大家好,
Do you remember when you started learning Chinese and everything was new and exciting and you just wanted to learn as much as you could. We've all been there.
But sometimes we get stuck there.
When I started learning Chinese in 2019, I wanted to learn everything all at once as fast as possible. I would try to remember 20 plus words per day and trace out each character.
But this didn't last long…
After 2 or 3 days I got overwhelmed. The words start piling up. I couldn't keep track of all the characters and I ended up feeling defeated and unmotivated and giving up.
Learning Chinese or any language is not about cramming as much vocabulary as you can.
To learn Chinese, work smarter not harder. Here are three strategies that helped me learn through in Chinese the smarter way.
BTW I’m helping a few students to getting conversational quick with personalized feedback. Message me if you’re interested.
Stop Trying to Learn Everything at Once
The biggest mistake I see beginner learners make is that they try to do too much. They try to learn everything all at once.
They don't pace themselves.
While it may be tempting to dive headfirst into a sea of vocabulary and grammar rules, this approach often leads to burnout and frustration.
If you try to learn everything all at once, you'll learn nothing. If you focus your learning, you learn deeper and you remember more of what you learn.
As a result you stay more consistent and you don't give up.
So the first step is breaking this mental habit. It's tempting to do more but don't burn yourself out.
If you need help message me and I'll help you come up with a study plan.
2. Learn Practical Topics
Instead of fixating on mastering the entire Chinese language, focus on practical goals that you can use in your daily life.
Whether it's ordering coffee at a local café, navigating a grocery store, or starting a basic conversation with a native speaker, setting tangible objectives will give your learning purpose and direction.
Not only will this keep you motivated, but it will also allow you to see tangible progress along the way.
For example, if your goal is to order coffee at a local café, focus on learning relevant phrases and vocabulary related to ordering food and drinks.
Practice saying phrases like "我要一杯咖啡" (Wǒ yào yī bēi kāfēi - I want a cup of coffee) or "请问,这个有没有糖?" (Qǐngwèn, zhège yǒu méiyǒu táng? - Excuse me, does this have sugar?).
By mastering key phrases, you'll feel more confident to engage in real-life conversations.
I show you how to learn from practical resources online for free in the Copy Paste Course.
Role-play with language exchanges common scenarios, such as ordering food at a restaurant or asking for directions, to simulate real-life situations.
This hands-on approach is how I help learners apply what you've learned in a practical and meaningful way. If you're looking for help, just message me.
3. Set realistic goals
When it comes to vocabulary acquisition, quality trumps quantity.
Rather than trying to memorize dozens of new words each day, I recommend to focus on mastering a single word or phrase deeply.
This is how I built up a deep reservoir of vocabulary, by learning one word or phrase deeply every day.
Take the time to understand its nuances, practice using it in different contexts, and review it regularly.
By honing in on one concept at a time, you'll develop a stronger foundation and build confidence in your language skills.
It's better to learn one word 20 times in 20 different contexts than to learn 20 words superficially.
This will not only make the material more digestible but also help you retain it better in the long run.
Create a "word of the day" challenge for yourself, where you focus on learning and mastering one new word each day. Incorporate the word into your daily conversations, writing exercises, and journal entries to reinforce your understanding and retention.
The key is using the same word in different contexts. This adds repetition and review everytime you encounter the word again but slightly differently, which enhances your memory.
Going forward
To recap, learning is a marathon and you need to pace yourself with a plan.
Don't try to learn everything
Focus on practical topics
Set realistic goals
I’m helping a few students this month coming up with a smarter study plan to get conversational quick. Message me if you need help.
循序渐进,
Danyo
PS Here are some other ways I can help you level up your Chinese:
Copy Paste Speaking Course: The system I used to conversational, improve my listening and speak like native speakers
Language Learner OS: This is a digital system to help organize your language studies, track vocabulary, build connections, stay productive, and learn faster!
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