How to Speak Russian

Speaking Russian: Before You Begin

1. First look at why you're learning Russian and how much time you have. If it's for a vacation in Russia, a few key phrases you study for ten minutes a day may suffice. Even knowing just a few words will help you communicate and understand what others are saying to you.
2. To speak, read or write on a higher level, lessons with audio and written elements are necessary. And to get the best return on these lessons, studying regularly is important.
3. No matter what your level of Russian is, take advantage of any chance you get to practice. Speaking (and understanding what is said to you) may be hard at first, but it will get easier with every word. So don't worry about making mistakes. Take the plunge and start speaking Russian!

Basic Russian Phrases

(Creative Commons photo by Bart Everts)

• Many sites have basic Russian phrases, but the best have audio files so you can hear the words and practice saying them yourself. Don't worry about what you sound like!

BBC Russian Phrases

1. Visit the BBC's page of essential phrases.¹
2. Listen to the phrases being spoken as you read along.
3. Download the MP3s to listen to whenever you can.
   • Check out a BBC MP3.²
4. Practice saying the phrases yourself.
5. Record yourself so you hear how you sound.
6. Print pages out to take with you!³

Omniglot Useful Russian Phrases

1. Omniglot has put together a list of useful Russian phrases, showing the English phrase, the Cyrillic alphabet spelling and a phonetic spelling.⁴
2. Click on the Cyrillic word to hear an audio recording of the phrase.⁵

Instant Communication: Let's Talk Russian

• Instant Communication: Let's Talk Russian is divided into sections by situation.⁶ Each situation is preceded by a vocabulary list and includes practice exercises.

1. Select a situation.
2. Review the vocabulary list.
3. Do the practice exercises.

Wikitravel

• Wikitravel has a basic Russian phrasebook with pronunciation guide, but no sound files.⁷

Other Fun Stuff

• Middlebury College's Russia Today website contains over 100 Russian signs, with pictures and translations.⁸

• Hello-World is a fun interactive site, which includes games and a pictorial dictionary to introduce you to the Russian language.⁹

Reading and Writing in Russian

• Russian is written using the Cyrillic alphabet.¹⁰

1. Cyrillic has 33 basic characters.¹¹
2. Bucknell University has an exercise to familiarize you with Cyrillic while teaching you a few basic Russian words.¹²
3. If you're interested, Volga Writer has some background information on Cyrillic.¹³

Introductory Russian Lessons

(Creative Commons photo by ikon_vodka)

Way to Russia

• This online tutorial takes you through an overview of the Cyrillic alphabet, basic grammar and conversational phrases.¹⁴

1. There are seven online units, organized by topic, such as transportation, meeting people and shopping.
2. In each unit, the word or phrase is spelled out in English, Cyrillic and a phonetic spelling of the Russian word.
3. There's also an option to listen to the Russian pronunciation using Quick Time or Windows Media Player.

Cornell University Russian Grammar

• Cornell University has an entire course in basic Russian grammar online.¹⁵ The site is organized like a textbook, which you can access either through the Table of Contents or by a Subject Index.^{16 17} Before using it however, you need to download the Cyrillic fonts, so that it displays correctly on your computer.

1. Download the required Cyrillic font here.¹⁸
2. Access the Beginning Russian Grammar course here.¹⁵

Russian Language Lessons

• Russian Language Lessons has an introductory course online, taking you from the alphabet to the finer points of case and tense.¹⁹

1. Read through the lesson.
   • Whenever you see a small green box, you can click on it for pronunciation help.
2. Use the exercises at the end of each lesson to reinforce what you've read.
3. Test your knowledge with the "Russian Language Training" quiz at the end of each section. It's an online multiple choice quiz, which gives you instant feedback as to whether your answer is correct or incorrect.
4. Move on to the next lesson after you've mastered the previous one.

Live Mocha

• LiveMocha is an online learning community.²⁰ You can follow their online courses, but also participate in the online community. You can ask fellow members for help with Russian and offer help to those who are learning English.

1. Go to Live Mocha's home page.²⁰
2. Click on "Get Started" to register for a free account.
3. Select that you want to learn Russian.
4. You will receive a confirmation email; when it arrives click on the included link to activate your account.
5. You have the option to upload a profile image; if you prefer click "Skip" to skip this step.
6. Choose the online course "Russian 101."
7. Begin with the section marked "Learn" on Unit 1, Lesson 1.
8. Each lesson has four sections:
   1. Learn: Listen to words and phrases. Repeat the words as you hear them.
   2. Reading: Read words and phrases you just learned and select the correct image.
   3. Listening: Listen to the same words and phrases and select the correct image.
   4. Magnet: Now you must re-create the words and phrases. Choose from the presented words and drag them into the answer box, in the correct order.

