Mandarin Chinese 1: Chinese for Beginners Course Syllabus

Overview: This beginner-level course provides a structured introduction to Mandarin Chinese, focusing on practical communication skills for everyday situations. With approximately 10 hours of content, learners will build foundational vocabulary, master Pinyin pronunciation with tones, and gain cultural awareness. The course includes interactive exercises, video lessons, readings, and discussion prompts to reinforce learning. Designed by Shanghai Jiao Tong University, it prepares learners for real-life interactions in Chinese-speaking environments.

Module 1: Nǐ hǎo 你好 Hello! Part 1

Estimated time: 2 hours

• Learning basic greetings in Mandarin
• Introducing yourself: name and nationality
• Understanding and using Pinyin pronunciation
• Recognizing and producing Mandarin tones

Module 2: Nǐ hǎo 你好 Hello! Part 2

Estimated time: 1 hour

• Practicing conversational greetings
• Expanding self-introduction phrases
• Using polite expressions in introductions
• Reviewing Pinyin and tone accuracy

Module 3: Xiànzài jǐ diǎn 现在几点？ What’s the time? Part 1

Estimated time: 1 hour

• Learning numbers in Mandarin
• Telling time in daily contexts
• Expressing hours and minutes
• Reading and saying dates, months, and years

Module 4: Xiànzài jǐ diǎn 现在几点？ What’s the time? Part 2

Estimated time: 1 hour

• Practicing time-related questions and answers
• Using time expressions in conversation
• Reviewing number pronunciation and tones

Module 5: Nǐ mǎi shénme? 你买什么？ What do you want to buy? Part 1

Estimated time: 1 hour

• Learning vocabulary for shopping
• Asking about prices and items
• Using Mandarin expressions for buying and selling

Module 6: Nǐ mǎi shénme? 你买什么？ What do you want to buy? Part 2

Estimated time: 2 hours

• Practicing shopping dialogues
• Discussing money and currency
• Role-playing real-life shopping scenarios
• Expanding vocabulary for common goods

Module 7: Nǐ jiā yǒu jǐ kǒu rén 你家有几口人？ How many people are there in your family? Part 1

Estimated time: 1 hour

• Describing family members
• Asking about family size and relationships
• Stating occupations and ages in Mandarin

Module 8: Nǐ jiā yǒu jǐ kǒu rén 你家有几口人？ How many people are there in your family? Part 2

Estimated time: 1 hour

• Practicing family-related conversations
• Using possessive pronouns and family terms
• Reviewing vocabulary and sentence structures

Module 9: Nǐ xiǎng chī shénme? 你想吃什么？ What would you like to eat? Part 1

Estimated time: 1 hour

• Ordering food in Mandarin
• Describing food preferences
• Using common food-related vocabulary

Module 10: Nǐ xiǎng chī shénme? 你想吃什么？ What would you like to eat? Part 2

Estimated time: 1 hour

• Practicing restaurant dialogues
• Talking about meals and dishes
• Reviewing expressions for food and drink

Prerequisites

• No prior knowledge of Chinese required
• Basic English proficiency to follow instruction
• Access to audio for pronunciation practice

What You'll Be Able to Do After

• Communicate effectively in common daily situations
• Introduce yourself and ask basic personal questions
• Tell time and date accurately in Mandarin
• Shop and handle money using proper expressions
• Order food and discuss family in simple Mandarin