Learn Chinese With Leading Apps In 2024!
By J Maver
January 10, 2024 • Fact checked by Dumb Little Man
In 2024, there are lots of leading apps that you can learn Chinese with. You can use these apps on your phone, tablet, or laptop and enjoy the benefits of learning how to speak Mandarin in a fun and interactive way.
Image from Timothée Gidenne on Unsplash
Check out this review blog post for more information about what’s available now.
Learn the Chinese Language
Learning a new language is always an exciting endeavor. Chinese can be one of the most difficult languages to learn, but it can also be one of the most rewarding. There are many different dialects and writing systems that come from China.
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Chinese has over 1 billion speakers, making it the world’s largest spoken language and second-largest written language in terms of the number of people who speak or read in it.
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The characters for Chinese look like intricate drawings when you first see them, but they actually represent sounds in words rather than spelling out word meanings with letters as we do in English. In this post, we have compiled a review list of some of our favorite Chinese learning apps.
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1.Pimsleur To Learn Chinese
Pimsleur is one of the best apps to learn Chinese that you can find. With this software, users utilize audio-based lessons in order to learn Chinese. The content consists of 30 different modules which allow you to learn about a variety of topics and themes including Chinese culture, food, travel, and traditions. This makes it easy for new students to learn Chinese and get excited about what they are learning.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT PIMSLEUR
2. HelloChinese To Learn Chinese
HelloChinese is arguably the most popular platform available today for anyone who wants to initiate learning Mandarin or Cantonese quickly without paying exorbitant amounts of money to private tutors.
It provides all the features and courses needed by a beginner as well as advanced speakers to learn Chinese. Innovative options such as instant translation into your understandable language and sentence building help you learn how to converse business almost naturally in Mandarin or Cantonese.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT HELLOCHINESE
3. Ninchanese To Learn Chinese
This platform to learn Chinese covers the basics of writing Chinese pinyin characters as well as the usage of particles and vocabulary. It also has many more options for learning vocabulary including flashcards, pinyin character lists, and quizzes. This boosts the user experience to learn Chinese.
This software to learn Chinese is perfect for those who are looking for an easy way to start understanding different parts of Mandarin or Cantonese grammar. Made by French entrepreneurs (David Grigorian, Arthur Papineau & Benjamin Vigier), this software aims at making it easier for people around the world to learn different languages in a fun way with intuitive methods.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT NINCHANESE
4.HSKOnline to Learn Chinese
HSK is a standard test that’s used in China to test the Chinese language abilities of non-native speakers. HSK online is a platform to learn Chinese for non-native speakers that are looking to prepare for this test, but it’s also great if you just want a fun way to brush up on your Chinese skills. This platform to learn Chinese will help you learn how to read and write as well as understand more complex concepts like sentence formation and tones.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT HSKONLINE
5.HelloTalk to Learn Chinese
This platform to learn Chinese is only available for Android users, but they have a large community of Mandarin learners so it can be a lot of fun. HelloTalk contains different methods that allow users to communicate with native speakers in real-time situations while still getting corrections when they make errors or mistakes within their speech.
It’s not a good option for beginners, but it is very useful if you’re looking to chat with native speakers and make friends offline.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT HELLOTALK
6.HiNative To Learn Chinese
This platform to learn Chinese allows Chinese learners to connect with natives of different regions in order to correct each other’s grammar and vocabulary mistakes. It has over 300,000 users from 180 different countries around the world that you can interact with, making it a great language tool for learning how to converse business in Mandarin or Cantonese well.
The course to learn Chinese also offers translation services when needed in order to take your Chinese pronunciation, listening, and spoken language skills even further than before. HiNative was created by two top-level Domain Name System engineers from Microsoft (Max Lytvyn & John Boncz) as well as their friend who had already become an expert in translation (Huibin Chu).
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT HINATIVE
7.Pleco
This is a dictionary app that will be very useful when you are first starting to learn Chinese. Pleco allows you to download different dictionaries for different dialects, including Mandarin, Cantonese, and Taiwanese.
You can also add your own notes to each of the entries inside of Pleco to learn Chinese. This makes it easy for you to remember how certain words should be pronounced as well as any additional information that might come in handy during a conversation.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT PLECO
8.ChinesePod: Learn with Lessons & Podcasts
With the help of this incredibly popular learning software to learn Chinese, users have access to hundreds of lessons and podcasts covering a wide variety of topics related to the Chinese language.
In addition to having different apps available for both Android and iOS users, there is also a web-based version of ChinesePod to learn Chinese if you don’t want to go through the trouble of installing software into your device.