Wikibooks Russian Textbook

• Wikibooks has an online Russian textbook designed to teach basic conversational Russian.²¹ As with all wiki projects, it's a work in progress. Currently it has several lessons, but no exercises or tests. There are sound files available for some lessons, but not all. It's best used in conjunction with one of the more comprehensive courses listed above.

Intermediate Russian Lessons

(Creative Commons photo by Brady Wood)

• Verb tenses, more complex dialogues, perfecting pronunciation: these intermediate lessons will help you become a much more polished Russian speaker.

Russian Language Mentor

• Russian Language Mentor has a number of detailed lessons including a course in Intermediate Russian Grammar.²²

1. You'll need to download the software for the Russian keyboard before beginning.²³
2. After you've successfully installed the keyboard, select the lessons from the left side of the page, in the order you wish to complete them.
3. There are modules for Reading Comprehension, Listening Comprehension, Grammar Review, Cultural Literacy and Scientific and Technical Literacy, as well as "Fun Stuff" like crossword puzzles.
4. The site recommends starting with the first four reading modules before advancing to the other sections.
5. Each module should take 90 minutes to 2 hours to complete.

George Washington University

• These videos, hosted by George Washington University, are entirely in Russian.²⁴ Although the instruction buttons are also in Russian, if you hover over them with your mouse, you'll get English help.

1. Read the outline of the video's important points before watching it.
2. Take the quiz after viewing the video.

Bucknell University

• Bucknell University has a detailed course on Russian grammar that you can access via their online Russian Reference site.¹²

1. Access each section through the Table of Contents.
2. Sound files are available to download for pronunciation assistance.
3. Each chapter ends with an interactive quiz. Type in your answer, and then check it by clicking on the "?" button.

Advanced Russian Lessons

(Creative Commons photo by Jim G)

• Here's where you put everything you've learned together. You'll see just how well you can really speak Russian!

1. Russian Language Lessons maintains an index of Russian language articles with side-by-side English translations.²⁵ You can hear the Russian spoken by clicking on the green icon.
   • Try listening to the article first, then test your comprehension by reading the English translation.
2. You can also test your comprehension by listening to Russian radio and television broadcasts.²⁶
   • These are more challenging as the pace of the speech is that of actual native speakers.
3. Reading Russian newspapers and periodicals will also help you refine your skills.²⁷
4. You can access the BBC News online in Russian here.²⁸
5. Master Russian has the complete text of Anna Karenina in Russian and English.^{29 29 30}
6. Here's a collection of Russian Tongue Twisters for fun!³¹

Russian Videos and Podcasts

(Creative Commons photo by Magnus Franklin)

• Russian videos and podcasts can deepen your familiarity with the language.

Podcasts

1. A Taste of Russian has podcasts you can download along with written transcripts of their contents.³² In these podcasts, you'll be listening to native Russian speakers having conversations about daily life.
2. UCLA Center for World Languages has excerpts from famous Russian writers for the Intermediate to Advanced student.³³
   1. Launch iTunes.
   2. In the Advanced menu, select Subscribe to Podcast.
   3. Enter the url http://www.international.ucla.edu/languages/technology/podcasts/russianliterature/rss.asp in the text box and click OK.
3. UCLA has Business Russian Podcasts.³⁴

Videos

1. Expert Village has a video series encompassing basic Russian phrases that are needed when traveling.³⁵
2. Here's a humorous video blog introducing the Cyrillic alphabet.³⁶

Additional Resources for Studying Russian

(Creative Commons photo by Lyn Gateley)

1. Indo-European Language's Russian page has a range of lessons and vocabulary lists, from beginning to advanced.³⁷ It doesn't have audio files, however, so it's best used alongside other lessons.
2. You can build your Russian vocabulary at LanguageGuide.org.³⁸
   1. The index is in Cyrillic, but you can hover over commands with your mouse to see English translation.
   2. Select the section you'd like to work on, and click on the section to reveal the detail page.
   3. Each page has an illustration with buttons corresponding to the picture.
   4. Hover over the button to see the word.
   5. Click on the button to hear it pronounced.
3. You can listen to a Russian word of the day care of Declan Software's Foreign Language Learning Software.³⁹

