Podcasts by You Can Learn Chinese

#77 Reading Techniques to Master Chinese from 2021-12-13T12:41:39

In this episode, John and Jared talk about something close to their hearts: reading in Chinese. They discuss the different types of reading, different techniques for advanced learners, and speci...

Listen

#76 Cantonese and the uniqueness of Chinese dialects from 2021-11-29T12:52:15

In this episode, John and Jared respond to a listener question about Cantonese, which leads to a discussion around China’s numerous dialects/languages, which are in fact “topolects.”

Guest...

Listen

#75 How to learn similar words the right way from 2021-11-15T16:31:51

In this episode John and Jared share the proper way to compare similar words, characters, sounds, and grammar points. There’s a time and a place for everything, and once you know the right way t...

Listen

#74 Improving your listening skills (Part 2 of 2) from 2021-11-01T14:55:31

John and Jared talk about three types of research-backed strategies and tips you can employ to improve your listening skills, specifically in the areas where you struggle. 

Guest inte...

Listen

#73 Improving your listening skills (Part 1 of 2) from 2021-10-18T09:32:14

Listening is one of the biggest challenges for Chinese learners. In this two part series, John and Jared talk about the most complicating factors to understanding spoken Chinese. You’ll become a...

Listen

#72 The Truth about Chinese subtitles from 2021-10-04T12:58:59

John and Jared use research to address issues related to watching movies in Chinese, with and without Chinese subtitles. Find out what the academics say and stick around for the practical advice...

Listen

#71 Colorful or clean? Swearing in Chinese from 2021-09-20T19:52:29

How do Chinese people feel about a foreigner with a potty mouth in Chinese? Are curse words worth learning? John and Jared talk about swearing in Chinese and what you should be aware of.

G...

Listen

#70 Reading the News: Do’s and Dont's from 2021-09-06T14:32:44

Reading a Chinese newspaper is a common goal for many learners, but is it the right goal for you? John and Jared talk about what you need to know about the news in Chinese, how to get started, a...

Listen

#69 The rivalry: Beijing vs. Shanghai from 2021-08-23T16:11:03

John and Jared answer a listener’s question about the rivalry between China’s two most famous cities: Shanghai and Beijing. They discuss culture, history, and language, and even provide one addi...

Listen

#68 Why is Chinese so damn hard? from 2021-08-09T16:14:28

John and Jared are going to revisit and unpack this classic question posed by Dr. David Moser three decades ago and identify what is hard about Chinese, what is easier now, and whether Chinese r...

Listen

#67 Pop-up dictionaries: Helpful or not? from 2021-07-26T15:43:13

Electronic pop-up dictionaries are all the rage! But are they really helping you improve your Chinese? John and Jared take a research-based look at the impact of pop-up dictionaries and answer t...

Listen

#66 8 Tips for Using Your Dictionary from 2021-07-12T13:05:07

A dictionary is frequently one of the first things you buy when learning a language. In this episode, John and Jared will give you tips and tricks and do’s and don’ts on Chinese dictionaries, so...

Listen

#65 Going all the way: Graduate studies in Chinese from 2021-06-28T12:23

What does it take to pursue a graduate-level degree in Chinese in China? With our resident expert, John Pasden, we’ll pull back the curtain to show you what it takes for a non-Chinese person to ...

Listen

#64 Tips and tricks for typing Chinese from 2021-06-15T13:15:05

You’ve got the basics down. Sounds like you’re ready to type Chinese! John and Jared talk about how Chinese input methods work and, for the more advanced learners, teach you tips and tricks to m...

Listen

#63 The truth about vocabulary from 2021-06-02T20:45:39

Language is words, so learn enough words and you’ll be fluent, right? As a sophisticated learner, you know it’s not that simple. In this episode, we discuss the subtleties of vocabulary learning...

Listen

#62 Make your language learning learner-centric from 2021-05-17T21:33:48

John and Jared discuss what it means to be “learner-centric” and how you can adapt your learning methods to fit your own goals. You’ll get insights into the new HSK and other standardized tests,...