This makes it easier than ever to initiate learning Chinese on practically any type of gadget.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT CHINESEPOD
9.Chinese Grammar Wiki
Although this language learning tool to learn Chinese isn’t actually an app, it is still a very helpful resource for anyone who wants to learn how to converse business in Mandarin or Cantonese. The Chinese Grammar Wiki is designed like an encyclopedia that contains information about grammar rules from basic sentence structures all the way up to advanced dialects.
There are over 130 different categories covering everything from word order and verb conjugations all the way to Chinese slang and idioms to learn Chinese. After reading Chinese through this wiki you will have a much better understanding of Mandarin, making it easier to navigate on your language learning adventure.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT CHINESE GRAMMAR
10.italki: The Best Way To Learn Chinese Language Without Books Or Classes
Italki is an online community that allows you to connect with other people who are also interested in learning the same language as you are to learn the Chinese Language. It can be a great option to learn Chinese if you want to practice speaking Chinese with natives while getting corrections for any mistakes that you’re making along the way.
This platform to learn Chinese characters online brings together speakers from more than 2,000 different countries around the world so there are plenty of people who are willing to help out when needed. With over 1 million users total using italki to learn Chinese, there are plenty of people that you can connect with. It also has a rating system for each individual language instructor so you’ll know if they’re going to be good or not before making any commitments.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT ITALKI
11.Speechling For Learning Chinese Language
This platform to learn Chinese characters is great for beginners who want to learn how Chinese characters fit together in order to form words and sentences. In addition, Speechling will help you practice Chinese pronunciation skills as well as listening to Chinese skills by playing different sound clips from Chinese speakers all around the world.
You just have to pick out one of eight different pinyin characters from a field of more than 1,000 words and the platform will automatically play different audio recordings until it finds one that matches up with the word you picked. You can then easily access definitions and audio for each of the words that you’re looking up in a matter of seconds.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT SPEECHLING
12.TutorMing To Learn Chinese Language
Using TutorMing, you will be able to practice speaking the Chinese language/characters as well as writing the Chinese language/characters by connecting with Chinese speakers from China who are more than willing to help out whenever possible.
You can also take advantage of its Text Chat feature that allows you to have conversations through text so it is very easy to learn Chinese language grammar rules on a time schedule that works best for your personal lifestyle.
There are also other handy tools built into this system such as character recognition and intelligent feedback which makes it easier than ever for those learning Chinese characters and their Chinese vocabulary at the same time.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT TUTORMING
13.Outlier Linguistics Languages Learning Platform
This is an excellent tool for anyone who wants to hone their Chinese characters speaking and listening skills without relying on a Chinese teacher all of the time.
Unlike many of the other apps listed above, this one will go over important language concepts related to verbs, nouns, pronunciation, and even Chinese grammar rules you won’t find in any textbooks.
It’s hard to imagine finding an easier way to learn traditional Chinese Mandarin or Cantonese than using Outlier Linguistics Languages because it organizes your learning process into very digestible chunks that are easy to follow along with at home or away from your computer.
It also offers Chinese language immersion videos which allow you to actually hear how Chinese people speak business in China or Hong Kong instead of just relying on text translations.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT OUTLIER LINGUISTICS
14.Memrise: The Best Site To Learn Chinese Characters
This is another great platform for beginners who are still in the early stages of learning how to speak Mandarin Chinese as well as Cantonese.
It will walk you through each of the 100 most basic characters used in mainland China or Hong Kong so you’ll be able to read, write and even memorize how they sound when spoken out loud.
While you’re practicing the characters, courses on this platform will also test your knowledge and make sure you’ve mastered each of them. It can be a lot of fun to see how fast you can memorize 100 Chinese characters the way Chinese learn in both simplified and traditional Chinese culture writing styles. The course will help English Speakers to hone their basic life skills, add new words plus tones to your vocals and help you out in your business if you deal with Mandarin speakers of Chine frequently.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT MEMRISE
15.Clozemaster: Practicing Chinese Characters
If you’re looking for courses that will help you improve your memory and ability to recall words, phrases, and sentences in a matter of seconds, then Clozemaster is definitely the way to go. It can be used by anyone who wants to learn more about Chinese characters as well as vocabulary at the same time.
You can even use it when you’re away from your computer so it makes learning more convenient than ever. These courses also let you choose from a variety of different ways to study like using flashcards or just answering questions related to pictures. You should see noticeable results within a few weeks of beginning to use this platform regularly. It will let you learn the way the Chinese learn their official language and chinese characters.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT CLOZEMASTER
16.Anki: Memorization Software That Will Make You Fluent
Anki is another great software option for anyone who wants to learn Chinese. It’s a lot like using flashcards but it will automatically track any progress you make as well as how much time you spend studying every day. This often translates into faster learning results over the long run, even when used in conjunction with other apps that focus on Chinese language learning and memory retention.