More Tips for Studying Russian

(Creative Commons photo by Luciano)

1. While studying Russian, you'll find a Russian-English Dictionary to be helpful.⁴⁰
   1. If you don't have a print one, you can access an online dictionary like RusUSA.com.⁴¹
   2. If you just need to translate a few words or a website from Russian to English, or from English to Russian, visit Alta Vista's Babel Fish Translation.⁴²
2. Check out your local university to see if they offer Russian classes or if there is a student or professor who can tutor you.
3. Create or buy flash cards to test yourself. Have pictures or English words on one side and Russian words on the other. You can download flashcards to print for free at Flashcard Exchange.⁴³
4. Rent movies in Russian. Turn off the subtitles (or cover the bottom of your TV set).
5. Listen to Russian music; try to understand the lyrics.
6. Visit Russian restaurants where you live; if there are Russian speakers on staff, practice your Russian!
7. Check out Mahalo's Guide to the Russian language.

References for How To Speak Russian

1. ↑ BBC: Quick Fix
2. ↑ BBC: Quick Fix MP3
3. ↑ BBC: Quick Fix Pages
4. ↑ Omniglot: Useful Russian Phrases
5. ↑ Omniglot: History and Development of the Cyrillic Alphabet
6. ↑ Instant Communication: Learn How to Speak Russian Quickly
7. ↑ Wikitravel: Russian Phrasebook
8. ↑ Middlebury College: Russian Signs
9. ↑ Hello World: Hello-World Learn Russian online: Games, activities and songs!
10. ↑ Wikipedia: Cyrillic Alphabet
11. ↑ PBS: Face of Russia: Cyrillic Alphabet
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1} Bucknell University: An On-line Russian Reference Grammar
13. ↑ VolgaWriter: Cyrillic History
14. ↑ Way to Russia: Russian Language Online Tutorial
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1} Cornell University: Beginning Russian Grammar
16. ↑ Cornell University: Beginning Russian Grammar Table of Contents
17. ↑ Cornell University: Beginning Russian Grammar Subject Index
18. ↑ Cornell University: Beginning Russian Grammar Cyrillic Fonts
19. ↑ RussianLessons.net: Russian Language Lessons
20. ↑ ^{20.0 20.1} Live Mocha
21. ↑ Wikibooks: Russian
22. ↑ RussianMentor.net: Russian Language Mentor
23. ↑ RussianMentor.net: Russian Keyboard
24. ↑ George Washington University Videos: Golosa
25. ↑ RussianLessons.net: Russian Language Articles
26. ↑ Broadcast Live: Live Radio and Television from Russia
27. ↑ MIT: Russian Language News and Magazines
28. ↑ BBC News: BBCRussian.com
29. ↑ ^{29.0 29.1} Master Russian: Leo Tolstoy
30. ↑ Master Russian: Anna Karenina, English
31. ↑ Uebersetzung: Russian Tongue Twisters
32. ↑ A Taste of Russian: Educational Podcasts
33. ↑ UCLA: Russian Literature Language Podcasts from the UCLA Center for World Languages
34. ↑ UCLA: Business Russian Podcast
35. ↑ Expert Village: Basic Russian for Travel & Getting Around
36. ↑ YouTube Video: RL101 - 1 :Some Enchanted Evening to Learn Russian! (Time: 9:57)
37. ↑ Indo-European Languages Tutorials: Russian I
38. ↑ LanguageGuide.org: Russian: Vocabulary Guide
39. ↑ Declan Software: Audio Word of the Day
40. ↑ Amazon.com: Russian-English Dictionary
41. ↑ RusUSA.com: English-Russian Dictionary and Russian-English Dictionary Online
42. ↑ Alta Vista: Babel Fish Translation
43. ↑ Flashcard Exchange: Russian Flashcards

How to Speak Spanish

Before You Begin

1. First look at why you're learning Spanish and how much time you have before you must speak the language properly. If it's for a vacation, a few key phrases you study for ten minutes a day may suffice. Even knowing just a few words will help you communicate, and understand what others are saying to you.
2. To speak, read, or write on a higher level, lessons with audio and written elements are necessary. And to get the best return on these lessons, studying the language regularly is important.
3. No matter what your speaking level is, take advantage of any chance you get to practice your Spanish, however the occasion arises. Speaking (and understanding what is said to you) may be hard at first, but it will get easier with every word.

