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Posts: 416

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Q: Do you think you'll ever be fluent in Chinese?

Chinese is such a difficult language, I have come to the realisation that I will never be fluent. Any of you think you can acheive that goal? What is an estimation of how long that would take? I'd guess that you'd have to live in China and be speaking it fairly regularly for about 10 years to be considered fluent. 

10 years 11 weeks ago in  Teaching & Learning - China

 
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Not even trying

royceH:

Me either.  

I still get a laugh when  recall my mate, who'd been learning for years, trying (unsuccessfully) to order huo guo.  I use that memory as my excuse for not bothering to learn.

Perhaps if I thought I was going to be here forever, I'd make some effort.  But I won't be, so I won't.

 

10 years 11 weeks ago
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10 years 11 weeks ago
 
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My understanding improves gradually (wife, TV, colleagues), but for talking, I'm stuck to my low level. My understanding is way better than my speech proficiency. I have very very few friend here, and I'm not trying very hard to speak anyway. I think if I was really trying (taking classes and having people to talk with), it would take 2 to 3 years to be fluent. I don't feel Chinese is hard : trivial grammar, only 4 tones, composed words make sense most time (like "electric voice" for "phone", there are tons like that), a lot is about basic patterns, etc. But I feel that finding people with the patience for a beginner and with stimulating conversation is hard.

brother1818:

I understand that 'electric voice' is a phone and it seems logical an simple. But you can't just figure it out if you have no idea to begin with. 

10 years 11 weeks ago
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10 years 11 weeks ago
 
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  I honestly want to be but i've grown lazy in my study, all I do now is go over new vocabulary repeatedly on my mobile phone when i've got five minutes. Probably only about ten minutes a day. Gotta push a little harder to try and stay ahead of my son's learning curve, i'd hate it if I didn't understand what he was saying. Having said that, he never actually shuts up and i'll be damned if I know what he's talking about, though I did make out the sentence "I lied idle Ade'll load a load o'ladles" the other day, which was impressive for a two year old.

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10 years 11 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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As a Chinese,I'd like to ask you the same question about English.Do you think a Chinese will speak English which sounds like native?

DrMonkey:

Yes, definitely. I know *several* Chinese who never left China yet can speak English without detectable accents. And they are not English major.

10 years 11 weeks ago
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Vyborg:

I agree with Dr Monkey here. Met those people, too. Astonishing pronunciation.

10 years 11 weeks ago
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Robk:

Yes, it is VERY possible. But they have to be interested in learning the culture and being absorbed by it rather than just looking at the language as a mathematical formula. 

10 years 11 weeks ago
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Scandinavian:

yup, got a friend who has never been outside of China, he speaks almost Oxford English. I would not be able to pinpoint where in the world he is from. Far better English skills than Hong Kongese or Singaporeans

10 years 10 weeks ago
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10 years 11 weeks ago
 
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Governor

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there's a foreigner in my city, been in china for ten years.  before that, he studied chinese in university.. it was his major.  i'd say his chinese is damn near perfect.  he can even read and write.  he still studies everyday.  his wife speaks very little english, i'm sure this helps.  he is a real modest guy, and never says his chinese is good.  just studies and studies.  i think the point of what i'm saying is you can always improve what you already know.

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Shifu

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actually i learn every day for 1-2h chinese but i only read pinying... my understanding is ok if the people speak good mandarin, if they have weirdo pronunciation i dont understand a word-.-

biggest problem i have is with speaking. i am not confident at all in speaking as many just dont understand me. probably i mix tones up a few times and then getting nervous and everything ends in a disaster Laughing out loud

 

i always tell my gf to practise chinese with me but she always speaks english...

i even ask her to buy me a book for learning writing/reading but she doesnt help me at all -_-

Paulberger:

yea,when the girlfriend or wife speaks english, it makes it harder.  i have a few books that are helpful.  if you want, i can send you the names.  also, there are a few listening programs you can download and read along with that are real useful.

10 years 11 weeks ago
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dom87:

yes please give me the names. i have to good books completly in pinying to help my understanding and vocabulary in chinese, but nothing to read or write or practice understanding on my level.

 

once i dont know a vocabulary in the sentence i dont understand what they want from me ;_;

10 years 11 weeks ago
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Governor

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Not a chance.  I used to go to a school after work, but I found the Chinese style of teaching less than stimulating.  I quit and now learn bits and pieces in my spare time. 