Listen

#61 National Chinese Language Conference 2021 Report: Hope for all Chinese learners from 2021-05-03T16:57

Recently, Mandarin Companion participated in the 2021 National Chinese Language C...

Listen

#60 How Chinese food can help your Chinese from 2021-04-19T15:18:58

Everyone loves Chinese food, but if only there were a way to tie your love for the cuisine into progress learning the language. Well, there is! ...sort of. Tune in to learn what to do a...

Listen

#59 Bridging to Breakthrough and Abigail Washburn from 2021-04-05T16:22:25

What if you are still struggling to get to the point where you can read the lowest level graded readers? What techniques can get you there? John and Jared will discuss steps you can take to brid...

Listen

#58 Will Chinese become the next global language? from 2021-03-22T18:02:42

Will Chinese one day unseat English to become the dominant language around the world? Jared and John discuss a paper by professor Jeffery Gil who predicts that one day it will. Guest interview i...

Listen

#57 What’s in a Chinese surname? from 2021-03-08T16:07:26

You probably know a bit about Chinese surnames, but in this episode you’ll learn how they relate to both Chinese culture and language acquisition plus how they can even help you forge new relati...

Listen

#56 When should you start learning characters? from 2021-02-22T16:03:10

John and Jared unpack when you should start learning Chinese characters so you can find your own answer that might be later or earlier than you might think. Guest interview is with Adam DiFrisco...

Listen

#55 Flashcards, spaced repetition software, and building proficiency from 2021-02-08T22:53:54

John and Jared talk about flashcards and spaced repetition software, how they can help, their limits, and how to use them to build your Chinese skills. This guest interview is with Listen

#54 Putting the Drama into Chinese Class from 2021-01-25T21:38:17

John and Jared review a paper written by a professor who incorporated graded readers and theater into a Chinese class. You’ll discover why it was so effective at helping students learn and gathe...

Listen

#53 Reality vs. How You Think Your Chinese Sounds from 2021-01-11T10:00

John and Jared discuss the difference between how you think your Chinese sounds vs how it really sounds. Surprise surprise, there is a difference! John takes us through an academic paper to tell...

Listen

#52 Top 10 Stories of 2020 from 2020-12-28T10:00

In this special episode, John and Jared went back through all of the interviews of 2020 and pulled out the ten best stories.

Get ready to laugh, reflect, and possibly shed a tear as we tak...

Listen

#51 Behind-the-Scenes Making a Mandarin Companion Graded Reader from 2020-12-14T10:08:51

John and Jared give you a behind the scenes look at how they choose and adapt stories for Chinese learners like you. It’s a look into how the sausage is made! If you’ve read any of the books, or...

Listen

#50 What’s Holding You Back From Learning Chinese from 2020-11-30T10:00

What are you afraid of? John and Jared discuss the most common things that could be holding you back from learning Chinese. They offer tips on how to overcome them to achieve your dreams.

...

Listen

#49 How to Learn to Read Chinese: Bridging the Gap to Native Materials (Part 4 of 4) from 2020-11-16T10:00

Welcome to part 4 of 4 about learning how to read Chinese. This is the situation: you’ve read all the graded readers and learner content out there, and you're wondering….now what? John and Jared of...

Listen

#48 How to Learn to Read Chinese: Developing Fluency Now (Part 3 of 4) from 2020-11-02T09:00:32

Welcome to part 3 of 4 about learning how to read Chinese. In this episode, John and Jared discuss the concept of fluency now as opposed to some distant time in the future and how reading will g...

Listen

#47 How to Learn to Read Chinese: Baby Steps to Real Reading (Part 2 of 4) from 2020-10-19T09:00

Welcome to part 2 of 4 about learning how to read Chinese. In this episode, John and Jared discuss how to get into reading at an early stage, even if you don’t have anything that is low enough f...

