English → Mandarin
Free speaking-first Mandarin lessons for English speakers: listening, pronunciation, natural speech, culture and practical communication.
Start this courseLearn the useful version first
Start with a clear, polite version you can safely use. Then compare natural local speech when the relationship and situation make it appropriate.
Grammar differences that matter
Mandarin does not conjugate verbs for person or tense the way many European languages do. Time words, aspect particles, measure words and word order do much of the work; tones are part of the word itself.
Culture, politeness & local speech
Mandarin politeness often uses 您, 请, 谢谢 and appropriate titles. Natural speech can be shorter, but tones must remain correct because changing a tone can change the word.
Choose the speed you need for each phrase
Every phrase has four playback choices right beside it: Neutral, Slow, Slower and Slowest. Replay any speed as often as you need; there is no separate repeat control.
Approved WhyLazy recordings can use a separately produced teaching performance for each choice. Until those recordings are available, WhyLazy prefers the best native voice on the device and never substitutes a voice from another language.
Five levels, one practical path
Work through all five levels or jump to the phrases you need now. Your progress is stored on this device.
Work through all five levels or jump to the phrases you need now. Your progress is stored on this device.
Work through all five levels or jump to the phrases you need now. Your progress is stored on this device.
Work through all five levels or jump to the phrases you need now. Your progress is stored on this device.
Work through all five levels or jump to the phrases you need now. Your progress is stored on this device.