Basic Phrases

BBC Essential Phrases

1. Visit the BBC's page of essential Spanish phrases.
2. Listen to the phrases as you read along (listen to some BBC MP3s here).
3. Download the audio so you can listen to the phrases as often as possible.
   • Import them into your iPod or MP3 player so you can learn the language on the go!
4. Say the phrases along with the audio as you listen.
5. Record yourself to hear how you sound.
6. Print out the page of key phrases so you can take them with you!

LanguageGuide.org's Los Saludos

1. Visit this page to hear greetings in Spanish.
2. Hold your mouse over any word in Spanish and you'll hear the word.
3. Or you can press play and listen to all the words and phrases being said one after the other.
4. Practice saying the words, both along with the audio and on your own.

Indo-European Languages Basic Phrases

1. Check out this page for a comprehensive list of basic phrases.
2. Although there are no audio files, you can use the provided phonetic pronunciation to learn how to speak them yourself.
3. Print the page out to take with you; having the pronunciation in front of you could come in handy!

Fodor's Sample Phrases

• Hello: Hola
• Good-bye: Adiós
• Please: Por favor
• Thank you: Gracias
• How much does it cost?: Cuánto cuesta?
• Where is...?: Dónde está...?
• Do you speak English: Habla usted inglés?
• Would you bring me the bill, please?: Me da la cuenta, por favor?

Pronunciation Tips

1. Indo-European Languages has some Spanish pronunciation tips.
2. Also visit BBC's Spanish Steps sounds of Spanish page
3. Remember:
   • "QU" is said as "K"; ex. qué - keh
   • "LL" is pronounced "Y"; ex. llamo - yah-moh
   • "Ñ" sounds like "NY"; ex. español - eh-spahn-yol

Introductory Lessons

BBC's Spanish Steps

BBC's Spanish Steps Front Page

1. BBC Spanish Steps is a six stage course set up to teach beginners important speaking and language lessons.
2. Dialogues cover common speaking situations, like taxi rides, going out to eat, and shopping.

   • BBC's Spanish Steps Night Out Section

3. First choose and listen to a dialogue.
4. Study the key words from that dialogue.
5. Go through the activities to reinforce what was just said:
   • Activity 1 has you rearrange lines of dialogue into the proper order.
   • You guess the meanings of key words from the dialogue in Activity 2.
   • Activity 3 involves listening comprehension based on words you just learned.
   • In Activity 4 you actively participate, by saying and then writing responses to the dialogue.
6. Need to refresh your memory? Go to the course's vocabulary list!

Expert Village: Learn How to Speak Spanish

1. This video series is a way to review common phrases.
2. Choose a topic, such as airport travel, dealing with money, or romantic phrases.
3. Click on the topic. The video will play (occasionally prefaced by a short ad).
4. Listen to Mixitxu Etxeberria, a fluent speaker, say the phrases. She will first state the phrase in English, then in Spanish.
5. After her second reading, she will say the phrase more slowly. Repeat after her. The phrase is written on the screen in Spanish to help you!

BBC's Talk Spanish

1. The BBC has another great learning and speaking resource in Talk Spanish.
2. Choose one of the 12 topics.
3. Watch the video(s) on that topic.
   • A column on the right of each video has the dialogue written out in Spanish, with an English translation as well.

   • BBC's Talk Spanish Greetings Section

4. After watching the video, test yourself with the activities in the second section.
5. You can then download a worksheet and practice your written comprehension of the words you've just heard and read.

Espacios públicos

1. Also visit Espacios públicos, a 20 hour, introductory open-learning course.
2. A free registration lets you participate in online forums on this course.
3. Read the Introduction for each lesson.
4. Click through the pages, reviewing lessons and listening to the provided audio files.
5. Work on the activities throughout the course, then check your answers to see what you've understood.

Intermediate Lessons

Colby College's Spanish Grammar Exercises

1. Choose one of the listed exercises in a language subject area you want to learn or review.

   • Colby College's Spanish Grammar Exercises

2. Fill in the blanks for the lesson.
3. You can check your answers by choosing the ? or correct buttons.
4. The study modules on the left also provide more learning opportunities.
5. Watch videos or listen to songs that relate to the daily life and culture of people in the Spanish-speaking world.
   • Many of these exercises let you click on a word to learn its meaning.
6. Test what you've learned with the practice exercises after each module.

LanguageGuide.org's Grammar Section

1. This site provides a means to study verb conjugations.
2. Click on the speaker button to hear audio files of the conjugations.
3. There are sections for irregular verbs and different verb tenses.
4. In the practice section test how well you know the conjugations!
5. You can also review your understanding of Spanish grammar here.