Listen

#46 How to Learn to Read Chinese: Pinyin, Characters, Vocabulary (Part 1 of 4) from 2020-10-05T07:51:28

Welcome to part 1 of 4  about learning how to read Chinese. In this episode, John and Jared start at the beginning and talk about how to learn pinyin, characters, and vocabulary.Guest interview is ...

Listen

#45 The Perils of Taking Chinese Literally from 2020-09-21T09:00:03

John and Jared discuss a linguistic concept that you’ve probably never heard of but is pervasive throughout all languages. This will help you understand why for some things there is simply no direc...

Listen

#44 Using Chinese at Work with Kaiser Kuo from 2020-09-07T08:09:23

John and Jared discuss using Chinese in the workplace and how you can use it no matter what your level.

Guest interview is with Kaiser Kuo, a well know figure among China expats, and who,...

Listen

#43 How to Level Up Your Listening Skills from 2020-08-24T07:00:18

In this episode, you’re going to learn how to level up your Chinese listening skills. Jared and John will be sharing tips and tricks you can use no matter where you live. 

Guest interview ...

Listen

#42 How to Get a Laugh in Chinese from 2020-08-10T09:00:09

So you think you’re funny? John and Jared discuss some of the cultural differences of Chinese humor and what it takes to get your Chinese friends rolling on the floor in laughter.

Guest in...

Listen

#41 How to Use Translation to Learn Chinese from 2020-07-27T09:00:05

John & Jared discuss the role of translation in the language learning journey. When you encounter a text with many unfamiliar characters, should you open a translation app?Guest interview is with J...

Listen

#40 How to Set Goals for Learning Chinese from 2020-07-13T09:00:29

John and Jared discuss how to set language learning goals, with concrete ideas on how to break them down into achievable chunks and avoiding the trap of “I want to be fluent enough to read a Chi...

Listen

#39 The Future of Learning Chinese from 2020-06-29T07:53:34

In this special episode, guest interview is with expert Chinese teacher trainer and innovator, Terry Waltz. She’s a renegade in the Chinese language of community, championing the cause of compre...

Listen

#38 How Much Mandarin Do You Need To Speak? from 2020-06-15T09:00:19

John and Jared break down what it’s going to take if you want to get conversational in Chinese both in terms of the number of words and which ones are the most necessary. Plus, where to find the...

Listen

#37 Chinese Homestay Censorship Vampires from 2020-06-01T09:00:06

Guest interview is with John Gordon, a longtime resident of Beijing who went from English education to starring in a Children’s TV show in China. His journey shows the value of a long homestay e...

Listen

#36 How To Find The Perfect Tutor from 2020-05-18T09:00:04

What does a great tutor do differently? How often should they correct you? What should you do if you can’t afford a private tutor? John and I will give you tips and advice on how to identify a tuto...

Listen

#35 Don't Be the Girl with the Name Radiohead from 2020-05-04T08:00:44

What is in a name? In this episode, John and Jared discuss names in Chinese and how to pick out a good one so you don’t end up with a name like the Chinese girl whose English name is Radiohead.<...

Listen

#34 Pronouncing Chinese Confidently from 2020-04-20T08:00:10

This episode kicks off interviewing Jason Schuurman, an American who has spent a third of his life immersed in Chinese culture and having a blast while doing it. He’s now using technology to bri...

Listen

#33 Writing Chinese: How to Build Your Skills from 2020-04-06T09:00:10

John and Jared discuss how you can develop mad Chinese writing skills, complete with very practical activities to build those skills, either with others or by yourself. Make sure you stay tuned ...

Listen

#32 COVID-19: A Tale of Two Cities from 2020-03-23T09:00:07

John and Jared have an insightful discussion about the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the globe with an on-the-ground perspective in China and the US. John talks about the two month lockdown in Shan...

