How I learned Mandarin in 6 months *self-taught at home*

If you're interested in learning more from me about how to self-study Mandarin Chinese to fluency, check out this link to hear more: www.izzysealey.com/mandarin-e... 🇨🇳
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❤️ After 6 months of self-studying Mandarin at home in lockdown, I passed my HSK 4 exam with 99% and can hold a basic conversation with a native speaker. My Chinese is currently at an intermediate level - it's far from perfect and I have a LOT left to learn, but here's an overview of how I planned my studying and the resources I'd most recommend! :) I hope this helps you with your Chinese learning journey, and please let me know in the comments if you'd like more language learning content as I have lots more ideas to share if you're interested! :)
» Mandarin Resources 🇨🇳
Want to learn how to quickly pick up
Mandarin if you already speak Cantonese? Check out the Canto to Mando
Blueprint Course here! 👉www.thecmblueprint.com/izzy
Use code “izzysealey” for a 5% discount!
🗣 italki - get $10 free credits with this link: www.italki.com/en/affshare?re...
» Connect with me 🔗
💻 Website/Newsletter - www.izzysealey.com/
🧡 Patreon (where you can download my exact Chinese learning resources) - / izzysealey
📸 Instagram - / izzysealey
🐦 Twitter - / izzysealey
🎧 Spotify (audio-only versions of my videos) - podcasters.spotify.com/pod/sh...
»🎬 Part-Time KZbinr Academy (how I got my start as a KZbinr): ptya.samcart.com/referral/IKj...
» Gear ⚙️
📷 Camera: geni.us/wBKcp (Amazon)
🎤 Microphone: geni.us/pS38 (Amazon)
🎙 Podcast Mic: geni.us/XJXM2M (Amazon)
☀️ Sunrise Alarm: geni.us/ZIgi6p (Amazon)
🎶 Where I get my music (get a 30-day free trial): share.epidemicsound.com/nlt45q
Resources mentioned 💡
FSI (Foreign Service Institute)
My favourite Chinese Textbooks:
- 1. geni.us/rQyfZBL (Amazon)
- 2. geni.us/4fAYBEW (Amazon)
- 3. geni.us/C273c0 (Amazon)
- 4. geni.us/IRTZ (Amazon) , geni.us/B3RBhHX (Amazon)
My favourite Chinese Workbooks:
- 1. geni.us/Ek9OjKp (Amazon)
- 2. geni.us/U3N2 (Amazon)
- 3. geni.us/wsLnmM0 (Amazon)
- 4. geni.us/ABgYs (Amazon) , geni.us/tCM0QO (Amazon)
Anki Decks:
- Hanping Chinese HSK Deck: ankiweb.net/shared/info/19076...
- Spoonfed Chinese Deck: ankiweb.net/shared/info/53920083
- Spoonfed Chinese "Premium" Deck: promagma.gumroad.com/l/IEmpwF
italki Community: www.italki.com/community/
Language Exchange Website: language.exchange/
Language Learning with Netflix (LLN) - now known as Language Reactor: www.languagereactor.com/
Timestamps ⏱️
00:00 Intro
01:31 Planning your process & motivations
01:59 Define your goals
03:01 1. HSK Standard Course Books: how I used them
04:40 2. Anki Decks & Chinese Dictionaries
05:50 3. Language Buddies
06:32 4. Comprehensible Inputs
» Gear ⚙️
📷 Camera: geni.us/wBKcp (Amazon)
🎤 Microphone: geni.us/pS38 (Amazon)
🎙 Podcast Mic: geni.us/XJXM2M (Amazon)
☀️ Sunrise Alarm: geni.us/ZIgi6p (Amazon)
🎶 Where I get my music (get a 30-day free trial): share.epidemicsound.com/nlt45q
🎶 Music by Naomi - Osaka - thmatc.co/?l=2CAF834E
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Sub count: 43
P.S. some of the links in this description are affiliate links that help support the channel at no extra cost to you. Thank you for the support! :)

[@mohammeddaddi8989]

I'm currently working as an interpreter, assistant, coordinator or( whatever you can call it) in a Chinese company here, when I first took this position my Chinese was really basic and after few 2 or 3 months I just couldn't believe how I became fluent and can handle any kind of conversations especially those related to my job,, I remember when I met the lawyer of the company for the first time I really couldn't translate anything to my Chinese manager cuz simply I didn't know any words about law, so my strategy was picking a topic per week and try to find all the words that are related to it and practice them , such as accounting, law, trade, construction, cuz that's what I really need for my job.

[@cynthianad]

So glad I found your comment, I'll use your advice. Thank you for sharing

[@pash111]

Thanks for sharing, the fact that you can adapt so well is really cool.

[@user-wq2wj2ph8m]

Wow great method!