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Shifu

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The problem with Mandarin is that different cities have different accents. To make it worse, there are so many dialects. The best way to learn is to be with Chinese friends as much as possible. It's the same with English, you need to practice, practice and practice. Start with simple terms like "how much", "how many", "where", "when" etc. Then slowly add more to your vocabulary. Don't worry about making mistakes. That's what we tell our students too right? I get laughed at when I say the wrong words but I learn, which is the point. I picked it up in two years. Not to say that I'm good at it but I can at least have a simple conversation with them. They say that you should have something like 2,000 characters in your vocabulary before you are okay. 

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10 years 11 weeks ago
 
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nope

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10 years 11 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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It's the reading and writing that kills me. The speaking comes via osmosis,mimicry, rote repetition of my co-workers' speech, and necessity to find fast solutions to urgent eventualities such as: Where the hell is the closest WC?

But seriously, when my Chinese co-workers and friends ask me why I don't speak, read or write in Chinese, my stock and tongue-in-cheek answer is: "I don't have 100 years to spare." It IS a difficult language and when one is way too busy with work and other mundane activities such as feeding oneself and sleeping, learning a language just isn't a priority.

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  The problem's not always your level of fluency, one single word can get you stuck indefinitely in a tedious circle of conversation if the person you're talking to isn't bright enough to cut the corners of their own thinking. Just today I went to an electrical shop to buy an adaptor plug to allow me to use Chinese plugs in English sockets (English plugs in Chinese sockets I can manage, just ask the wife. Wakawaka) but I didn't know the word for 'adaptor' and so the conversation proved.......problematic:

(In Chinese of course)

Me: I want to buy a thing to put a Chinese plug in so I can use it in England.

SA (shop assistant): Oh, you mean an adaptor.

Me: I don't know what 'adaptor' means, but yes, probably.

SA: What do you want it for?

Me: To use in England with my computer and stuff. 

SA: Do you mean an adaptor?

Me: I don't know. Maybe. Can I see one?

SA: Rhubarb-rhubarb-rhubarb-elctric-rhubarb-rhubarb-rhubarb-rhubarb-plug.

Me: I don't know what you just said.

SA: Do you want to see an adaptor?

Me: Oh please, oh please, oh please, I do so want to see one, I really do, yes.

SA: We don't have any.

Me: Do you sell cattle-prods?

 

  Ok, maybe a slight exaggeration on the conversation, but only a slight one, honestly. So you see, you can study and practice for years, but the biggest brick wall you face is often the one you want to buy an adaptor plug from.

paulmartin:

If you have the 2 pin Chinese plug,you can use Euro plug,worked for my pc in England

10 years 10 weeks ago
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10 years 10 weeks ago
 
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No, but I'll be satisfied if I can pickup the topic with a few words I understand... step by step.

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Governor

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I've fallen into that trap of almost-fluency where I can use it to do/get anything I want/need with fairly good conversational skills but no drive or real need to improve it. Once you get into this trap its very hard to get out of.

 

Also, all languages are difficult, some more than others, but attaining and maintaining fluency takes a ridiculous amount of time and effort no matter which one you pick. 

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simple answer   ...NO .....  

when I came 2.5 years ago ...  I worked very hard at it...... gave up a year ago .....maybe if I was younger I say.....  but NO.... it is a difficult language to learn.......I am staying here and I do "get by" ..............  but 20 years from now, I will be 77 and maybe then will have mastered Mandarin and only just begun on Cantonese......... then dead.

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I say yes.  Never studied, but been here 7 years. I can speak and hold conversations as long as they arent tooooo deep or filled with culture idioms and crap and I can read and type ( not write!) fairly well, again i can have conversations over QQ or something. From a business standpoint im screwed reading the financial section in the paper or something.  But its improving.  No books, no study, wife only speaks english. I think its just a time thing. Be here long enough  and itll just come.   So i think the 10 years is probably correct.

 

If you study i say less. I could never be bothered, but my close friend studied back home in Uni and hes about as fluent as you can get. Been in China i think 4 years.

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General

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yes,i am already fluent

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10 years 10 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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It does get easier as times goes by, if you are diligent and study hard you can become fluent, I have several foreign friends who are fluent in spoken Chinese, one has been here for around 10 years and another almost 20. It just depends on you, I have been here for 4 years and I can communicate enough for what I want, I am now learning how to read and it is actually not as hard as you think.

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