Learning Chinese is no more difficult than any other language. In fact, it is far easier in some ways. Grammatically, it is much easier than English. There are no verb conjugations to worry about. You need to be motivated to keep learning. It doesn't matter what your motivation is as long as it is strong enough to keep you practicing. It could be for your job, or because you have always wanted to visit China. Whatever your reason, keep it strongly in mind!

Chinese is a beautiful language full of musical tones. These tones are what give Chinese its well-known sing-song quality. They are also the most difficult part of the language to master. Before you give up, consider this: by simply repeating the sounds aloud to yourself repeatedly, you are already halfway there to mastering the most difficult part.

Understanding why the tones are important will help you. Unlike English, which has more than 12,000 syllables in it, Chinese only has about 400 different syllables. Those 400 syllables have to cover the same amount of words as the 12,000 syllables in English do. Changing the tonality of the syllables gives them multiple meanings in Chinese. For example, "ye" can mean page, also, grandpa or coconut, depending on the tonality involved. The best way to master these nuances is to speak slowly and carefully as you learn. If it works for Chinese children, it can work for you!

Find yourself a good audio program on the Chinese language. Listen to it religiously for a set time every day, repeating the sounds and words you hear. It will sink in. When you skip a day, be sure you spend time reviewing what you have already learned to refresh your memory. Listening is only part of your learning. By repeating the words aloud, you make more of an impact in your brain and you will learn the language much more quickly. Don't be embarrassed. If someone asks, tell them you're learning a new language. If they just stare at you, you can always pretend you're talking on your phone.

There are over 40 different languages spoken in China... which one should you learn? Since Mandarin is the official language in China, you can get along with it anywhere in the country. If you do business or have a personal reason for going to a specific region of China only, you might want to think of learning their dialect. For example, in Hong Kong, Cantonese is the local dialect. Another issue to think about is the local accent. Just like English is spoken with many different accents depending on where you are from, so Mandarin Chinese differs from one place to another. If possible, try to learn some of the local accent so it is easier to understand.

Finally, practice, practice, practice! Speak your lessons out loud. Find Chinese people in your area to practice with. If you can't find anyone locally, look online. There are plenty of websites that offer you the opportunity to meet Chinese that will help you learn their language if you help them learn English. If you keep this up every day, you'll be amazed at how quickly you pick up Chinese.