"It has been fun learning Mandarin with Sharon. I like her style. It will help me when I visit China next year, hopefully, to teach some of my classes."
Mashhur Anam
Mandarin Chinese course in Online.
Mandarin Chinese Lessons in Brisbane
The Chinese community is one of the biggest foreign-born groups in Brisbane. The history of Chinese immigration goes as far back as the 1860s when the first Chinese miners came to the city. However, it was in the 1970s, when the government relaxed the immigration restrictions, that the city welcomed the biggest numbers of Chinese immigrants who brought their culture, customs and traditions to Brisbane. Nowadays, the Chinese influence can be felt in many parts of the city, but especially in Sunnybank and Sunnybank Hills area, colloquially known as Brisbane’s Chinatown. On top of that, you’ll probably hear many residents speaking Mandarin Chinese, as it’s the most commonly used language in the city after English, with an estimated 52,939 speakers according to the 2016 census.
As you can imagine, if you choose to learn such a widespread language in the city, the way you experience Brisbane will change for the better. Whether you’re looking to become more employable or you want to build friendships with members of the Chinese community, learning their fascinating language is one of the best things you can do for yourself!
Why Study Mandarin Chinese in Brisbane?
Learn Mandarin Chinese for Work and Travel
Chinese is a valuable skill to have in any career. As the language with the most native speakers in the world, it’s one of the most sought-after languages by most companies, who are always looking for bilingual applicants that can help them attract potential clients in the Chinese market and improve their business relationships with big Chinese multinationals. In Brisbane, there are many job positions that are exclusive for Chinese speakers like Client Service Associate for Morgan Stanley, Customer Sales Support for Mercury Glass and Facilities Operations Specialist for Cushman.
Learning Chinese can also help you expand your business in the city, as you’ll be able to meet potential clients, employers or employees within the big Chinese local community. What’s more, by connecting to some of these people, you may be able to find job opportunities in Asia, and even move to some of the Chinese-speaking countries like Taiwan, Singapore and Macau.
Learn Mandarin Chinese for Social
If you want to immerse yourself in Chinese and other Asian cultures, you can’t miss the BrisAsia Festival in February. This amazing festival promotes Asian art, culture and cuisine across more than 50 events every year, including live performances, all sorts of workshops and talks that showcase members of these local communities. Among the festival’s highlights, The Laneway Tea Festival offers a great chance to try different teas from China and other parts of the world, as well as enjoy free classes, tea readings and fun games where you can win all sorts of prizes. Another great event that is part of the festival is BrisAsia Love Songs, a lovely way to celebrate Valentine’s day in the city at the magical Brisbane Botanical Gardens, where you and your significant other can listen to wonderful Asian songs in their original language and discover talented singers and bands. Lastly, if you love fashion and want the chance to meet some of the best Chinese designers in the area, the BrisAsia Fashion event is just what you’re looking for. This event takes place at the Fortitude Music Hall, located at 312 Brunswick Street, and it features more than twenty designers from Asian and Indigenous communities that celebrate their heritage through fashion.
Learn Mandarin Chinese for Culture
In Brisbane, you’ll find many events where you can meet native Chinese speakers that can help you take your skills to the next level. One of them is the language exchange event organized by Brisbane Chinese / English language and cultural exchange at the 3 Monkeys Coffee and Tea house, located at 58 Mollison Street. Here you’ll be able to make new friends over coffee as well as have conversations in Chinese in a casual and relaxed atmosphere. The event is completely free, but it is recommended that you buy something to eat or drink to support the cafe.
Another great way to meet new people interested in the Chinese culture is to attend the Chinese Food event held by Brisbane Foodies, a local group of food lovers that meets regularly to explore the cuisine of different cultures. In this event, you’ll be able to taste some of the most delicious traditional Chinese food at the Super Bowl Chinese Restaurant, located at 185 Wickham St.
Where to learn Mandarin Chinese in and around Brisbane?
Language learners in Brisbane can’t miss the amazing resources available at the Brisbane City Council Library, located at 266 George Street, which has one of the biggest language collections in the area. If you’re a Chinese learner, you should check out their e-book collection on their website which has many art, science and travel magazines that are great to expand your vocabulary. On top of that, if you visit one of the many library branches you can find around the city, you’ll find classic novels like The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka and Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens translated into Mandarin Chinese, which is great for advanced learners who are skilled enough to read in Mandarin and want to analyse and compare the English and Chinese versions of this classic novels.
However, as useful as these learning materials are, the best way to learn a challenging language like Chinese is with the help of a teacher. Fortunately, here at Listen & Learn we have the best native Chinese teachers that can help you develop your skills by creating a completely personalised language course just for you. All you have to do to start your journey to becoming multilingual is send us a quick enquiry now and one of our team members will get in contact with you within the next 24 hours to answer all of your questions.
