Why Learn Mandarin?
Mandarin is “too hard” to learn, right? Despite this widely-held belief, millions of people are studying Mandarin Chinese as a second language.
But if it’s so hard, why bother to learn Mandarin?
IS MANDARIN DIFFICULT?
There is no doubt that written Chinese is difficult to learn – even for the Chinese! But the spoken language is a different kettle of fish.
In many ways, Mandarin Chinese is much easier to learn than European languages.
Here are some features which make Mandarin easy:
no subject/verb agreement
no plurals
no conjugations
no tenses
simple numbering system which is applied to dates and time expressions
simple conditional sentences
simple prepositions
WHY LEARN MANDARIN?
So Mandarin is easy, but why learn it? The number one reason is that Mandarin Chinese is the most widely-spoken language in the world. Learn to speak Mandarin and you can speak with millions of people around the world. More reasons:
Business - Business people who speak Mandarin have a huge advantage in tapping into the Chinese market. It is much easier to develop all-important relationships if you can speak Mandarin.
Travel - China and Taiwan offer exciting travel opportunities. Getting around is much easier if you can speak Mandarin.
Culture - With thousands of years of history, Chinese culture is endlessly fascinating. Whether your interests are in history, architecture, music, or cuisine, a knowledge of Mandarin will enrich your understanding of Chinese culture.
CHINESE CHARACTERS
The Chinese writing system is quite a challenge, but this is another reason to learn it! Despite its difficulty, learning to read and write Chinese will give you a lifetime of intellectual stimulation. The real beauty of the language is revealed in the writing. There are thousands of Chinese characters, but they are not randomly constructed.
There is a system to their design, and understanding that system makes it much easier to learn new characters.
So take the challenge and learn Mandarin Chinese! It is your ticket to a lifetime of reward.