Con mis propias manos

1. Con mis propias manos is an easy-to-follow intermediate course.
2. Free registration lets you participate in online forums for this open-learning course.
3. Learn about Spanish and Latin American arts and crafts as you explore each section and listen to the audio files.
4. Study them in order, working on the exercises as you go along.
5. Check your answers at the bottom of each page to see what you've learned!

Advanced Lessons

Centro Virtual Cervantes

1. Go to lecturas paso a paso to read different texts in the original language.
2. Choose a level of difficulty: inicial, intermedio, or avanzado (beginning, intermediate, or advanced).
3. Choose a text to read.

   • Centro Virtual Cervantes Lecturas Avanzado

4. Review the antes de leer page before reading the selection.
5. Read the text.
6. Then visit the despué s de leer section and use the activities to check your reading comprehension.

   • Centro Virtual Cervantes: Una música tan triste

BBC Better@Listening

1. The language you learn in a classroom does not always match up with how native speakers talk. Sentences are spoken faster, words are elided, and accents can vary in day-to-day speaking.
2. If you know the words for numbers, time, and food, test your comprehension with these presentations in "real life" Spanish.
3. You have up to three chances to listen to each person and fill in the correct information.
4. If you didn't get everything right, use the "Improve Your Score" option. Some pieces of information are provided now so you can concentrate on hearing the key words.

CALL Project - Juan Manuel Soto Arriví

1. These exercises test your ability with more complex tasks in the language: verbs, pronouns, prepositions, and translation.
2. Choose an area you need to learn or review.
3. Use the drop-down menu to select an exercise.
4. The instructions are entirely in Spanish, so make sure you understand enough to take advantage of the materials!

Fun Lessons

BBC Cool Spanish

1. The BBC's Cool Spanish has tips on how to argue, talk about technology, discuss religion, and many other more complicated speaking situations-- all using informal words.
   • Note that while some of these expressions may translate to Latin America, they are mostly from Spain.
2. Listen to the audio files while reading along.
   • Follow the helpful codes to learn when something is familiar, very familiar, vulgar, or just plain rude.
3. Download the MP3s and listen on your own whenever you can.
4. Review meanings with a print-out of phrases from each section.

The Alternative Spanish Dictionary

1. To learn more slang phrases, check out this dictionary.
2. Browse the definitions to learn what words not to say!

BBC Spanish Crosswords

1. Have fun with the BBC's interactive Spanish crosswords.

BBC Costa Amor

1. In the BBC's Costa Amor, you can immerse yourself in the flow of the language by watching an online soap opera!
2. There are 32 "action-packed" dialogues, which you can read along with (or understand with the English translations!).
3. Don't wait to find out if Dave and Carmen manage to find true love!

Spanish Podcasts

Spanish Survival Guide

1. Switchpod has Spanish Survival Guide podcasts.
2. Each podcast includes key phrases in the language.
3. The podcast pauses after introducing each word and phrase, so you can repeat them and either learn or practice proper pronunciation.
4. You can listen to these podcasts online, or you can download them to review your new speaking skills as often as possible!

Coffee Break Spanish

1. This podcast offers lessons on proper language for use in brief conversations.
2. You can listen online or download the MP3s.
3. You have the option to subscribe, for a fee, to access more course materials.

Rojas Spanish Language

1. These podcasts are entirely in Spanish, so they are appropriate for intermediate or advanced speakers.
2. Download the PDF files so you have a transcript of the podcast.
3. Then listen to the podcast, either online or by subscribing to the podcast.
4. Review the transcript to check what you've already understood or newly-learned.

How to Speak Arabic

This page contains resources for learning and studying the Arabic language. Arabic is considered a macrolanguage with 27 different sub-languages. It is spoke widely throughout the Arab world and is the liturgical language of Islam.

Fast Facts

1. Language Family: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic
2. Number of Speakers: Between 186 and 207 million native speakers
3. Official Language: 25 countries including Libya, Syria, Sudan
4. Major Dialects: Egyptian Arabic, Maghrebi Arabic, Levantine Arabic, Iraqi Arabic, East Arabian Arabic, Gulf Arabic
5. Systems of Arabic:
   • Classical written Arabic
   • Modern standard written Arabic
   • Spoken Arabic (varies across countries and regions)
6. Read from right to left
7. Liturgical language of Islam
8. Classified as a macrolanguage with 27 sub-languages

