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Talking to Delivery Drivers in China – Please come back later!

February 19, 2019 By Kwadwo

In part two of the Kuaidi series, we taught you how to tell the Kuaidi delivery person to leave your package at the door. But what if your package contains something really valuable and you don’t want to leave it just anywhere? Maybe it’s one of your favorite Chinese books arriving, finally! Ask him to come back after you’re off work!

Learn Mandarin Chinese, Best books to learn Chinese, Learn Chinese in China

The delivery driver calls. How do you ask him to come back once you’re home?

Watch the video, copy the phrases below and practice them later!

So the delivery guy calls while you’re at work. Because they always call when you’re at the J. O. B. Many times a delivery person is responsible for several residential areas. If they’re still around once you get home, they might stop by again–if you ask nicely.

How do you ask him to come back once you’re home?

I’m not off work yet.
我还没下班
wǒ hái méi xià bān

Can you come back after five?
五点之后能回来吗
wǔ diǎn zhī hòu néng huí lái ma

Try it out. Practice lots! Watch the video above to practice your tones!

Is learning Chinese hard?

I get a ton of emails asking me ‘how hard is it to learn Mandarin Chinese?’. The honest answer is, learning Mandarin Chinese is hard. But, if you’re learning Chinese in China you have an added advantage because I can provide you with the tools you need to communicate effectively in Mandarin Chinese.

Top three ways to learn Chinese

1. FREE guide to learning everyday Chinese!

The first thing you should check out is my eight effective ways to learn Chinese free guide. It breaks down the top ways to learn Chinese fast!

2. The best books to learn Mandarin Chinese

There are so many books which claim to help you master the Chinese language. And, most of them are a waste of money. I’ve used my 10 years experience of living in China and learning Chinese to compile a comprehensive guide of the best books to learn Chinese.

3. Weekly live streams

The most effective way to learn Chinese in China is to experience the language for yourself. I guide you through everyday situations in my live Youtube videos, helping you learn Mandarin Chinese quickly and effectively. What aspects of learning Chinese are you struggling with?

Comment below and I’ll make a video to help you overcome language barriers in China.

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Want to use the VPN I use for a stable connection in China? I use Astrill VPN when I live stream on Instagram. Their customer service, speed, and connectivity is top notch. Plus, when you download here they share some of the cost with me, so I can keep creating the videos you love.

How to pass the HSK exams without crying

January 13, 2019 By Kwadwo

How many weeks do you have before you trek to the HSK test center, sit down at a desk and prove on paper how good your Chinese is?

Hopefully, you’re not looking for a cram method, because if you are, then this isn’t the article for you.

If you have more than six weeks before your exam, wonderful! Keep reading my five-step study plan to pass your next HSK.

Step One

Buy a HSK test prep practice book. Here are the ones that I studied with:

The books featured above are all in Chinese. If that is too tricky for you to work with then try the HSK prep books featured below, they include English instructions.

Step Two

Take at least six practice tests, one each week.

Step Three

Score your test and for step four, only focus on the answers you got wrong..

Step Four

Scrutinize your wrong answers. Underline and lookup the vocabulary you’re not sure about. Flashcard each word with either paper or an app. Then start reviewing them every chance you get.

Tuttle Chinese Flashcards
Perfect for beginners: Volume One aligns with HSK 1 & 2.

Step Five

Review each wrong question with a tutor so that you understand why you answered incorrectly. For several days before you take your second practice test, review your flashcards continuously.

Review each wrong question from your HSK practice exam with a Chinese tutor. — Review each wrong question with a tutor.

Final steps
If you follow my process religiously, you should notice that your scores are improving with each consecutive practice you complete.

Once you’ve finished your 4th practice exam, it’s time to take tests with a timer. You must limited yourself to the time allotted on the actual test to simulate the pressure. And be strict with yourself. If you don’t finish a section in time, accept your lower score and move on. For the 5th and 6th practice tests, you must take the entire test in one sitting.

Here’s the good news, each HSK level has a set number of words you need to know in order to do well. Follow my method exactly and you’ll have learned all the words on the list – if you were honest when adding vocabulary to your flashcard deck.

