Chinese (Mandarin): Learn to Speak and Understand Mandarin with Pimsleur Language Programs (Pimsleur Quick and Simple)
Q&S Mandarin Chinese includes the first 8 lessons from the Pimsleur Comprehensive Level I. 4 hours, audio-only, effective language learning with real-life spoken practice sessions.
User Ratings and Reviews
4 Stars interesting, useful introduction
This is from a perspective of a person who has better linguistic aptitude than most people around, but who certainly isn’t a language genius.
I join reviewers who find this CD set a useful sampling of Pimsleur method. It teaches very little Chinese, no way near making you able to maintain open end conversation (even if by sheer luck you manage to agree on tea/beer in Collage Rd/Long Pea st, and no one suggested orange juice in Short University Lane - what will you talk about while at it?)
From my experience: A, there is no magic, it is not like storing it under the pillow and the next day - boom. The method takes concentration and patience. B. It helps if you go every now and then to a library and peep into a more comprehensive Chinese language book to check specific points. For example, M and N sound very similar, you may want to make sure which it is. Or look for a more thorough description of the tones, and be reassured that the fact it sound different than described is because it is - the tones are context dependent and also intention sensitive (words my sound somewhat different if you make a statement, ask a question or try to flirt). C, you are likely to feel occasionally that the time you have to retrieve the requested word/phrase/sentence and say it is not enough. Join the club! D. I’m not sure about hearing each CD once. I hear most of them two to five times. This is for fear of accumulating uncertainties, until eventually it will all sound like Chinese to me. Maybe you won’t need that. But if you will, you’re not the only one.
But! I, for one, did go on to the more comprehensive course. There maybe something to this method, especially if your primary goal is to be able to converse.
4 Stars Very good. You must be disciplined and really practice.
The Pimsleur method is quite effective. A Chinese-American friend said this is a good program. I used it for about a month before traveling to Shanghai and Xian China. The bits I did learn were dead-on. Native Chinese were impressed with the quality of the Mandarin that I did know.
I did also get a phrase book so I could see the actual words, but I didn’t look them up until I had practiced them with the CD. Sometimes it is difficult to tell if the speaker is starting a word with a b or d or p sound. This is an excellent program.
5 Stars The best and cheapest way to learn Chinese Mandarin
The CDs are well prepared, practical and logical in sequence and are easy to listen to; they give the impression of a patient language teacher that not only teaches you Mandarin, but ensures that your pronounciation is accurate. Even current non-native Mandarin speakers can use the lessons on the CDs to brush up on pronounciation and style. This has to be one of the very best, if not the best way to learn Mandarin at home.
5 Stars Don’t Waste Your Money - Behind The Wheel Chinese is Far Better
Don’t waste your money on this rigid method. You’ll find yourself limited for time like I did and have to review the same 10-15 minute segment over and over.
There are no tracks and no flexibility.
I returned this course and bought Behind the Wheel Chinese 8 mulit-track CDs instead.
Far better course and I LOVE the way the interviewer gets right down to getting you to speak the basics in Chinese.
Amazing how quickly I am learning to speak Chinese with Behind the Wheel Chinese and unfortunately how little vocabulary I liearned with the trackless Pimsleur Chinese course.
3 Stars Good for the price, but it has it’s problems!
I have had this Pimsleur product for some time now, and have tried to use in conjunction with assistance from my wife who is a native Mandarin speaker and teacher. It starts well, with lessons 1,2, and 3 teaching you useful greeting, and phrases, but when you get to lesson 4, it goes of at a tangent and starts to teach you how to ask directions to college rd, and longpeace street!This continues until lesson 5, by which time you are thoroughly bored stiff!Then in lesson 6 the pace rapidly speeds up, to a point where you are completely confused.
Many of the phrases are only spoken once, and at normal conversational speed, this is far to fast to be able to comprehend, and to get the pronunciation right, which is very important in Chinese. Some of the phrases are repeated slowly starting at the end of the sentence, word by word, but this is not useful. It would be far better if the phrases were just spoken very slowly, and then again at normal speed.
Personally I do not recommend this product, save your money and put it towards a course that will teach you useful phrases at a more sensible speed, so that you can learn to speak accurately in pronunciation and tone quality. When you live amongst Chinese people as I do, you realise very quickly how important tonal accuracy is!
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