Fast Facts

1. Language Family: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic
2. Number of Speakers: Between 186 and 207 million native speakers
3. Official Language: 25 countries including Libya, Syria, Sudan
4. Major Dialects: Egyptian Arabic, Maghrebi Arabic, Levantine Arabic, Iraqi Arabic, East Arabian Arabic, Gulf Arabic
5. Systems of Arabic:
   • Classical written Arabic
   • Modern standard written Arabic
   • Spoken Arabic (varies across countries and regions)
6. Read from right to left
7. Liturgical language of Islam
8. Classified as a macrolanguage with 27 sub-languages

Common Words and Phrases

• Hello: Salam - Marhaba
• My name is: Ismi
• I don't speak Arabic: Ana ma ba'aref ahkee Arabee
• I speak Arabic a little: Baa'ref Arabee Showayya
• Goodbye: Ma'assalama - Bye
• Thank you: Shukran

History

Arabic has been the liturgical language of Islam since the 7th century. It is classified as a member of the Semitic language family. It is closely related to Hebrew and Aramaic and shares a Proto-Semitic ancestor. During the Middle Ages, it was a major vehicle for scientific and philosophical culture. As a result, many European languages have been borrowed words from Arabic. The influence of the Arabic language is especially strong in Spanish and Portuguese.

Arabic Lessons Online

• Babel Arabic: Beginning, intermediate, and advanced lessons
• Foreign Service Institute: Arabic Lessons
• Volunteer educational community: Welcome to #Arabic
• Al-Duroos - الدروس: Arabic language lessons and learning resources
• Wikibooks: Arabic/Basic Phrases
• Speak7.com: Learn Arabic For Free
• Syrian Arabic Language Course
• LangMedia: Arabic in Jordan (Palestinian Dialect)

Arabic Writing Lessons

• University of Victoria: Introduction to Written Arabic
• Islamicart: Arabic alphabet
• Arabic Alphabet: Learn the arabic alphabet online
• Transliteration.org: Numbers in Arabic
• Wikibooks: Arabic/Arabic alphabet
• Wikipedia: Arabic alphabet
• Ancient Scripts: Arabic Writing History

Arabic Dictionaries and Communication Resources

• English - Arabic - English Dictionary
• Ectaco Online Dictionary: Engish - Arabic Dictionary
• Muftah Alhuruf: Arabic Virtual Keyboard

Arabic Lessons and Activities for Kids

• EnchantedLearning.com: Arabic Language Activities
• Islam4Schools: Arabic Alphabet
• Little-Horus.Org: Learn Arabic
• Fun with Arabic: Alphabet song

Arabic Podcasts and Videos

• The Arabic PodClass: Arabic Language Podcast
• ArabicPod: Learn Arabic Podcasts
• YouTube: Muslim Kid School (Arabic Alphabet)
• YouTube & Google Video: Learn Arabic Search

Arabic Books

• Amazon.com: Beginner's Arabic Script: An Introduction to Reading and Writing Arabic
• Amazon.com: The Arabic Alphabet: How to Read & Write It
• Amazon.com: Arabic For Dummies
• Amazon.com: Arabic Practical Dictionary
• Amazon.com: Berlitz Arabic Phrase Book
• Amazon.com: Arabic at a Glance: Phrase Book and Dictionary for Travelers

Arabic Blogs and Culture

• Encyclopaedia of the Orient: Arabic language
• Internals: Blog about Arabic language and culture

Resources in Arabic

• BBCArabic.com | الصفحة الرئيسية
• Al Jazeera: الجزيرة نت
• Al-Ahram: جريدة الأهرام - الصفحة الأولى
• Al-Watan: جـريـدة الوطن
• CNN in Arabic

Arabic Classes and Programs

• Pimsleur: Eastern Arabic | Egyptian Arabic
• Rosetta Stone: Learn Arabic: Learn to Speak Arabic
• University of California: Arabic Without Walls

How to Speak Mandarin Chinese for Beginners

Introduction

Let's be honest, learning to speak Mandarin Chinese is not easy. Mandarin is a tonal language, which means if you say a word with the wrong tone or inflection, you can be misunderstood.
To hear the different tones in Mandarin, visit this page.
Mandarin's writing system consists of written symbols. There are two systems for writing Mandarin: traditional and simplified. Simplified characters are used mainly in China and Singapore, while Taiwan uses traditional writing.
Beginners, however, usually start with lessons in Pinyin, which is Chinese written phonetically in the Latin alphabet.
But do not be discouraged, you can learn how to speak Mandarin! Practice a few phrases and words each day, and the language will begin to make sense. It will take time and commitment, but if you follow the steps below you too can speak Mandarin!