[@cyrhounk9702]

加油z

[@vain3940]

你好厉害，加油

[@marcyssnow4018]

if anyone was interested about her pace studying new words (to set yourself goals if want to get similar result or whatever): half year is 24 weeks hsk 4 is 1200 words 1200:24=50 new words per week

[@Viluuuu_]

Wow😲 really impressive!!

[@ayi3455]

I started to learn in 2017, after 2 yeras, I only got Hsk-3 in October 2019 ... !!

[@farihay3365]

@@ayi3455 Nice progress👍🏻Where are you learning from?

[@ayi3455]

@@farihay3365 I took a basic course in 2017, started to learn Pinyin, etc. I watched YT channels, made notes .. in 2019 I took an upper-basic / intermediate course every Saturday until level-3. I got Hsk-3 in October .. when I wanted to continue to level-4 in 2020, the pandemi broke out, no more classes, only Online courses, and I don't like it. now I just listen to YT channels after then.

[@farihay3365]

@@ayi3455 So you took proper classes as well. I started self studying 中文 in December 2019 because of my interest in Chinese songs/dramas. Yes YT is a great source of learning the language.After completing HSK 3, are you able to comprehend the simple sentences because there are many ways to say a single sentence using different words plus the normal speed at which they are speaking?

[@saxmaniac6321]

After 10 months’ learning Mandarin with weekly online lessons and some language exchange, I’m really happy to say I’m now speaking Mandarin in my dreams. As a jazz saxophonist, reaching this stage in learning jazz theory was a fantastic milestone…means I’m getting somewhere 🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@ayah3222]

Can you please tell me where did you find those online classes ? And is it for free? And btw congratulations for learning a whole new language in just 10 months, thats really impressive good job 👏🏻👏🏻

[@zvezdoblyat]

I can't believe I never made the connection... I once watched a Korean drama for 2 days straight. Just 2 days of hearing mostly Korean. I had dreams in fluent Korean for the next 2 days despite not having studied speaking Korean. It was awesome!

[@saxmaniac6321]

@@ayah3222 I found my online teachers here on KZbin 👩🏻‍🏫 Not free - $20 per hour lesson 😊🎷

[@peilinjiang6107]

​@@saxmaniac6321i also teach Mandarin, i teach at 14$/hr

[@peilinjiang6107]

​@@ayah3222-im a mandarin teacher, rate is 14$/ hour

[@samd1824]

Great work Izzy. I get this bitter sweet feeling from watching you. I also studied mandarin when I was younger and have wanted to do similar videos to yours but just never had the self confidence to get out there and do it. Love the content you are making

[@MattAgustin]

Wow oh wow. Absolutely loved learning about your journey here, Izzy! Sitting down right now to make sure I have my reasons "why" for language learning. Also, thanks for the transparency of how much you were focusing on it each day because it can be so easy to see others do something and really not realize how much they put into it 🙌🏾

[@IzzySealey]

Wow thank you so much Matt, so happy to hear this added value in some way!! 🙌 ❤️ haha yes, I've gone back to my "motivations to learn" list so many times over the course of learning Mandarin 😂

[@Merkabah1.614]

Your so helpful and generous. Taking your own time and using it to help others speak Mandarin. Thanks for doing what you do and being very good at it. I've just started learning Mandarin and I find it easier than some of the European languages. Patience and perseverance are key. Love, thanks and gratitude Thomas 💫

[@tazmandavies2598]

Congrats on attaining a high level of mandarin in just 6 months! Very inspirational and great study tips. I lived in China for one year before I was able to pass HSK 4 (94%). I’d recommend many of the same resources to anyone who’s learning mandarin - guided HSK textbooks, Pleco, language partner, Chinesepod, Peppa Pig. :)

[@yanzi8543]

Wow, i did HSK 3 but after 2-3 years. I didn't always learn with the same consistency though. When out of china I was actually practicing more theory than when I was there.

[@wayvislife]

Omg peppa pig I never thought of that but thank you for the idea

[@ukamakacyriacus4833]

Thanks for Pegga Pig. Love learning with cartoons too. I checked out Pegga Pig and it's so good.

[@spiritsplice]

She is lying dummy.

[@hayleybarbara1589]

Anki is a MUST. or any other ssr system.

[@adrienn6261]

That's amazing, Izzy! I love this video! Thank you so much for sharing it. Congratulations for your hard work! I would also love to see your excel plan. I'm also waiting for your Chinese videos. I'm very proud of you!

[@IzzySealey]

Thank you so much Adrienn!! :) I have a new video where I go through my excel plan in case you were still interested in seeing it! I hope your Chinese learning is going great!! :)

[@matildawolfram4687]

My brother studied languages at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center in California. The pace of study was intense. Students had to master the language course in 36-64 weeks. Psychologically it was very difficult, but fortunately he was helped by Yuriy Ivantsiv's book "Polyglot Notes. Practical tips for learning foreign languages”. The book " Polyglot Notes" became a desk book for my brother, because it has answers to all the problems that any student of a foreign language has to face. Thanks to the author of the channel for this interesting video! Good luck to everyone who studies a foreign language and wants to realize their full potential!

