put it into the bank? Certain people like to make investments in...
Money makes the world go around is a popular saying, as everyone needs money to live on or save up for something special, or maybe even travel. And when it’s time to travel you might need some foreign currency; so,...
We all make decisions every day; in fact, more like every few seconds or minutes. Some are minor and may be about what to eat; some are major and may affect our income or livelihood. In the latter case it’s...
Many people like to watch the Olympic Games even if they don’t play sports themselves. Some people just like the grandeur of the ceremonies. No matter which part of the Games you like, be sure you can talk about the...
Finding somewhere to live is a basic necessity of life, but it’s not always easy as accommodation is in high demand and rent and prices are often high in the cities. It’s even harder though when you want to have...
Sometimes at work, it’s necessary to bring your teams together to have a discussion or briefing. There’s no time to write anything and it’s all fairly informal anyway. Can you stand up and give a verbal presentation and encourage your...
The world of shopping has changed forever now that almost everything can be bought on-line. Many people much refer the convenience of internet shopping, whilst others still prefer the more traditional ways of actually seeing what they are buying first....
Gift giving is an essential part of most cultures—for birthdays, wedding anniversaries or new year celebrations. Of course, some occasions seem more important than others so it’s vital to get the gift right! Learn how to talk about giving and...
The weather is such an important part of our lives. When it’s sunny and calm we are likely to be happy and joyful; when it’s cold and wet, possibly, our mood won’t be so good. Make sure you can talk...
Sometimes unavoidable accidents will happen. They may be minor where no-one is injured or major where it is necessary to call a doctor or, even, an ambulance. Talking about such occurrences will broaden your understanding of day to day conversations...
Negotiating or bargaining is an intrinsic part of life in China—and in many other places for that matter. You may talk about prices in the market or shops—or even when it comes to your monthly salary! Are you confident enough...
Sometimes we all want to change our jobs—and other times we have no choice as, maybe, the company closes down or relocates. Can you talk to your colleagues about looking for new opportunities, or what if someone offers to help...
One of the joys of Chinese food is the wide variety of flavours it can offer—yet not everybody likes the same tastes. There are those who like sweet; or sour; or sweet and sour; or bitter and so on. What...
Every culture has its differences with other cultures—it’s the way we are brought up and the social environment we live in. It’s always helpful to be aware of some of the differences with other cultures—and even better if you know...
Sometimes a dilemma will crop up and you are not quite sure of the right thing to do. If I do this, what will happen? If I do that, what are the consequences? Talking with friends about such dilemmas can,...
Music is universal throughout the world and nearly everybody loves to listen to or even play music. We might have different tastes and like different genre but it will really help if you can talk about what types of music...
Decisions, decisions. Life is full of them. Decisions such as: where and when shall I travel? What do I really want to see and do on my holiday? Who do I want to go with? Make sure you can discuss...
Now and then, most people like to play sports—helps them get some exercise and keep fit! Of course, there are team sports and individual sports but it’s not always practical just to play certain sports if there are not enough...
When things are not quite right, or when the quality of something you recently bought isn’t very good, just what do you do? You have to make a complaint, but can you manage to do this? Or can you listen...
Nothing anyone does should ever really surprise us! Yet, there are times when some news surprises us greatly—or even shocks us. Do you know how to react to comment on this type of news? Or even to be the one...
Every language uses idioms to compare and express ideas more vividly. Get learning some common idioms and sound more like a native speaker. Then try them out on some of your friends and give them a surprise how competent you...
Who doesn’t love to play games in their spare time? Even though there are so many computer games available these days, many people still like to play traditional board games such as Monopoly or even play cards. Be sure you...
Every parent wants the best for their child. Most like to plan their child’s education for them: whether studying in China or abroad. What if someone asks you about your ideas or, alternatively, you want to ask someone about their...
It’s always hard to work out your future plan as no-one can predict what’s going to happen. But at least you can try and prepare for your career by working on your education. Make sure you know how to talk...