Mandarin Pronunciation

• You will need to learn the tones of Mandarin to truly speak the language. Do not get discouraged if you can't hear tones at first - tonal changes get easier to distinguish the more you study.

Tones

• Mandarin has four distinct tones. In Pinyin, tones are noted with numbers or tone marks, so pay attention to the marks as you read new words.

1. Play the sound clips on this page to hear different tonal pronunciations.
2. Repeat the tones as you hear them.

Pronunciation

• This pronunciation guide is another great reference as you study Mandarin.

1. Listen to the different sounds by clicking on each sound clip.
2. Repeat the sounds as you hear them.

Mandarin Basic Phrases

• You can easily learn a few basic phrases in Mandarin, like "Hello" and "Good-bye."

Knowing basic phrases makes communication easier. (Photo by Chris Greene)

1. Standard Mandarin has a short page of common phrases.
   • Simply click on the arrow next to each phrase to hear it pronounced.
   • Practice saying a phrase each time you hear it!
2. If you're going on a trip, you might also get a phrasebook or electronic translator to carry with you. That way you can look up phrases whenever you're in an unplanned-for situation.
   • Wikitravel has online phrasebooks for both traditional and simplified Mandarin.
   • McGraw-Hill's iSpeak lets you download 1,500 Chinese phrases for your iPod.

Language Guide Chinese Phrases

• This site has key phrases in Mandarin, arranged into categories like Greetings, Numbers, and Jobs.
  • The categories are labeled in Pinyin and simplified characters. Hold your mouse over each category to see its name in English.

1. For example, click on the category wen4 hou4 yu3 (Greetings).
2. Move your mouse over each phrase to hear it in Mandarin.
3. Repeat the phrase after you hear it.
4. Other sections have pictures instead of words. Just move your mouse over each picture to hear it in Mandarin.

• • The introductory lessons in the next section are another good source for learning some basic phrases.

Introductory Mandarin Lessons

• Each of these lessons has good information for beginning Mandarin students. If you are interested in learning phrases for travel, the BBC's Real Chinese or Times Online's introductory course for Mandarin Chinese are particularly good sources.

BBC's Real Chinese

Study Mandarin and visit the Great Wall. (Photo by Steven Cheah)

• The BBC's Real Chinese is a ten-part series of lessons in basic Chinese. Follow this series and you will learn key phrases and cultural insights necessary for a trip to China.
  • This course's Mandarin is entirely in Pinyin, so you are not exposed to any Chinese characters.

1. Go to the course's home page.
2. Choose a lesson from the column on the right.
3. When the lesson page loads, press "Start" to begin.
4. The phrase initially appears in Pinyin. Check the English to see what it means, then choose "Sound Only" and repeat it yourself.
5. At the end of the lesson, a summary appears.
6. Click on "Useful Phrases" to review the lesson's key words once more.
7. Watch the video to get some cultural background on what you've just studied.
8. Take the "Challenge" and see how much you've learned!

Times Online

Times Online Learn Mandarin Chinese

• Times Online has an introductory course for Mandarin Chinese. These lessons will help you learn how to introduce yourself and hold simple conversations. It's another great course to use before you go on a trip where you'll want to speak Chinese.
  • These lessons are also in Pinyin.

1. On the course's home page, use the arrows to tab through the ten lessons until you find the one you want to work on.
2. Click on the lesson to go to its home page.
3. Follow the instructions to either download or stream your lesson.
   • Each lesson has two parts: the lesson itself and a practice conversation.
4. Listen to the audio lesson, repeating the Chinese when you are prompted.
   • Go to or print out the lesson's home page, so you can read along as you listen.
5. Then listen to the practice conversation. You'll be amazed at how much you understand!

California State University, Long Beach

• This course provides audio files for conversations in Mandarin. Listen and then reinforce what you're learning with the practice sessions.
  • These lessons have Mandarin written in traditional characters and Pinyin.

1. First check out the pronunciation guide to practice the tonal differences in Chinese.
2. On the course's home page, choose a lesson.
3. Listen to the conversations from Part I: Listen and Learn. Just click on the speaker button to hear the audio file. Repeat each phrase after you hear it!
   • As the audio file opens in a new page, it may be helpful to do this lesson in two browser windows. Keep the dialogue page open in one window, and use the second window to listen to your audio files.
4. Part II is a dialogue review, so click on the page to read the sentences one more time.
5. Then do the exercises in Part III to practice what you just learned. Say the words aloud in Chinese, and just click on the English words if you don't know an answer!