[@SonGoku-uv4pk]

But every university is like this. If you only want to study languages, you need to pick 6 languages and finish all courses in 3 years. Thats C2 in 6 languages. (Nobody does this but its an option) 1 or 2 languages is fine too if you want to have fun.

[@ofunnemordi]

@@SonGoku-uv4pk Which universities make students study 6 languages? Never heard of that.

[@SonGoku-uv4pk]

@@ofunnemordi i didnt say that. But most universities here offer many language courses. Students are free to take them. Nobody can graduate with language courses alone but studying 6 languages to c2 can replace the workload of 1 bachelor. (Still wont get a bachelor)

[@ofunnemordi]

@@SonGoku-uv4pk Well I’m not sure where you’re from but it doesn’t work like that in the UK. You can only take 120 credits a year at most unis, and a language course that would get you to a C2 in 3 years would be 30 credits a year. You would be able to study at most 4 languages, but unis will insist you take a cultural and/or translation module. There are no UK unis that allow students to take more than 3 languages in languages degree. And yes, you can get a bachelor’s just studying languages.

[@SonGoku-uv4pk]

@@ofunnemordiyes, its the same here. With linguistics or something similar its only 3 or 4 languages as well. Bachelor takes 3 years too. 30 points each semester. 180 in total. 1 complete language course is worth 30 points. So 6 languages. But most most bachelors only accept 25 points from language courses. Still, we can take as many courses as we want here. (Wont get the bachelor this way) What i wanted to say is that every university language course is already very fast.

[@alexandravega1995]

YOU EXPLAINED IT SO WELL, one of the most useful videos thank you !!!

[@IzzySealey]

Ahhh thank you so much Alexandra, glad this video was helpful!! ❤️ Hope your Mandarin learning is going great :)

[@gigichenoweth3589]

Thanks for sharing your tips, experiences, resources, etc. in such a friendly and descriptive way. You are undoubtedly a very goal-oriented and productive person who also wants to help others as well.

[@AlanChikinChow]

So awesome! Thanks!

[@IzzySealey]

Thanks so much Alan! 🥰

[@maianhluu2981]

​@@IzzySealeyYou should learn Vietnamese

[@NurulIslam-uq9mn]

​@@IzzySealey lzzy How Are you my dear ? Today how happy Are you my dear ! 😊

[@Chan_Chal_Chit_1]

​@@IzzySealeyhi Izzy How many Chinese words do we need to learn to understand Chinese dramas / movies 🙏

[@fantastic40s]

The most honest and well structured video I have seen to date, on learning a language. I've been living in China for 13 years now and can attest that this language takes time and constant effort. Keep up the great work Izzy and can't wait to watch more of your content! A few other resources that have been very helpful include: 1. Bilibili, which is an app for watching short (usually quite funny) videos of local people in China sharing their life experiences. 2. Preply for finding affordable tutors 3. Tandem for finding new language exchange friends 大家加油 ！

[@IzzySealey]

Thanks so much!! 😊

[@BinhNguyen-zh3cd]

Love the way you share about your learning language, it's clear and logical. As a person who don't know anything about Chinese, I am really excited to know that we can learn this language without learning how to write (?). Can you share a little bit more on how to manage Chinese's characters if we don't practice writing to remember them, please! Thanks so much

[@stevebelzer4758]

Izze- wonderful , so complete organized - and great presentation style

[@daleparker9049]

thanks for this. As a polyglot and interpreter I've been very confounded with Mandarin as it's been extremely difficult for me. I will try this method. Thanks for the well put together video.

[@user-qg2qr5nf2s]

OH MY GOSH YOUR PRONUNCIATION IS CRAZY!! ITS SUPER ACCURATE..

[@supanontra]

HSK 4 after only half a year is amazing! I studied Sinology at university and it took us 2 year to reach just a little more than HSK 3!

[@aljoschadietrich9040]

That's because Sinology Courses at uni are shit

[@Steppinkp]

Doctor Izzy thanks for sharing your knowledge and tips. I'm also trying to teach myself the Chinese language. To me you are a genius, truly amazing person. Thanks again I will continue to follow you. Stay healthy and blessed.

[@_speakeasy]

Congratulations on your incredible achievement! It's truly inspiring to see your dedication and hard work paying off. Your self-developed method for learning Chinese in just 6 months is a game-changer. Thank you for sharing your informative and indepth video, which will undoubtedly be a valuable resource for many aspiring Chinese learners. Keep up the fantastic work and continue inspiring others with your impressive language skills. 加油!

