Chinese for Absolute Beginners

Chinese for Absolute Beginners is a comprehensive language course designed for learners with no prior knowledge of Mandarin Chinese. Whether you're interested in traveling to China, conducting business with Chinese partners, or simply want to explore a new language and culture, this course will provide you with the foundational skills needed to communicate effectively in Mandarin Chinese.

The course is offered in a hybrid format. You can enjoy engaging weekly in-person sessions, coupled with the freedom to choose online learning, either partially or entirely. This approach ensures that participants have the flexibility they need to tailor their language-learning journey to their unique preferences and schedules.

In-person classes are conducted by Asialink's China Capability and Langauge Centre (CCLC) at University of Melbourne's Parkville campus, and are streamed for online attendees.

Through a combination of interactive lessons, practical exercises, and cultural insights, you will learn basic vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and essential phrases for everyday communication. Using Standard Course HSK 1 as a basis, this comprehensive course will interlace all key language macro skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking, with cultural and historical context and knowledge, providing the fundamentals for real-life communication using the language. By the end of the course, you will have developed skills to engage in simple conversations, introduce yourself, ask and answer questions, and navigate common Chinese cultural situations. In addition, you will have confidence in accurately pronouncing Chinese words, and recognise and write over 30 Chinese characters. 

For queries, or if you are interested in Chinese language courses at an intermediate or advanced level, please use the below form.