The type of courses we offer:
Face-to-Face 1-to-1 (Individual) General Mandarin Chinese
These Mandarin Chinese lessons are more general in nature and are targeted at students who have a whole range of different needs. While all beginners level students can expect to cover Survival Mandarin Chinese—required for short visits to a country where English may not be spoken and/or the intention is to make good contacts with the local population—students then generally progress in different directions depending on their needs. Typical students include those buying property overseas, spouses of overseas nationals, people about to set off on that long-awaited world trip, Mandarin Chinese-culture enthusiasts and those who are keen to pass a particular Mandarin Chinese examination. Enquire now about our Mandarin Chinese Courses or Take A Free Mandarin Chinese Level Test
Face-to-Face 1-to-1 (Individual) Business Mandarin Chinese
Mandarin Chinese lessons of this type are aimed towards those that need to learn Mandarin Chinese to aid them with their employment. For those just starting out, it is integral to learn basic greetings and business etiquette. Reading and writing can be adopted once the simple precepts are out of the way. Success has come from students who are involved in the import/export business, international negotiations and acquisitions, those seeking jobs in multinational companies and those working with foreign colleagues, academia and bureaucracy. Even our most basic lesson for beginners will have the student finishing the lesson with basic telephone/e-mail skills in Mandarin Chinese, as well as survival Mandarin Chinese should a short stay in the country is needed. Enquire now about our Mandarin Chinese Courses or Take A Free Mandarin Chinese Level Test
Face-to-Face Closed (Private) Group General or Business Mandarin Chinese
If there are 2 or more of you with the same level of Mandarin Chinese, the same goals sought for the language and be able to study at the same time and location, then you'll be happy to know that these Mandarin Chinese lessons can also be made available with Two-to-One Mandarin Chinese Lessons or Small Group In-Company Mandarin Chinese Lessons. Listen & Learn does not generally recommend classes with more than 6-8 people, though Taster lessons in Mandarin Chinese can run with up to 12 people. Bookings must be made for all participants at the same time. Enquire now about our Mandarin Chinese Courses or Take A Free Mandarin Chinese Level Test
Skype, Google Meet or Zoom Online 1-to-1 (Individual) General or Business Mandarin Chinese
You and your group can be trained by our native speaker qualified Mandarin Chinese teachers and can meet at your place of work or home at a time that works best for you. Tutorials can take place any day of the week, including weekends, and can be scheduled for the morning, afternoon or evening. If your home or office is not fitting for you, you can attend the lesson at the teacher's offices. You will be provided with all relevant lesson materials. Enquire now about our Mandarin Chinese Courses or Take A Free Mandarin Chinese Level Test
Skype, Google Meet or Zoom Online Group (Closed or Open) General or Business Mandarin Chinese
If there are two or more of you with the same level of Mandarin Chinese, the same targets within the language and are able to study at the same time and location, then you'll be happy to know that these Mandarin Chinese lessons can also be made available for Two-to-One Mandarin Chinese Lessons or Small Group In-Company Mandarin Chinese Lessons. Listen & Learn does not generally recommend classes of more than 6-8 people, though Taster lessons in Mandarin Chinese can run with up to 12 people. Bookings must be made for all participants at the same time. Enquire now about our Mandarin Chinese Courses or Take A Free Mandarin Chinese Level Test
Top Tips For…
mandarin-chinese Songs
The Moon Represents My Heart- Teresa Teng
Teresa Teng was a very popular artist in the 1970s and her music is still played today throughout China, especially in karaoke bars. This is a very catchy, romantic song where the poetic persona describes the moon and its qualities, while comparing it to her loving heart. Listening to this song will help you understand cultural aspects of the language (such as the importance of Chinese New Year), which is essential to become truly fluent in Mandarin. Why not try to sing out loud and practise your pronunciation while having fun?
Listen and susbcribe here!mandarin-chinese Songs
Hide the Band – In Beijing
If you are a fan of rap and are studying Mandarin Chinese at the moment, you can combine your passions to learn new vocabulary and grammar! For example, “Hide the Band” is a song about the music world and how bands struggle to become successful, so it is a great track to get acquainted with vocabulary about music, such as singer (Gēshou), agent (Dàili rén) and microphone (Màikèfeng). The song is fast-paced and includes a lot of slang and colloquial pronunciations, so it might be best for advanced students who are already used to Chinese intonation.
Listen and susbcribe here!The Drunken Beauty- Li Yu Gang
Are you looking for a song to increase your Mandarin ability while learning more about Chinese beliefs and traditions? Then, you should not miss “The Drunken Beauty” by Li Yu Gang. This piece tells the story of a man and a woman who meet at a party and instantly fall in love with each other. You will find plenty of descriptive adjectives, as each poetic persona describes what they like in the other person. It does not include any complicated grammar structures or extravagant vocabulary, so you will be able to understand the song, even if you are just a beginner!
Listen and susbcribe here!mandarin-chinese Apps
Chinese Skill
Chinese Skill tries to cover every aspect of language learning in just one app. The activities it proposes are engaging and fun, so you can learn vocabulary, pronunciation, and other aspects of Mandarin in a meaningful way. Instead of being categorised by vocabulary items, the app’s mini-lessons are organised by level. So, if you are a beginner, you will start with the Chinese characters, an introduction to grammar rules and basic, everyday vocabulary. It also includes lessons for intermediate and advanced students, so you can take advantage of this app regardless of your proficiency.
Discover the app and practise!mandarin-chinese Apps
Chinese Pod
Podcasts are great materials with which you can develop your listening skills in a foreign language, such as Mandarin Chinese. With Chinese Pod, you will find more than a hundred podcasts organised by level or theme, so you will surely find something interesting and relevant to you and your interests. The best part is that most podcasts include a transcript in both Chinese and English, so they are suitable for everyone, even absolute beginners.
Discover the app and practise!Pleco
Have you ever needed an offline Mandarin Chinese dictionary and couldn’t find one? Pleco is what you are after. This is a great app that will provide you with definitions of the words you look up, while its premium version includes a handwriting recognizer which uses the phone’s camera to quickly translate written or printed words. And you can even use it to test your own writing accuracy. Plus, each term stored in the app is accompanied by an audio recording, so you learn how to pronounce them correctly, as well.
Discover the app and practise!Testimonials
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Philip Jarman
Mandarin Chinese in Swansea
Listen & Learn was right for me with their tailored home tuition, flexible learning, good prices and good reputation
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From our clients all over the world
APHS
Language learned: German in Brisbane.
Eni Australia
Language learned: Italian in Perth.