Live Mocha

• LiveMocha is an online learning community. You can follow their online courses, but also participate in the online community. You can ask fellow members for help with Mandarin, and offer help to those who are learning English.
  • These introductory lessons are also in Pinyin.
  • It's helpful to take this as a supplemental course, or take copious notes as you go through the lessons, because the course is vocabulary-intensive.

1. Go to LiveMocha's home page.
2. Click on "Get Started" to register for a free account, and select that you want to learn Chinese.
3. You will receive a confirmation email; when it arrives click on the included link to activate your account.
4. You have the option to upload a profile image; if you prefer click "Skip" to skip this step.
5. Then choose the online course "Chinese 101."
6. Begin with the section marked "Learn" on Unit 1, Lesson 1.
7. Each lesson has four sections:
   • Learn: Listen to words and phrases. Repeat the words as you hear them.
   • Reading: Read words and phrases you just learned and select the correct image.
   • Listening: Listen to the same words and phrases and select the correct image.
   • Magnet: Now you must re-create the words and phrases. Choose from the presented words and drag them into the answer box, in the correct order.

Introductory Mandarin Podcasts

Shilin Night Market. (Creative Commons photo by Prince Roy)

• Podcasts are another great way to introduce yourself to Mandarin. You can listen to these lessons anywhere with your iPod or MP3 Player.

Peace Corps Mandarin Chinese Language Lessons

• These Peace Corps lessons are a valuable introductory tool. They offer pronunciation tips, as well as basic phrases.

1. Go to the Peace Corps language lessons page.
2. Click "Download the transcript of this lesson" to download a PDF file of the lesson vocabulary and dialogue.
   • Note that the Mandarin is in Pinyin.
3. You can listen to the lesson by clicking on it; the audio file will play in your web browser.
4. Or copy and paste this xml code: http://www.peacecorps.gov/wws/multimedia/language/chinese.xml into your podcast software.
   • In iTunes, click on the "Advanced" menu in the toolbar and choose "Subscribe to Podcast..."
   • Paste the URL in the box that appears and click "OK."
   • Your subscription is all set!

Mandarin Chinese Lessons with Serge Melnyk

• This podcast offer comprehensive Mandarin audio lessons.

1. Visit the list of lessons to choose an appropriate level.
2. Listen to the podcast online by clicking on the arrow under "Listen Now."
3. Or click "Download" to save the audio file to your desktop. That way you can import the file onto your MP3 player or iPod!
4. Listen to the lesson. Repeat tones and phrases as you hear them.

• If you want to, you can subscribe to the podcast for an additional fee. Subscribing means you'll receive transcripts and worksheets for each podcast.

ChinesePod Podcasts

• ChinesePod is a popular podcast for learning Mandarin Chinese. You can listen to its podcasts for free, or pay a subscription fee for more learning tools.

1. On the home page, click on "Get Started" to create an account.
2. Fill in the requested information on the next page.
3. Once you've completed your sign up, you can access lessons right away. Click on the "Lessons" tab to choose a lesson.
   
   • The default level for lesson choices is "Newbie," which is a perfect starting place for beginners. If you want a different level for your lessons, just choose the appropriate tab on the lessons page.
4. Listen to the podcast by pressing the play button to hear its streaming audio.
   • The new vocabulary is presented slowly, so try to repeat each new word or phrase as you hear it.

• New users receive a free 15-day trial period as premium members. Check out this page to learn about subscription levels and prices.

Introductory Mandarin Videos

• Videos are a great way to see and hear people speaking Mandarin.

1. Ask Benny offers fun introductory videos. Benny goes through important phrases, teaching them word by word (in Pinyin).
2. The cartoons from Active Chinese present dialogues, then show the words in simplified Mandarin as they explain each word's meaning.

Practice saying "Merry Christmas" in Mandarin.

Writing Mandarin Characters

Write in Chinese

• You'll learn more about writing in intermediate and advanced classes, but even a beginner should familiarize himself with Chinese characters.

1. The right stroke order is important to write cleanly in Mandarin. Visit this site to see the stroke order for common simplified characters.
2. If you want to see a particular word written in Chinese characters, this dictionary shows words in Pinyin, simplified, and traditional characters.
3. If you want to translate Chinese characters into English, Babel Fish and Google Translate are two good resources. Remember that translation software sometimes makes mistakes, however!