Takeaway Chinese

I have been a long time listener of Takeaway Chinese both here and online. Both hosts are very enjoyable to learn Mandarin Chinese from. I would highly recommend this informative and educational podcast for all skill levels of people learning this language.

This podcast has a lot of potential. There is one huge downside: the American speaker seems to have little or no grasp of the fact that tones actually make a difference in Chinese. His pronunciation of most Chinese words is dictated not by the intrinsic tone of the Chinese word, but by the intonation contour of the English phrase or sentence it’s embedded in. This of course is a common problem for learners of Chinese, but it should not be used as a model for learners of Chinese. It’s very confusing, not to say misleading.

I love starting my day with this podcast. It’s a great way to practice listening to Mandarin and getting familiar with the vocabulary, tones, and idioms in everyday situations. Its something I don’t get enough of in my Chinese studies - it balances the more textbook-style approach to learning Chinese. I end up learning so much about Chinese culture and the context and meaning behind the language. I highly recommend! 谢谢您们！

Not only language, I learned about the culture, the society and the history with this podcast! A must-listen-to in my life now!