[@RobertHeslop]

Hey Izzy, fellow Brit here. As you're a med student, I thought I'd share something interesting that I experienced. I was having a test in hospital in 2016 for my epilepsy, 30 wires glued to my head, not allowed medication for those 5 days, brain waves being monitored. I had been to Taiwan in 2014 and knew basics, and as I spoke to a Chinese Doctor in basic Chinese, they noticed my brainwaves went from anxiety, to calm. They worked out that the reason I am very good at language learning is because it calms me down and lowers my chance of having a seizure. When necessary, I try to use languages I speak with patients (I work for the NHS on weekends)

[@googrit]

This is beyond remarkable.

[@JamesAlberts]

Great video! I was looking to set myself a goal like this and this will give me the motivation!

[@IzzySealey]

Ahh thanks so much James!! 🙌❤️ Yess go for it, it's so worth it!

[@pokie6150]

These tips are actually very useful for learning any language, I am going to use is for my Korean language learning. Tysm love😘

[@markdepow1903]

Loved this video Izzy. I've been interested in learning Mandarin for a while and this is great motivation for me. Happy New Year!

[@IzzySealey]

Thank you so much for the kind comment Mark! Best of luck with the Mandarin learning journey, I hope it's going great! ❤️

[@jorgeramos5136]

Dear Izzy, Thank you so much for your valuable time in making this video. I hope your medicine studies are going well. I also wanted to thank you for recommending the HSK books for learning. I'm still trying to find their value so I'll let you know how is it going! I currently live in China with my wife so learning Chinese is indispensable for me. I wish my subscription means something of value for your channel. I'd love to support you in more ways later on. Don't hesitate to reach out! Please take care

[@cosplay.on.pointe]

This video is very inspiring as I have been learning Japanese in school for three years now but have found the pacing to be difficult to actually reach the level of proficiency I am wanting to get to. Now I am starting to try self studying and these tips have proven to be very helpful! Thanks for sharing!

[@maqfafari8812]

Love the way you share about your learning language please dont stop

[@infolanguages]

The "Language Learning with Netflix & KZbin" was a game changer for me! THANK YOU SO MUCH! Yessss please, more language learning content!!!!! :D

[@AnnieYin]

Really great video Izzy! I'm willing to bet future viewers are going to want to see more content of you speaking Chinese. I was curious to see how proficient you were and this video was the perfect tease to your future videos where I'm sure you'll show a bit more. I love pleco too! These are great tips. Definitely going to try the Learning Language Netflix tip to hopefully my languages too!

[@IzzySealey]

Ahhh thank you so much Annie!! 🙌 ❤️ Yes I'm thinking up some more good language / Mandarin learning videos, and can speak a bit more Mandarin in them haha!! 😊 Let me know how using the Language Learning with Netflix extension goes for you!

[@KC-hd3wi]

more language learning content please! Great content! Thanks a lot! I am learning Spanish :)

[@IzzySealey]

Thank you so much! ❤️ Really happy to hear that, lots more language content coming :)

[@Rita-fg6bw]

Hi Izzy. Love your British accents. You are very motivating. Thank you for your guidelines on Chinese learning. I am trying learning Chinese as well. Very interesting and I think is the hardest language to learn.

[@kentw.phillips5748]

this video gave me a wellthought out startpoint to build my plan for seriously learn mandarin. thank you

[@soundplayground3742]

You're a genius. If I can learn Mandarin like you did in 6 months that would be awesome but I don't think I can devote that much time every day.

[@helens2660]

Very good video! Thanks for sharing valuable tips and resources of Mandarin learning! 👍👍👍🌹🌹🌹

[@IzzySealey]

Thank you very much, so glad to hear you found them useful! 😊❤️

[@larxvo]

It's really inspiring! Thank you so much for your helpful sharing, Izzy!

[@zellous2928]

wow, I've been going super hard at learning mandarin, and I am actually already doing everything you just mentioned haha, that's reassuring. I am going to do that motivation thing you mentioned though, that's a really good idea.

[@sakana6517]

Hi! I'm a Japanese university student. I have studied Chinese for three months. I’ll study them referencing the methods that were introduced in this video!

[@haozhangliu2477]

Hi, Izzy! Great video on the learning process! Actually, this works for any other language; you only need to change some specific apps and that's it! Comparing to my journey on learning English (my language background is quite colourful: my first language was a regional Chinese dialect, but I lost it after years without using it. My "heritage language" is Chinese, althought I couldn't push myself into learning it ever. And my "native" language is Spanish, given my upbringing), it was all about associating the language with anything you enjoy. Maybe it is an obscure forum, videogames, getting in touch with cultures as far away as an entire continent, bragging about it to your friends,..., you name it. The thing is, it shouldn't be a compulsory thing you must surpass unwillingly. Now, with your video (and potentially, channel) I feel inspired once again to relive the learning journey I had with English. Cheers!

[@yanjinlkhamdarkhanbaatar3854]

thank so much Izzy sharing your great experience, this helped me a lot

[@sugaryd]

Thank you for this video! I'm not a English native speaker but I could clearly get you explainations^^ I've been learning Chinese for 2 months but I have so many assingments to do for my school so I have less time to learn Chinese however I'm excited doing it))

[@firminy378]

I m preparing HSK4 , it s so hard sometimes . Your videos stimulates me to keep learning. Thank you so much.