Listen

#31 Extensive Reading and the Path to Fluency from 2020-03-09T09:00:08

John and Jared talk discuss everything you wanted to know about extensive reading but were afraid to ask. After this, you’ll be able to identify why many of the traditional methods of learning a...

Listen

#30 Second Language or Foreign Language: What Type of Learner Are You? from 2020-02-24T10:00:13

In this episode, John and Jared talk about the difference between learning Chinese as a second language vs. learning as a foreign language. At first glance, they seem to be the same thing, but as y...

Listen

#29 How to Pass the HSK and AP Chinese Tests from 2020-02-10T09:06:22

Jared talks with Grant Brown, an expert on HSK and AP Chinese test prep. Grant tells us the key reasons people fail, and the secrets to passing. This is advice you won’t hear anywhere else from ...

Listen

#28 A Method to Remember Thousands of Characters from 2020-01-27T10:00:17

Do you find it hard to remember characters? We all do. In this episode, John and Jared discuss a method that has delivered results time and time again. Plus, imagine reading a Charles Dickens no...

Listen

#27 Can You Learn Chinese from a Textbook? from 2020-01-13T10:21:25

What can you realistically learn from a textbook? John and Jared discuss this question to help anyone understand how far a textbook can take you towards fluency. Plus, be ready for a surprise gu...

Listen

#26 End of Year Special from 2019-12-29T11:00:07

In this special episode, John and Jared go over the top 10 YCLC podcasts of the year, highlighting their favorite episodes and why. If you’re new to the podcast, this is a must listen to find out w...

Listen

#25 Christmas in China from 2019-12-16T10:00:07

?????! This is our special Christmas episode! John and Jared discuss Christmas is like in China, Christmas words in Chinese, and they even have a “name that tune” for some Chinese Christmas caro...

Listen

#24 The 4 Types of Tone Mistakes from 2019-12-02T11:00:29

Tones are definitely one of the challenging aspects of Chinese. In this episode, John and Jared discuss the 4 types of mistakes learners make with tones and offer tips on fixing them quickly. Listen

#23 Pinyin Over Characters: the Crippling Crutch from 2019-11-18T11:00:08

John and Jared discuss the all too common situation of pinyin over Chinese characters, something Jared sometimes refer to as the “crippling crutch”. They go into depth on why this is so common, ...

Listen

#22 Going from "Learning to Read" to "Reading to Learn" from 2019-11-04T10:00:18

John and Jared discuss some of the latest research about how we learn to read in Chinese. This episode is packed with insights that will change the way you think about learning Chinese! You'll a...

Listen

#21 How Important is Chinese Culture When Learning Chinese? from 2019-10-21T10:00:08

In this episode, John and I talk about the connection between culture and language. Just how important is a grasp of the culture to learn Chinese? In addition to a rant and a rave, we’ve got a n...

Listen

#20 Confessions of a Chinese Language Teacher from 2019-10-07T09:00:24

For this special episode, we are joined by Diane Neubauer as a special guest co-host. Diane is a Chinese teacher who first learned Chinese in college, has spent over a decade in the classroom te...

Listen

#19 How to Find Your Motivation from 2019-09-23T09:00:12

Why are you studying Chinese? It seems that everyone has a different reason, but your reason is critical to your success in learning Chinese. Jared and John discuss the importance of having a re...

Listen

#18 The Controversy Between Simplified and Traditional Characters Explained from 2019-09-09T09:00:20

How did we get two systems of Chinese characters? John and Jared discuss why we have simplified and traditional characters, how it all came about, and dissect what sometimes can be a controversi...

Listen

#17 Bridging the Gap to Higher Levels from 2019-08-26T09:00:10

There comes a point in every learners language development when there is a gap between their current level and the next level up. It’s a more pronounced gap for intermediate to advanced levels a...

Listen

#16 How to Build Listening Skills from 2019-08-12T09:00:03

A learner on Reddit expressed his frustration that he can speak, read, and write Chinese but can’t understand spoken Chinese. John and Jared discuss this learners situations, talk about reasons ...

