Learning Chinese, one skill that will benefit students for a lifetime.

Why learn Chinese?

China, the second largest economy in the world, is also one of the largest trading partners of the United States. A number of multi-national and US based companies do large scale business with Chinese companies within China as well as elsewhere.

In today's age of globalization learning Chinese opens the doors to a world of opportunities. A business professional fluent in Chinese will be in great demand in the near future. A number of international organizations and companies will seek to hire people who speak Chinese along with English. If one is seeking a career on the international sphere, China with its huge market share offers a viable career scope.

How easy is it to learn Chinese?

However the going is not all that easy when it comes to mastering the language. The script proves to be tough to recollect due to the large number of characters. According to estimates there are over 50,000 characters that have been used in the script; one reason why the written form is more difficult as compared to the spoken form.

Another significant challenge is the tonal system. Words in the Chinese language change in meaning corresponding to the change in tone something which is a bit difficult to grasp for English speakers. The standard Mandarin Chinese language recognizes 4 basic tones.

The Pinyin system of transcribing some of the basic Mandarin Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet helps the beginner student to pick the language quickly. However the student will need to take extra efforts if one wishes to advance to the higher levels.

Grammar though is not as complicated as that of the European languages and can be easily learnt by kids who are quite adept at learning new languages. There are no complex rules about subject and verb agreement neither are there any about plurals, conjugations or tenses.

Where can I learn Chinese?

Learning Chinese is not that difficult as there are several ways for aspiring students wishing to learn Chinese as a second language. Language schools, self help textbooks and CDs all can help in providing the student with the required material for learning. The student would need to take the required efforts to apply the knowledge learned in various ways whether for speaking, listening, writing, reading or conversing.   

Online Chinese learning

Online language schools are a new option available for students that facilitates learning Chinese by way of web applications. The method is gaining popularity as it’s quite convenient and effective. Students get to learn the language using innovative means of learning and aids like whiteboard, video and audio clips, webcams, instant messaging, headphones making the process more interactive and fun filled.

Courses for everyone

Most online schools also offer a variety of courses tailor made to suit the learning goals and requirements of students. Online courses are designed for everyone, business people, tourists, students interested in learning Chinese as a career option, kids, students who want to improve their writing or conversation skills or those who wish to study the art and culture of this ancient civilization.

People from all walks of life can avail of the option of learning Chinese online and reap the benefits for a lifetime.