Your First Chinese Conversation 你好！
In just 30 minutes, discover how Chinese works, try the tones, and introduce yourself in Mandarin.
你好！
How does Chinese work?
Every Chinese word can be understood through its written form, pronunciation, and meaning.
Pinyin uses Roman letters to show Mandarin pronunciation. Characters are the written language; pinyin helps you learn how to say them.
Chinese is like LEGO
Chinese characters and words become easier to recognize when you start noticing their parts.
Every character is written using basic strokes such as horizontal, vertical, and left-falling strokes. They're assembled in different ways.
Some of the earliest Chinese characters developed from drawings or visual representations of objects.
女 (nǚ) means “woman / female” and gives a meaning clue; 马 (mǎ) means “horse” and provides a sound clue. Together they form 妈 (mā), meaning “mother”.
Clues are not guarantees: pronunciation and meaning can change over time.
Learn + person → student. Many common Mandarin words contain two characters. Familiar characters can help you recognize new words.
Mandarin uses word order and particles rather than extensive verb conjugations or grammatical number changes. It has its own grammar patterns, but you can start building sentences early.
We'll learn Simplified Chinese, used in mainland China and Singapore. Traditional Chinese is used especially in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau.
China has many regional Chinese varieties, local accents, and minority languages. We'll focus on Standard Mandarin, but you don't need to sound identical to a textbook recording.
Four tones + one neutral tone
The same syllable can sound different depending on its tone. Let's try it!
The unstressed syllable is short and light; it carries no tone mark.
From sounds to words
a
o
e
i
u
üI can introduce myself in Chinese!
Learn a few useful expressions, then try a real conversation with your teacher.
Try without reading the pinyin!
Your Chinese learning journey
We combine independent study with useful speaking practice and personalized feedback.
Preview Lesson 1 vocabulary on Quizlet. Lesson 2 is optional.
Use vocabulary in conversations, practise pronunciation, and get feedback from Yuli.
Use your personalized lesson notes, Quizlet, and optional workbook exercises.
Your lesson notes with today's useful expressions, pinyin, English, and resource links.
Explore the beginner reference and preview the vocabulary for HSK Lesson 1.
Next time: we'll start HSK Lesson 1 and build on what you've learned today.
Interested in HSK?
Explore the HSK levels, vocabulary goals, and what learners can do at each stage.
What is HSK?
HSK (Hànyǔ Shuǐpíng Kǎoshì) is a standardized test of Mandarin Chinese for non-native speakers. It also provides a structured path for developing listening, speaking, reading and writing abilities.
The vocabulary totals below follow the newer HSK 1–9 syllabus (2025 edition). Our current beginner lessons begin with the earlier HSK textbook series, so textbook lesson numbers and new exam vocabulary requirements are not identical.
| Level | Total vocabulary | What you can work towards |
|---|---|---|
| HSK 1Beginner | 300 | Understand and use basic greetings, simple questions and everyday expressions. |
| HSK 2Elementary | 500 | Communicate in familiar daily situations and exchange basic personal information. |
| HSK 3Elementary+ | 1,000 | Handle routine conversations about life, study and work, and describe experiences. |
| HSK 4Intermediate | 2,000 | Discuss a wider range of topics, describe events and explain opinions more clearly. |
| HSK 5Upper intermediate | 3,600 | Understand longer texts, discuss abstract or professional topics and express viewpoints. |
| HSK 6Advanced | 5,400 | Understand complex language and communicate fluently about varied subjects. |
| HSK 7–9Advanced band | 11,000 | Use sophisticated Chinese for academic, professional and nuanced communication; performance is assessed across levels 7, 8 and 9. |
These are approximate learning outcomes, not a guarantee of speaking proficiency from vocabulary size alone. Exam formats and implementation depend on the test session.