With so many people travelling these days, it’s no surprise that’s sometimes problems arise. These may be caused by the person(s) you are travelling with or the transport itself. If you can explain the issues or listen and understand when...
As we all know, shopping is a very popular pastime in China. Bargaining is a key part of shopping, as who doesn’t love to get a bargain? Learn how to save money and find out about the strategy to get...
It’s good to keep in touch with friends and colleagues whom you may not have seen recently. Find out what they have been doing, and what news they have about themselves and their lives. Are you able to talk about...
Getting around any city in China can be a challenge. Traffic will probably be busy most of the day, especially during the morning and evening rush hours. So, what’s the best way to get around? Ensure you can discuss or...
We all like to think that we have done a good job. It may be at work when your boss compliments you, or at home when we cook something special for someone special. Make sure you know how to give...
If you are looking for a partner to date, maybe even marry, just how do you get started? Friends often like to match-make other friends as they think they know what type of man or woman is best for them....
Unfortunately, most of us have to work for a living. There again, many of us enjoy our jobs. It’s usually nice to meet other people and join together to achieve things. Can you talk about your job, or maybe ask...
We all love our memories! Every now and then we look back on things which happened to us in the past—both good and bad. It’s nice to reminisce sometimes, and great if you talk about your past experiences, plus listen...
Whether it is for long lost relatives or new boyfriends or girlfriends, sooner or later you’ll have to do some introductions. First impressions count for a lot, so it’s vital to know how to introduce people and get them comfortable...
Job interviews—almost everyone has had one at some time or another. But how do you explain about your background and achievements, and listen to and understand about what’s required in your new post? In this Podcast, you will learn: (i)...
Just what do you do when you have some spare time? If you are not going out eating, instead you can go and do some exercise such as hiking or swimming—both very popular pastimes in China. So, why not invite...
Certain colours are so much more appealing to our eyes. Quite why we like one colour more than other is very personal, but we still need to know how to talk about the variety of colours which we can see...
Numbers are a vitally important part of everyday life; for counting money, knowing how much things are in the shops or getting someone’s phone number. Often there are many ways to express numbers depending on the context so it’s essential...
Hungry? But you have nothing at home which appeals… why not call and order a takeaway? First find the number, call and find out what’s available, then make your order… can you do all this in Mandarin? In this Podcast,...
If you are out and about but not sure where your destination is, just how do you ask someone such as a passer-by or a shopkeeper for help? You don’t want to get lost so make sure you can ask...
Many people have idols or people they look up to. They may be actors or singers or someone from everyday life. If you have a favourite, be sure to know how to talk about this subject with your friend and...
Travelling outside of China has seen huge growth over the last few years—and many people are foregoing traditional group tours, although many of the older generation still prefer this way of travelling. Make sure you can explain where you want...
Everybody has to eat and drink. Sometimes when you are out you will need to choose what you want or at other times, maybe when you are on a train or plane, you will be given a limited choice. Do...
With such extensive migration within China, more than likely you’ll meet people from all over the country or very likely other foreigners. If you want to know where someone comes from or asks about your origins, be sure you can...
Sometimes it’s hard to keep a track of your possessions, especially if your mother or maid cleans or tidies your room. How do you ask where things are when you can’t seem to see them? In this Podcast, you will...
So many people seem to lose their mobile phones or other things these days, maybe leaving them is a taxi or putting somewhere they can’t recall. How do you tell someone else what has happened or work on recovering your...
With more and more people wanting to travel these days, talking about comparisons between places is inevitable. One place will be more to the liking of some, whilst another place might appeal to others. It might be the food or...
It goes without saying that everyone in the world has a birthday and different people have different ways to mark this milestone. Some love to keep the event low-key. whilst others love to celebrate in a big way! Whichever way...
Watching films is a very popular pastime in China, and everyone has their favourite type. Some people like action films, whilst others like romantic films. Then there are comedies and science fiction films to enjoy… learn how to let someone...