x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

You Can Learn Chinese

Learn HOW to learn Chinese with hosts Jared Turner and John Pasden. You will learn tips, strategies, and insights so you can supercharge your language learning. You will also be inspired by guest interviews with people from all over the world who have learned Chinese. Both Jared and John both learned Chinese, lived in China for many years, and have worked with learners all over the world and understand the unique challenges that Chinese learners face. They stay at the forefront of language learning

education language learning

All Episodes

01:01:10

#71 Colorful or clean? Swearing in Chinese

You Can Learn Chinese ·

2021/09/20

How do Chinese people feel about a foreigner with a potty mouth in Chinese? Are curse words worth learning? John and Jared talk about swearing in Chinese and what you should be aware of. Guest interview is with Ashleigh Au, who combined her language skills and life experiences to create career opportunities that otherwise would have been unobtainable. Links from the episode:Swearing in a foreign language is the first step to fluency… [Note: Clickbait title]Profanity: Types by Purpose

en-us

01:01:09

#70 Reading the News: Do’s and Dont's

You Can Learn Chinese ·

2021/09/06

Reading a Chinese newspaper is a common goal for many learners, but is it the right goal for you? John and Jared talk about what you need to know about the news in Chinese, how to get started, and the options available to you. Guest interview is with Michael Berry, a professor at UCLA who specializes in Chinese literature, cinema, and pop culture. Links from the episode:The Chairman’s Bao (simplified news stories)ARC: Advanced Readings in Chinese (free Substack newsletter)Michael Berry professor

en-us

01:07:40

#69 The rivalry: Beijing vs. Shanghai

You Can Learn Chinese ·

2021/08/23

John and Jared answer a listener’s question about the rivalry between China’s two most famous cities: Shanghai and Beijing. They discuss culture, history, and language, and even provide one additional view from a mystery correspondent! The guest interview is with William White, a professional simultaneous interpreter in Chinese with decades of experience and stories. Links from the episode:“What are the differences between Shanghai and Beijing?” (Quora.com)“Shanghai vs. Beijing”

en-us

01:05:10

#68 Why is Chinese so damn hard?

You Can Learn Chinese ·

2021/08/09

John and Jared are going to revisit and unpack this classic question posed by Dr. David Moser three decades ago and identify what is hard about Chinese, what is easier now, and whether Chinese really is harder than other languages. The guest interview is with Sarah Kutulakos, a lifetime Chinese learner and the executive director at the Canada China Business Council. Links from the episode:Why Chinese Is So Damn Hard, by Dr. David MoserWhy Learning Chinese Is Hard (Sinosplice)The Princess Bride:

en-us

00:58:24

#67 Pop-up dictionaries: Helpful or not?

You Can Learn Chinese ·

2021/07/26

Electronic pop-up dictionaries are all the rage! But are they really helping you improve your Chinese? John and Jared take a research-based look at the impact of pop-up dictionaries and answer the question “Can you really click your way to fluency?” The guest interview is with Chris Max, a famous YouTuber you’ve likely never heard of because his videos are in Chinese and made for Chinese audiences. This is a rerun interview from January 2020. Links from the episode:Research paper: Reading

en-us

00:57:56

#66 8 Tips for Using Your Dictionary

You Can Learn Chinese ·

2021/07/12

A dictionary is frequently one of the first things you buy when learning a language. In this episode, John and Jared will give you tips and tricks and do’s and don’ts on Chinese dictionaries, so you can get the most out of them for your learning gain. The guest interview is with Matt Coss, a Chinese-language educator and Ph.D. candidate who is helping to craft the future of Chinese education. Links from the episode:Interagency Language Roundtable Language Skill Level DescriptionsPleco Chinese

en-us

00:59:17

#65 Going all the way: Graduate studies in Chinese

You Can Learn Chinese ·

2021/06/28

What does it take to pursue a graduate-level degree in Chinese in China? With our resident expert, John Pasden, we’ll pull back the curtain to show you what it takes for a non-Chinese person to get admitted into an all-Chinese university program and what studying in China at a graduate level is like. This guest interview is with Tom Connelly, a multilingual worldwide adventurer who is channeling his passion into teaching others the Chinese language. He’s currently working on a master’s degree at

en-us

00:47:29

#64 Tips and tricks for typing Chinese

You Can Learn Chinese ·

2021/06/15

You’ve got the basics down. Sounds like you’re ready to type Chinese! John and Jared talk about how Chinese input methods work and, for the more advanced learners, teach you tips and tricks to make Chinese input less painful and time-consuming. Interview is with Suzy Williams who learned Chinese fully immersed in Taiwan while serving as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Links from the episode:Chinese Input Methods (Hacking Chinese)Mandarin Companion graded readers

en-us

00:48:03

#63 The truth about vocabulary

You Can Learn Chinese ·

2021/06/02

Language is words, so learn enough words and you’ll be fluent, right? As a sophisticated learner, you know it’s not that simple. In this episode, we discuss the subtleties of vocabulary learning, how it is (and isn’t) like Legos, what “high-frequency” means, and how to apply all of this to your studies. The guest interview is with Mischa Wilmers from England. For all of you who wanted to learn Chinese during lockdown, Mischa did it and shares how he achieved proficiency with little interaction with

en-us

01:00:14

#62 Make your language learning learner-centric

You Can Learn Chinese ·

2021/05/17

John and Jared discuss what it means to be “learner-centric” and how you can adapt your learning methods to fit your own goals. You’ll get insights into the new HSK and other standardized tests, ACTFL’s “Can-Do” statements, and Mandarin Companion standards. These are all things you can use right away! The guest interview is with Robin MacPherson, a highly enthusiastic polyglot who speaks eight languages and documents his language learning on YouTube. Links from the episode:Why I’m a Fan of

en-us

00:59:10

#61 National Chinese Language Conference 2021 Report:...