HSK 4 study tips by Fran!

Fran is one of our lovely community members on Instagram. She was so inspired by my practical tips for passing the HSK exams that she decided to share her own. Fran is currently studying for HSK 4. Watch the video below to hear all about how to colour coordinate your tones, and remembering those rogue Chinese characters.

What HSK level am I?

Test takers who are able to pass the HSK (Level I) can understand and use very simple Chinese phrases, meet basic needs for communication and possess the ability to further their Chinese language studies.

Test takers who are able to pass the HSK (Level II) have an excellent grasp of basic Chinese and can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters.

Test takers who are able to pass the HSK (Level III) can communicate in Chinese at a basic level in their daily, academic and professional lives. They can manage most communication in Chinese when traveling in China.

Test takers who are able to pass the HSK (Level IV) can converse in Chinese on a wide range of topics and are able to communicate fluently with native Chinese speakers.

Test takers who are able to pass the HSK (Level V) can read Chinese newspapers and magazines, enjoy Chinese films and plays and give a full-length speech in Chinese.

Test takers who are able to pass the HSK (Level VI) can easily comprehend written and spoken information in Chinese and can effectively express themselves in Chinese, both orally and on paper.

Affiliate link disclaimer: If you purchase any of these books through the links found on this page a teeny bit of the cost helps me pay my bills and continue to provide you with valuable content. Hope that’s cool.

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What’s The Best Chinese Book For Beginners?

November 15, 2018 By Kwadwo

I’m an absolute beginner. Where do I even begin to learn Chinese?

Characters, pinyin, pronunciation, numbers, phrases, or grammar?

Do I need a tutor? How do I know if my tutor is teaching me the right things? Aren’t the tones hard? How am I ever going to remember this?

Slow down! Self-study is possible. If you can top-up with a tutor for exam practice and get some recommendations for simple Chinese TV shows, then you’re well on your way to victory.

You need audio if you’re a beginner so you can practice and get your pronunciation right. These both have CD’s so you can listen to local Chinese people and copy their accents.

Start with these Chinese books geared toward beginners:

Get Talking Chinese

Pros: Pictures, phrases, grammar, vocabulary, characters, audio CD, and more. Everything inside this book is pure, pretty gold. They only teach you the useful day-to-day language you need to know in China. My new favorite!!

Cons: Does this eye-candy have any drawbacks? I can’t find any flaws. Every chapter is packed with useful information.

Bottom line: Let’s call this a phrase book plus. I haven’t felt as excited about a book since Integrated Chinese and you guys know that is my all time favorite book.

Head over to Amazon to snap us this gem. Remember if you’re on the UK store it’s called Easy Peasy Chinese.

Easy Peasy Chinese

Pros: Simple everyday language for beginners. Perfect to slip in your bag and use when speaking with locals in the market, asking for directions or brushing up on your Chinese culture. The language is simple yet local, exactly what you’d expect when speaking in China.

Cons: The audio comes on a CD. Did we slip back into the 90’s when computers still had disk drives?

Bottom line: Fantastic words and phrases that you’ll actually use in everyday situations. Easy to digest chapters, bright colors, and audio, albeit it on a CD. Thumbs up from us!

Need a second opinion? Amazon likes it too. Check out their genuine reviews.

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Talking to Delivery Drivers in China – Leave it at the door!

October 8, 2018 By Kwadwo

In our previous post, we talked about how to know when it’s the Kuaidi delivery person calling. Today we’ll cover how to tell him to leave your package by your apartment door.

The Package guy calls. How do you tell him to leave it by your door?

Watch the video, copy the phrases below and practice them later!

So the package guy calls but you’re not at home and the utility closet on your floor is locked!

Good thing is, you only have two or three neighbors and they’re pretty trustworthy.

The best way to tell a delivery driver to leave your package at your door

Put the package by the front door. 包裹放在门口.

包裹 bāo guǒ package

放在 fàng zài put by

门口 mén kǒu doorway