This course will help you learn Chinese characters of the Official language tones of China, which in turn will ease your life if you have business with China.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT ANKI
17.WordSwing For Learning Chinese
This platform is great for vocabulary building and memorization when learning how to do your speak, read or listen business in Mandarin Chinese, the official language of China.
It comes with an estimated 2,000 words/characters that are broken into 15 different categories which include grammar, verbs, sentences, and phrases.
Each word entry will also explain the pronunciation of each of the Chinese characters as well as give you some sample sentences so that you can get a better feel for how they fit together in a specific sentence structure.
This is one of the best apps for mastering your compound words in Mandarin Chinese so it’s something worth checking out if this is your main area of weakness in terms of your business of speaking the Chinese language/characters fluently.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT WORDSWING
18.Skritter For Simplified Chinese
If you’re going to be trying to learn Mandarin Chinese from a native tutor or from one of the online Chinese language courses, then this is one of the best software out there that can help with your simplified Chinese vocabulary of new words, characters, writing, vocal tones learning.
Skritter actually courses that uses flashcards and mnemonics in order to memorize over 2,000 Chinese characters which will allow you to remember them much quicker than if you were learning words on your own.
Courses also come with audio pronunciation for each character so it makes the entire process easier as well while allowing you to continue taking notes and flashcards without having to switch back and forth between multiple screens.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT SKRITTER
19.The Chairman’s Bao (Cantonese)
This is a very sleek looking platform that provides some excellent information on Cantonese literacy along with some useful factoids about different things related to Chinese culture that many people don’t know about. It also provides a ton of popular phrases that are commonly used in the Chinese-speaking world so it’s a great tool for students who want to learn Mandarin Chinese or Cantonese but aren’t sure how to go about doing it.
The Chairman’s Bao is an excellent resource for any student looking to improve their Chinese language skills or anyone else who wants to learn more about the Chinese language whether they’re taking a class or simply trying to teach themselves from scratch.
This Chinese learning platform is designed specifically for those wanting to find out more information on Cantonese along with being able to listen and speak as fluently as possible before, during, and after traveling overseas. All of the dialogues come directly from actual conversations which makes them easy enough for students to follow along without getting confused or lost while trying to use the information inside.
The platform also provides you with more than 250 flashcards that can help you learn important sentence structure as well as vocabulary for common phrases used when traveling in China or Hong Kong. It’s an ideal way for students to pick up a new language in life, especially those who want to improve their Chinese listening skills and Chinese characters’ speaking abilities before going overseas.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT THE CHAIRMAN’S BAO
20.Du Chinese (Mandarin Chinese)
Du Chinese is a great resource for anyone who wants to improve their listening comprehension skills in Mandarin Chinese online. The program is widely regarded as one of the best options for English speakers for learning Mandarin Chinese listening exercises because it will teach you how to pick up on individual characters and phrases of Chinese that are hard to understand if you’re trying to listen to Chinese without a specific purpose in mind.
Without Du Chinese, it can be easy to get lost or distracted while listening to numerous videos on Chinese online about various topics which often means missing out on important details that can help you later down the road.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT DU CHINESE
21. Udemy
There are tons of great courses available on Udemy for learning Chinese.
For instance course “Chinese language for beginners: Mandarin Chinese HSK1-HSK3” is intended for new learners, and will introduce you to Mandarin Chinese basics.
This course contains 25.5 hours of on-demand video explaining the most useful words and facts you need to know. It has got great reviews and contains short videos from a 20-30 minute span.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT UDEMY
Conclusion
In the future, you may not need to take a class or hire a tutor. With mobile apps and software platforms, it’s possible that anyone will be able to learn Chinese on their own with no help from others. And best of all, many of these resources are free!
The wide variety of options available means there is an option for every budget and skill level—so find one that suits your needs today so you can start learning this incredibly useful language in 2024!
Image from 五玄土 ORIENTO on Unsplash
After reviewing all of the above products, in my personal experience, I found Pimsleur as one of the best apps for learning Chinese. The Pimsleur learner is able to grasp intuitively and comfortably in spite of his or her linguistic shortcomings with comparative ease. Additionally, Pimsleur is relatively inexpensive when compared to other alternatives which may be out of reach for some people. You can hear what natives sound like and repeat after them with their proprietary flashcard system. Pimsleur learners also benefit from better retention than traditional methods or language immersion programs because of the amount of repetition embedded in the lessons. Trust me on this one folk; I have tried them all. While Pimsleur isn’t free, it is worth mentioning that it’s one of the best programs on iTunes to learn a language and comes with many different benefits including scientific research backing up its effectiveness.
J Maver
Passionate in tech, software and gadgets. I enjoy reviewing and comparing products & services, uncovering new trends and digging up little known products that deserve an audience.