[@revatijagdale8969]

From where are you learning the Chinese language??

[@talhandaq13]

Charming video from Izzy. Very kindly she doesn't mention her most important assets to mastering HSK4: excellent memory and high intelligence. I'm sure she will make an outstanding medic in both English and Mandarin!

[@IzzySealey]

Ohh thank you so much for your kind comment! 🥰🙏

[@skritterjake]

Awesome video. Great progress. Keep it up and happy studies. Also, subscribed!

[@wizzz6695]

Thank you so much🔥 I'm English and Chinese learner, and I really love both languages ❤️ also I appreciate your accent so watching your videos helps me not only getting some tips in learnong chinese but improving my accent😋 谢谢你💋 祝你好运💕

[@MattBrooks-Green]

Great quality video Izzy! 加油！

[@IzzySealey]

Ahh thanks so much Matt!! 非常感谢～🙏 继续努力，加油！🙌😊

[@janefoster8707]

Whenever I watch Videos on language learning I always realize how different people's way of learning can be...I've been learning chinese for about 5 months now and completed Hsk3 but I Mainly write and read so my conversational chinese is nearly non-existant🤣 actually I found it very easy to remember the characters well if you just write them and Kind of 'Break them down' like 嘴 (kou 口，upper Part as in 些 and lower Part as in 角) Very informative Video!

[@revatijagdale8969]

From where are you learning the Chinese language??

[@mushintao9486]

After watching your video, I just bought HSK Standard Course 1! Thank you for sharing!

[@joewong438]

Thanks for your video. Am 3rd generation Chinese Canadian and I speak Cantonese and I have been trying to learn Pinyin for sometime. I will try your method and thanks again.

[@jeanpeach4971]

Izzy please make a video of you speaking Chinese!! I really love your voice ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@IzzySealey]

Thank you so much! ❤️❤️ In my latest language learning video I speak Chinese!

[@ericstormdragon3534]

I only just started to consider learning Mandarin. Your comments/videos are helping. Kind thanks. I hope to learn 1000 words of vocabulary by the end of 2023. Not a rigorous goal but I am older. I want to learn a good amount of Mandarin and then Mexican Spanish before I die of old age.

[@willchen4322]

For Mandrin you can definitely make it if the goal is just to memorizing 1000 words, as most native speakers even know only 3000-4000 characters, which form Chinese day-to-day words. I forgot many characters since I graduated from high school, but it never makes my life harder, considering Chinese doesn't have a very strict grammer, it's really a quite easy language to learn.

[@dianim]

Thank you Izzy, i just know about the chrome extension from this video, and i am so happyy ❤❤❤❤❤

[@jejune.]

Thanks for the video! My mum is from a Mandarin speaking country but I have never learned mandarin. I will refer to this video during my learning.

[@turmoilstabilizer9054]

I casually started learning Mandarin in February with a relaxed aim of commiting more time and being persistent in my approach later on. The future has come, HSK 1-4 on order. Thanks for the inspiration!

[@Henry-teach-Chinese-in-jokes]

I’ve spent about 100,000 hours studying English humor and Western culture, and many hours studying Chinese culture. My native language is Chinese. I teach Chinese in humorous way and with cute pictures. Hope somebody recommend my videos to those who want to learn Chinese.

[@Kin_033]

​@@Henry-teach-Chinese-in-jokesur videos looks interesting. Keep it up!

[@AsisVendrell]

In my own experience, after FAILING two times on starting learning Chinese because of rush, before learning it properly, even though it's amazing that you got to pass the exam, if the purpose is encouraging new learners that want to commit to Chinese, work with it or even live in China, I'd rather highly encourage them to build a solid foundation at the pace they may need to integrate all the new concepts, sounds, vocabulary... until they feel just second nature, then test and develop the skill in real situations, further than fulfilling a false feeling of accomplishment from rushing to strictly mastering the hackneyed examples that official exams manage VS what they'll need to solve in real life, which is the only Chinese that exists. By this kind of advice I sincerelly believe that most people would just get overloaded and burnt, discouraging them instead of providing a guide to success, sorry. A new learner simply isn't able to set a learning goal and fix to it, just because indeed doesn't know yet what those goals really require. If you are not following a method, then fix to this one: study, practice, repeat, review and revisit past content every day until it's obvious, before adding too much more, and ENJOY what you learn, care yourself, do it for your own, no matter other people got.

[@Varxiva]

Excellent video! Thank you! I'm about to start learning. I know English and Spanish, and am now starting Mandarin. Something I like to do is get books and the audiobook version in the language you're trying to learn. I'm a big reader already, though.

