How Do I Self-Study Pinyin in 5 Hours？
Why Is It Important to Learn Pinyin?
The journey into Mandarin typically commences with the acquisition of Pinyin, whether you're embarking on Chinese as a second language or it's your native tongue.
For children commencing their first-grade adventure in China, Pinyin is their inaugural lesson in Chinese class.
In structured group settings like high school or college, mastering all the Pinyin sounds might generally require 4 weeks.
In this article, we will unveil a self-learning approach that enables you to grasp the fundamentals of Pinyin in just a matter of hours.
Please bear in mind that honing your pronunciation could demand more time and practice. Consider this guide as a swift launchpad for your exciting journey into Chinese learning.
Step 1: Your First Pinyin Reading Assignments
Read what Wikipedia says about Pinyin. It’s a lengthy article but will help you understand the origin, history, and significance of Pinyin.
Pinyin spelling rules: Read this MIT article on how to spell Pinyin. This is the only (and best) guide you will need in understanding how to write Pinyin properly. Our take on spelling: Don’t worry too much about where to put the tone marks. In real life, people write characters, not Pinyin.
Estimated time to finish: 60 minutes
Step 2: Watch Pinyin Learning Videos
Watch this video first. In this 5-minute video, you will be learning all the Pinyins we have in Mandarin. Tips: It’s always a good idea to refresh your memory by re-watching the video.
Watch this 2-minute video to learn a little bit more history of Pinyin. Pinyin is a rather recent invention of linguists. There were other ways of spelling out the Chinese characters before the birth of Pinyin if you’d like to dig more into the history.
Download the Pinyin chart. Put it on your wall. Make it your desktop screen background.
Step 4: Practice, Practice, and Practice
The key to success is always hard work.
Use this website to perfect your hearing and speaking. They have a complete Pinyin chart with audio! You can also use this website for audio.
Estimated time to finish: Use 1-2 hours every week (for at least 8 weeks) to study the sounds.
Step 5: Download Pleco on Your Phone
Pleco is the best Chinese-English dictionary. Period. Every experienced Chinese language learner has Pleco downloaded on their phone. You can use Pleco to look up words by using Pinyin only.
Estimated time to finish: 2 minutes
Last But Not Least
Mastering Pinyin is a gradual journey that requires patience. Achieving fluency in the Chinese language is no quick feat either. If you find yourself struggling with pronunciation during your initial months of learning, know that you're in good company.
Don't be disheartened by the occasional blunders, mispronunciations, or even moments of embarrassment in the early stages of your language journey. These hiccups are an integral part of the learning process.
In fact, making a plethora of mistakes and embracing vulnerability from the get-go can be an advantage. So, keep practicing, but do so with a sense of ease. Remember, progress takes time, and you'll undoubtedly reach your goals.
This article was written by Tian Zhou.