![]() ![]() In this case, specifically, there are several mini-units that are based on different topics (such as family, health, body parts, etc…). The way Duolingo is structured is quite similar to that of other free language learning apps on the market. What Does A Typical Duolingo Chinese Lesson Look Like? Now that we’ve briefly gone over the main differences between Chinese and English, let’s move on to analyzing how the Duolingo language learning app teaches Chinese to non-native speakers. In total, there are around 200 radicals used in Chinese and, although they can be placed anywhere inside a character, you can oftentimes find them in the leftmost part. In other words, radicals are the base components of Chinese characters and they often carry information either about the meaning or the sound of a word. In general, a radical is a semantic indicator, almost like a morpheme, but we can sometimes also find radicals that serve as phonetic components that suggest the pronunciation of a specific character. Looking deeper into the structure of a single character, you’ll find the radical, namely a graphical component that is commonly used to list Chinese characters in a dictionary. Generally, each character conveys the meaning of a word and, by combining different characters you can either obtain other words or a full sentence. The Chinese writing system is probably the first difference an English speaker notices when they approach this language.Īs we’ve previously mentioned, Chinese uses an ideographic system instead of an alphabet, therefore, it’s quite normal to feel confused at the beginning. The Written System: Characters and Radicals Basically, this means that since the verbs have no tenses, you won’t get any type of information whether the action is taking place in the present, in the past, or in the future.Īlthough this might sound confusing to the average English speaker who is used to tenses and conjugations, in practice this isn’t an awfully complicated concept it simply happens because the Chinese language relies on adding different types of particles to the sentence or the words instead of changing the basic form of the verb.Īlternatively, time expressions can also be included in order to specify the exact time of the action. Remember that a word’s meaning can change based on the tone the speaker uses to pronounce it, therefore, mastering the four tones is essential to properly learn and speak Chinese.Īnother main difference you’ll find between Chinese and English is the fact that the former doesn’t really have any verb conjugations. More specifically, Chinese has four different tones that are necessary in order to avoid any possible confusion when speaking. However, pinyin alone isn’t enough to help a non-native Chinese person properly pronounce Chinese characters in fact, a series of tones is also needed to perfectly be able to speak this language and be understood by Chinese native speakers. The standard way that is currently used to serve this purpose is the “pinyin”, a system designed by Chinese native speakers that allow English speakers to recognize and be familiar with the sounds used in the Chinese language. That’s why different systems have been created to represent the Chinese pronunciation of characters using the Latin alphabet system. Since Chinese characters, unlike most languages, are ideographic, the pronunciation of Chinese words can’t generally be derived from the characters themselves. Needless to say, Chinese pronunciation is completely different from English, therefore, how can an English speaker pronounce Chinese characters? Everything You Need to Know about Duolingo JapaneseĬhinese Is Not as Difficult as You Think! – Difficulties and Key Points of Learning Chineseīefore we begin our actual app review, let’s first see the main differences between the English language and the Chinese language.LingoDeer User Justin on Chinese Learning, Productivity and Blockchain.Learn Chinese From Zero to Advanced: 2023 Guide to Success.Typing in Chinese: How and What Programs to Use.Duolingo’s Course Does Not Match the HSK Test.Why is Duolingo NOT Good for Learning Chinese Initially? Reviews from Users.Does Duolingo Teach Chinese Characters?.How Does Duolingo Teach Pinyin and Tone?.What Does A Typical Duolingo Chinese Lesson Look Like?.The Written System: Characters and Radicals.Chinese Is Not as Difficult as You Think! – Difficulties and Key Points of Learning Chinese. ![]()
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