Award-Winning Mandarin Chinese Courses & Classes in Albany, NY

Learning Chinese might be tough, but an Albany Chinese course offered by Varsity Tutors could make this difficult process a lot easier. When you learn from a system with proven benefits and expert instructors, even the most challenging languages can become much less daunting. There are many reasons why students might want to learn Chinese. Some programs at Skidmore College or Union College might have certain language requirements that you need to fulfill. High school students at Albany High or Bishop Maginn might also be interested in learning Chinese alongside their other courses. Or maybe you're just a language enthusiast who wants to tackle one of the hardest languages on the planet. But one of the most common reasons for learning Chinese is its applications in the international business community. China is one of the strongest economies in the world, and they have a lot of influence over international trade. They also manufacture many of the products we buy and sell. Learning this language could open all kinds of doors in your professional career. Whatever the case, you could benefit from one of these Chinese courses.

Most people are aware that Chinese is one of the most common languages in the world. But did you know that Mandarin Chinese actually takes the top spot? That's right, more people on Earth speak Mandarin Chinese than any other language. This alone should tell you all you need to know about the useful applications of learning Chinese.

Although Mandarin is the most common Chinese dialect, there are many others across mainland China and the rest of the world. The second most common dialect is Cantonese, which is quite common across the United States. But there are also many other dialects, including Xiang, Wu, Gan, and Hakka. The various languages of China each have their own unique systems and cultural influences. Learning about the Chinese language might expose you to interesting Eastern philosophies, too.

What Might An Albany Chinese Course Cover?

Chinese is considered to be one of the hardest languages to learn in the world, especially for English speakers. For starters, their system of writing is completely unique. Written Chinese is the only modern system that uses pictograms. While other pictographic systems in ancient cultures have died out, Chinese characters still survive today, after thousands of years. Some Chinese characters have been dated back to the Shang Dynasty. This written system includes a whopping 50,000 characters, although only 20,000 are used commonly. 20,000 characters are still much more than the 26 characters in the English language, and learning them all could prove to be a major challenge. There are plenty of other challenging concepts in the Chinese language, such as their unique tonal system. The Chinese language has four tones: rising, falling, rising and falling, and flat. Certain words could have completely different meanings, depending on which tone is being used. This means that even more memorization is needed to fully master this challenging language.

There are some easier elements of the Chinese language. One feature is the lack of pluralization in this linguistic system. There's no equivalent to the "s" used in the English language to denote plural nouns. This could come as a welcome relief for English speakers who are trying to learn the language, as this is one of the rare occasions where Chinese is actually less complex compared to English.

The Chinese language also handles gendered pronouns in its own unique way. Different characters denote different pronoun genders. While these characters sound the same when spoken, slightly different pronunciation makes male and female pronouns distinct from one another. You need to listen carefully to hear the subtle differences in the Chinese language, and this is just one example of why that's so important. Combined with the tonal system, this might make Chinese hard to follow during a conversation.

How Does An Albany Chinese Course Help You Learn?

Your Albany Chinese course provides an innovative, online learning system. Each student enters into a virtual classroom, where like-minded students learn from highly qualified instructors. Just like a normal classroom, you'll have plenty of opportunities to converse and interact with your instructor and other students. You'll ask questions about the course material, and your fellow students can do the same. This group-based, collaborative learning environment has proven benefits, and it's always helpful to hear other people speaking the language you're trying to learn. If you do have any issues with particularly challenging topics, you can always ask for extra time with your instructor on a one-on-one basis. This level of attention might be exactly what you need to wrap your head around the Chinese language.

How Do You Sign Up With An Albany Chinese Class?

One of the great things about an Albany Chinese class is the incredible level of flexibility. We understand that you might be a busy working professional or a student with a full course load. That's why we've made every effort to provide different scheduling options for your Chinese classes. You can pick between either a two-week or a four-week course. You can also choose between night classes, weekend classes, and even classes during your lunch break. As long as you have a few hours free each week, there are courses available that fit within your scheduling constraints.

Learning Chinese for the first time might be difficult, but that doesn't mean it has to be frustrating. As long as you're learning from expert instructors who guide you along the way, you can gradually learn more and more Chinese until you start to approach this language with confidence. A high-quality Chinese class can really make a difference, whether you're learning this interesting language for professional or academic reasons. Learning a new language also challenges you to think in brand new ways, and it might even improve the overall health of your brain. Invest in your future. Contact Varsity Tutors today, and we can provide you with all the resources you need to get started with your brand new Albany Chinese class.