[@osagiee.guobadia-secondytc4624]

Fascinating for you to learn Mandarin in six months at home, Izzy. Congrats! : )

[@parksevil6225]

Your vibe is great! I love it... Subscribed ✔️

[@IzzySealey]

Ahh thank you so much!! 😊🙌

[@THEBIGGESTSCUMBAG]

2.5 YEARS INTO MY CHINESE & LOVING THE PROGRESS SO FAR

[@leeteaktan]

Your achievement is inspirational. As a doctor of Chinese descent myself living in UK I know how busy life is and how hard it can be to maintain one's language, but to learn it from beginner to fluency the way you have done is truly amazing and motivating. Well done and keep it up! So proud of you!

[@user-ic1ku9np6h]

Thanks for recommanding ANKI. It's a big help here, and I hope I discovered it sooner.

[@GuyinZhongguo]

Nice video! I got to HSK 5 after 6 months meself 😊 was never a fan of the HSK books, though, I always found them too rigid. But everybody has their own way, and the suggestions are great!

[@breadman5048]

What was your process?

[@JzmnDouglas]

What did you use instead?

[@user-tw6qe3es4y]

I just started to learn Chinese so Im on hsk1 level. Can you help me to reach hsk4 in one year

[@MortalJupiter]

I’ve enjoyed mandarin since growing up with martial arts movies and especially ‘Three Kindgoms’ (2010) which is based on Romance of the Three Kingdoms. It’s a dignifying language and wished I started sooner but I started with Spanish as it’s relatively easy for an English speaker. The phonetics in Mandarin are what I enjoy most

[@GeoScorpion]

It doesn't hurt to have the memory retention of a very young med-student! 🤣 Thank you! I really do listen to your advice on this. Also self-teaching.

[@moveon1830]

I heard the intro and my reaction was " I don't believe" Can't wait to finish that video 🙂 I'm sure it's great

[@Lala-artart]

I have been learning mandarin for a few months as well. My main motive is to read mandarin text in Chinese novels and I’ve invested more time in the reading section. One thing that I felt helped me was that I rigorously did my HelloChinese app lessons and then when I felt it was a bit of a time to move on I took up a novel which I had already read in English and started reading it in mandarin. For this part my Chinese buddy has really really helped me loads. It was a very slow and at times quite a frustrating process but I do not regret it. I think it helped me improve by leaps and bounds. My friend also regularly introduced me to some refreshing bits which helped me with it. Like it might be a meme, a funny conversation, a song, some grade readers. I think having a language buddy is the most important thing no matter what language you’re learning.

[@maddiestudieskorean8565]

I’m a thirteen year old learning mandarin and 2 other languages.I love it❤ especially mandarin

[@d33y0]

hows it going

[@AdanSensei]

哇，好厉害！恭喜你通过Hsk4！

[@blurredmaniac4721]

This is awesome thank you!

[@alextrujillo9207]

I tried learning Mandarin on my own. It didn't go quite as I expected. Mandarin is a hard language to grasp. My motivation slowly diminished. Hats off to you.

[@bubblegumbitch]

big thing with mandarin is the beginning is the hardest part but if you get through it, then it gets a lot easier compared to other languages! good on you for trying at least, some people are too scared to even start!

[@Kimwo57923]

I have been learning for 4 years and the fact that you managed to pass HSK4 in 6 months is crazy too me. Well done like wow!

[@AnimeOpenningEnding]

Personally, it is quite unrealistic. I have studied Chinese for 4-5 years and I passed HSK 5 it with a good score (I wasnt preparing for that exam, I was learning real Chinese) but like my teacher said, there are a lot of people who pass the exam who dont really have the level. I doubt you can really achieve that proficiency in 6 months, even if you spend all day speaking Chinese, it is the hardest language and more to her bc of her native language. So dont believe everything you see on the Internet lol

[@goldenhourss]

@@AnimeOpenningEnding yes but also everyone is different. from what izzy said she lacks in hanzhis, so in writing which is also a big part in chinese learning. we should never compare our levels to each other because everyone goes at their own pace and i absolutely agree on the point of not believing everything that is online

[@mgmzero]

Without 汉子 I would be extremely difficult to pass hsk 5-6 , and HSK levels are quite Misleading, you can pass the written exam but your tones can be really bad, mandarin has 5 tones but in reality you need to study the tone combinations (16+ combinations)in order to speak with decent fluency.

[@user-jd7ro8zi9r]

@@AnimeOpenningEnding as a chinese people ,i think it isn't difficult for me , I have been learning English for 4~5 years , but I just have some simple English grammer ,i think i realy stupid,although i can understand you writted

[@user-jd7ro8zi9r]

@@mgmzero 我觉得只要能听懂，就没有什么问题，不必过度的强调 发音问题

[@JimmyShixin]

非常厉害! well done Izzy!