You Can Learn Chinese ·

2021/05/03

Recently, Mandarin Companion participated in the 2021 National Chinese Language Conference (NCLC), and the topics discussed provided quite a bit of insight into what is in store for the future of Chinese learning, since methods applied in schools trickles down to affect all learners. Spoiler alert: the future is bright! Guest interview with Jonathan Becker, a college student who was placed into his Universities intermediate Chinese level after just 4 months of learning all due to, yep, you guessed

en-us

01:04:15

#60 How Chinese food can help your Chinese

You Can Learn Chinese ·

2021/04/19

Everyone loves Chinese food, but if only there were a way to tie your love for the cuisine into progress learning the language. Well, there is! ...sort of. Tune in to learn what to do and what not to do so that your stomach stays full as your Mandarin levels up. Guest interview with James Wong who, despite a severe hearing disability, worked hard to overcome the odds and made impressive progress towards learning Chinese. Prepare to be inspired by James’ journey. Links from the episode:You Can

en-us

01:13:02

#59 Bridging to Breakthrough and Abigail Washburn

You Can Learn Chinese ·

2021/04/05

What if you are still struggling to get to the point where you can read the lowest level graded readers? What techniques can get you there? John and Jared will discuss steps you can take to bridge the gap to real reading and also begin to experience the snowball effect of reading in Chinese. Guest interview is with Abigail Washburn, a Grammy Award winning bluegrass musician, whose plans to attend law school in Beijing were derailed by a record deal. Links from the episode:How to Learn to Read

en-us

01:01:59

#58 Will Chinese become the next global language?

You Can Learn Chinese ·

2021/03/22

Will Chinese one day unseat English to become the dominant language around the world? Jared and John discuss a paper by professor Jeffery Gil who predicts that one day it will. Guest interview is with Amani Core who provides a philosophical perspective on how Chinese shapes our view of humanity. Links from the episode:“Chinese to Rise as a Global Language” by Jeffery GilThese Violent Delights by Chloe Gong (Amazon) Thanks for listening to the podcast! Please write John and Jared a review on Apple

en-us

00:56:11

#57 What’s in a Chinese surname?

You Can Learn Chinese ·

2021/03/08

You probably know a bit about Chinese surnames, but in this episode you’ll learn how they relate to both Chinese culture and language acquisition plus how they can even help you forge new relationships in Chinese. Guest interview is with Chris Marquis (of the China Corner Office podcast), business professor from Cornell University specializing in China, who has been using Chinese all across China for years as part of his research. Links from the episode:The Top 100 Chinese Surnames

en-us

01:04:06

#56 When should you start learning characters?

You Can Learn Chinese ·

2021/02/22

John and Jared unpack when you should start learning Chinese characters so you can find your own answer that might be later or earlier than you might think. Guest interview is with Adam DiFrisco who found the courage to make huge life changing decisions that brought him to China. Links from the episode:Chinese Grammar Wiki Book: Upper IntermediateMandarin Companion grammar points on the Chinese Grammar WikiCharacter-based Sign LanguageLearning Chinese via Twitch - Wired Speak Chinese With Me

en-us

01:05:13

#55 Flashcards, spaced repetition software, and...

You Can Learn Chinese ·

2021/02/08

John and Jared talk about flashcards and spaced repetition software, how they can help, their limits, and how to use them to build your Chinese skills. This guest interview is with Mandarin Blueprint cofounder Luke Neale, who felt the call of Chinese pulling him back to China, changing his life forever. Links from the episode: SRS flashcards: Pros and cons – Sinosplice Jekyll and Hyde – level 2 graded reader uNoGS.com – Netflix movie finder for other languages Mandarin Companion

en-us

00:51:57

#54 Putting the Drama into Chinese Class

You Can Learn Chinese ·

2021/01/25

Review of a paper written by a professor who incorporated graded readers and theater into a Chinese class. Interview with Denis Suslov from Russia.

en-us

00:45:37

#53 Reality vs. How You Think Your Chinese Sounds

You Can Learn Chinese ·

2021/01/11

John and Jared discuss the difference between how you think your Chinese sounds vs how it really sounds. Surprise surprise, there is a difference! John takes us through an academic paper to tell you which tones you should prioritize to make yourself understood more clearly. Guest interview is with Linda Yi, creator of Panda Cub stories and a heritage speaker who spent years trying to fit in before fully embracing her cultural identity. Although they have an advantage in learning Chinese, heritage

en-us

00:51:47

#52 Top 10 Stories of 2020

You Can Learn Chinese ·

2020/12/28

In this special episode, John and Jared went back through all of the interviews of 2020 and pulled out the ten best stories. Get ready to laugh, reflect, and possibly shed a tear as we take a trip down memory lane. These stories show how learning Chinese can open doors in all aspects of your life, bringing unexpected and cherished connections… ...except the story about pooping in a bag. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Thanks for listening to our podcast! Please write us a review on Apple

en-us

171 results

Similar Podcasts

Science Talk

Albert Einstein College of Medicine

五分钟心理学

柠檬心理

Daily Facts

Amalia Dupray and Montgomery Jones.

Les dents et dodo

BFMTV

Veterinary Clinical Podcasts

The Royal Veterinary College