Listen

#15 Steven Kaufmann “The Linguist” Interview from 2019-07-29T09:00:04

Have you ever tried to learn grammar? In this episode, John and Jared discuss the best ways to learn grammar and things you should avoid. You’ll find out that much of the traditional methods of...

Listen

#14 How to Pronounce Like a Pro from 2019-07-15T10:00:09

How is your pronunciation? In this podcast, John and Jared discuss Chinese pronunciation, common pitfalls, and tips on how to sound even better when you’re speaking Chinese. Learn how to pronoun...

Listen

#13 The Four Keys to Learning Chinese You Need to Know from 2019-07-01T10:00:11

Are you doing the right things to learn Chinese? In this episode, John and Jared discuss the Four Strands of language learning developed by Paul Nation, a famous researcher in vocabulary acquisi...

Listen

#12 Knowledge vs Proficiency from 2019-06-16T20:00:16

You may know a lot of Chinese, but are you proficient in it? Or maybe you’ve studied for a long time but are still unable to speak or hold a simple conversation. Jared and John discuss this as o...

Listen

#11 How to Build Reading Fluency from 2019-06-03T09:00:16

What makes a fluent reader in Chinese? To cut through the wide range of opinions on this subject, this episode delves into the research behind what makes a reader fluent and what you can do to a...

Listen

#10 The Stages of Learning Chinese from 2019-05-20T10:00:07

Jared gives a review of the 2019 National Chinese Language Conference in San Diego, California, and John & Jared discuss the different stages of learning Chinese. As usual, you’ll get a rant...

Listen

#9 Skritter CEO Jacob Gill Interview from 2019-05-06T10:00:09

Jared & John field a question from a listener asking a question pertaining to Chinese linguistics, a subject in which John just happens to have a masters degree. As usual, you’ll get a rant ...

Listen

#8 Tones, Music, and Confidence from 2019-04-22T10:05:04

Jared & John discuss everything you wanted to know about tones but were afraid to ask. They highlight why they are important, what makes them difficult, where learners usually go wrong, and ...

Listen

#7 The Myth of Learning Chinese Like a Child from 2019-04-08T10:00:03

Jared & John talk about the myth of adults learning Chinese like a child. If you think this is the best way for someone to learn, you may come away with not only a different perspective but ...

Listen

#6 Chinese Immersion: The Home Version from 2019-03-25T09:00:18

This episode is all about how to immerse yourself in the language without having to travel half way around the world. Jared and John share all sorts of tried and true tips from learners everywhe...

Listen

#5 Writing Characters: Is It Worth Your Time? from 2019-03-11T09:00:11

In this episode, we talk about a number of common questions people have about reading and writing in Chinese. We challenge the conventional wisdom that kids books in Chinese are good things to r...

Listen

#4 Chinese Language Power Struggles from 2019-02-25T10:00

In this episode, John introduces the concept of language power struggles which is when you want to practice your Chinese with a Chinese person, but they will only talk to you in English. We also...

Listen

#3 Chinese Dual Immersion: It's Been Going On Longer Than You Think from 2019-02-07T16:30

In this episode, Jared asks John how his Chinese became so good, Chinese that is so good that he once asked him the word for "puppet" and he knew it offhand.

In the US, there ar...

Listen

#2 Why Chinese is Taught the Way It Is from 2019-02-07T16:00

In this episode, John and Jared talk about why Chinese is taught the way it is, can we learn Chinese the way a child does, and how do you keep up your Chinese? You'll also get a rant and a rave....

Listen

#1 Introduction from 2019-02-04T21:58

Introduction to the podcast, getting to know Jared Turner and John Pasden, and an overview of what this podcast is all about.

What This Podcast Is

This is the very...

Listen

#1 Introduction from 2019-02-04T21:58

Introduction to the podcast, getting to know Jared Turner and John Pasden, and an overview of what this podcast is all about.

What This Podcast Is

This is the very...

Listen