[@yandecarvalho]

Your absolutely gorgeous and obviously brilliant! I'm a teacher myself, (french, portuguese, spanish and english). Your Journey is amazing, especially by learning such a magnificant, rich and complex language as Mandarin...Thanks for sharing your tips and your structured guide into reaching your goal...Looking forward to your next videos...Cheers, Yan. (Would love to learn Mandarin or Cantonese)... My goal is to eventually teach Latin Language or English in Asia, mainly China, Korea or Japan and maybe retire in Hong Kong...

[@larryjane06]

I've been studying Mandarin Chinese for a year now and I just wish I had more time in the day to study. I'm also juggling Chinese with Japanese. 😭 I was already so far into my kanji learning that I didn't want to stop learning Japanese, even though I enjoy Mandarin Chinese much more. I'm so in love with it. And your video has given me motivation to learn more. I use Anki to make Japanese vocab flashcards, but it's such a chore reviewing Japanese. 😭 By the time I'm done with that, I have no energy for Chinese flashcards. 😭

[@JP-pq9xi]

Why would you learn both? Respect how much work a language takes and pick one.

[@StrawberryMochi289]

@@JP-pq9xi A person can learn more than one language at a time if they have the time and are disciplined enough to study it. Sure it's hard but not impossible

[@user-pf5yd2zd1o]

Hey, maybe focus on Chinese!! You don’t have to drop Japanese, your study materials will still be there but it’ll probably be faster focusing on getting to a good level in Chinese first.

[@user-qb4ke6gm5b]

Literally me too!

[@jennylee4903]

Do you want to practice Mandarin with a partner? Maybe I can help.

[@e-genieclimatique]

in brief : The video provides insights into how the creator self-taught Mandarin Chinese in six months. 1. **Introduction**: - Dr. Izzy Sealey mentions that Mandarin Chinese is one of the hardest languages for a native English speaker to learn. - She shares her journey from being a beginner to passing the HSK4 Chinese proficiency exam with a score of 99% and being able to have basic conversations with native Chinese speakers. 2. **Planning & Motivation**: - Emphasizes that learning Mandarin is a marathon, not a sprint. - Importance of planning, prioritizing, and sticking to motivations. - Advises defining language learning goals at the outset. - She used an Excel spreadsheet to plan and track her progress. 3. **Resources**: - **HSK Curriculum**: Used the HSK standard course textbooks and workbooks from HSK1 to HSK4. These books provided vocabulary, grammar points, dialogues, and exercises. - **Anki Decks**: Used Anki, a spaced repetition software, for efficient memorization. She used two Anki decks: one for characters and another for full sentences with audio. - **Chinese Dictionaries**: Recommended apps are Pleco and Han Ping. - **Language Buddies**: Used websites like iTalki and language.exchange to find native speakers to practice with. - **Comprehensible Inputs**: Used TV shows, movies, music, and podcasts to practice listening. Recommended a Chrome extension called "Language Learning with Netflix" which allows watching shows with dual subtitles. 4. **Conclusion**: - Emphasizes enjoying the process of language learning. - Quotes Confucius: "It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop." - Encourages viewers to leave comments if they want more language learning content. The video is a blend of personal experiences, tips, and resource recommendations that Dr. Izzy Sealey found beneficial in her Mandarin learning journey.

[@user-df3gf6wh1x]

Thanks for sharing resources, it is really helpful in my language journey, fun lessons to go step by step 🚶‍♂️ In karate, there is a saying by master, keep boiling the water to keep it hot, the moment we stop the heat, it goes back to normal temperature. The language learning ,slow and step by step.

[@victoriamaunder7058]

Wow you are amazing and this has helped me so much

[@Peace-lr7mt]

I have to say it. You're flawless.

[@FrancisMadden]

I watched ni hao kai lan once and I'm still not fluent in Chinese plz help

[@FrancisMadden]

But seriously impressive video!

[@IzzySealey]

hahahaha thanks so much Francis!! 🙌 :)

[@austinhendrickson4445]

Great video and tips, thanks!

[@meself3757]

Thank you for this great video. I benefit a lot, thank you!

[@IzzySealey]

❤️

[@emmaboey5074]

Such a great video! I'm at day 0 of trying to get back into learning mandarin and want to make some concrete plans on a weekly basis... Would you be able to share the excel sheet you used while studying?

[@IzzySealey]

Thank you so much Emma! In my latest mandarin learning video I share my exact excel plan! I hope your mandarin learning journey is going great! ❤️❤️

[@saxmaniac6321]

‘Mandarin Click’ is an awesome KZbin channel with Mandarin spoken slowly. There are Chinese characters, pinyin, and English and Spanish subtitles as well as an option for changing the speed of the speaking. I also watch many Chinese movies and am surprised at how much I understand. My recommendations. Good luck everyone!! 😁🎷☀️🤪

[@FC-kl2pm]

Omg I can’t wait to begin learning!!!

[@AsyaJakovleva]

Thank you for this instruction for learning Chinese ❤

[@tschmidhuber]

Thanks for sharing. You achieved HSK4 in 6 months at 4 hours per day, HSK4 requires a vocabulary set of 1200. Let's do the math. 6 months = 25 weeks (one week no studying) 25 weeks = 150 days (one day off per week) 150 days = 600 hours That's 2 words/characters per hour (some words are compounds of 2-3 characters, but many of them are repetitive or already familiar). Sounds reasonable and reflects my pace as well (although I also do handwriting, which is not as troublesome as it might seem, as it gets much easier once you understand the concepts of radicals and stroke order). At first this pace looks quite slow, but it is important to not only memorize characters but also being able to put them into the right place when creating sentences. So on the long run, this pace is quite reasonable.

[@lanap9558]

Great job with HSK 4. Yet it is possible to be home taught until 4 I learned by myself too. But real problems start with HSK 5. I think on this level it is impossible to learn a lot and need help of native speaker.

[@mohammadrasi4629]

thank you. It really was a good helping light to show me the way forward.

[@naturez9448]

I am a native Chinese speaker and I would like improve my English. Would you like to do language exchange with me? 😊

[@HanpingChinese]

Thanks so much for the shout-out! 5:47

[@OliviaLearns]

Wow your pronunciation is surpisingly good given you said you studied it for only a couple of months when you say Hanyu shuiping kaoshi! Super impressed!

[@IzzySealey]

Ahh thank you so much!! ❤️ :)

[@kemsocolasuatuoi]

Can you share your mandarin study plan :D Thank you so much for the video

[@IzzySealey]

Yes of course - I'm planning a video on this now!! Stay tuned 😊🙏♥

[@scfreely]

我是看妳的YT来 学英文的。Actually i'v been following your channel for some time and. It is truly a good place to learn my English.

[@istvanpuller7922]

Nice summary of your journey so far - thanks! I've been toying with the idea of taking up Mandarin as my fifth foreign language for a while now, and despite my expectations, this video didn't discourage me. And now this is getting really scary 😬

[@jannatulferdousaurin4575]

I am learning Korean right now, and your tips made me really motivated to work harder to achieve my goal. Thank you Izzy! My question is, why did you get interested to learning Chinese? I am a huge fan of Korean pop music and films; I wanted to learn Korean so that I can understand these contents on my own. Also I really, really enjoy learning and speaking Korean. So, what was your motivation? Hoping to hear your story someday. By the way, I love reading books as well. Who is your favourite author?

[@Xovye8588]

You have any tips for that?

[@jannatulferdousaurin4575]

@@Xovye8588 One thing I reckon very important is not to lose motivation. Learning a language is not possible in one night, so it's totally okay for us to get exhausted. Therefore, let's try to take rest sometimes and keep our learning journey full of the things that we really are interested in. Best of luck!

[@Xovye8588]

@@jannatulferdousaurin4575 I lost motivation like 5 times :((

[@jannatulferdousaurin4575]

@@Xovye8588 In my opinion, it might be better not to take pressure for losing the urge to learn a language. It's never too late to restart. All the best!

[@meryemben4857]

your english so good i wish one day speak english like you

[@IzzySealey]

Keep working at it and I know you'll get there! 🙌😊

[@ukochenlele]

this video motivates me a lot thank you for sharing btw u r so pretty

[@Elizabeth-md3hn]

I really love your vd.I hope this video make my learning Chinese helpfulso much!

[@IzzySealey]

加油！❤️

[@joelle4226]

Ugh everyone recommended anki but I just don’t get it

[@peacefuldragon1831]

You made the right decision not to write Chinese physically. It’s kind of embarrassing for me to admit that I am having difficulty to write Chinese characters on paper, even though Chinese is my mother tongue, and I graduated from one of the top universities in China. I give praise to those who can write Chinese characters on paper with the perfect order of strokes. I will settle for inputting Chinese characters in pingyin from a standard QWERTY keyboard.

[@deadmaul1314]

Bruh, for real? So I'm just wasting my time by learn to write Chinese? Bruh so that's why my progress is slow, because i need to memorize every character and how to write it, aghhhjhj

[@peacefuldragon1831]

@@deadmaul1314 I think there’s value to learn to write, you will have to decide if the time spent is worthwhile or not. In regular interactions, if you can input Chinese characters from a computer keyboard, in my view, it’s enough.

[@selenatang314]

​@@deadmaul1314I think it's worth it to learn the stroke order but it depends on how in depth you wanna learn. Just to speak or to read + write or to know culture and history? I think writing and reading well is still important and makes learning the language feel more "complete". Again it depends on your goals and expectations though.

[@thecaptain127]

Wrong, not learning to write may as well be not learning at all. You can just learn the abc pronunciations, but it’s not really the same thing. Sorry bro.

[@somalianx4815]

The energy ❤️

[@mcmickey3344]

Pleco is really helpful. My most used app when I was improving my mandarin