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Q: Can you speak Mandarin?
There is such a range of Mandarin here for expats, from those who can barely get by to those who speak it easily. How much Mandarin do you know, how and where do you learn it, and how much do you think an expat should know?
I know enough Mandarin to get around each day like getting a taxi, ordering food, and holding a basic conversation. I learnt from my wife no schools or classes. Expats should at least grasp some ability to speak Mandarin if they are China.
I barely get by. I learned it from memorization and osmosis (I don't know how I learned it) and I think expats should know considerably more Mandarin than I.
It's definitely easier to have at least Mandarin basics. The Culture Yard offers survival Chinese in a weekend covering small talk, ordering food, transportation and shopping. Its taught by an expat so she knows what you often need as a foreigner in China. good luck!
Speaking Mandarin is a definite plus, so coming to China please try to mingle more with the locals, at first you might find it difficult to express yourself or become frustrated to be misunderstood but do not get discouraged, it is worth all your efforts and I guarantee that after a few weeks you will start to find it easier and you will also find it nice to feel more accepted into the community.......my advice is to speak more of chinese to people around you and experience the joy of gradually increasing your vocabulary.
hm... my "Mandarin" is very, very basic :)
But when I'll come to stay in china for a little longer (months, years... - beginning July 14th this year) - I plan to learn a lot. Not because of "professional skills", but to be a part of community.
See You in Kaiping and around there... 
i know enough mandarin to keep my self out of trouble and i passed HSK so you can better judge my Chinese speaking, writing and listening level
Speaking the language will earn you respect from the Chinese community. I can't imagine living here and not learning to speak the language, it would seem such a waste, like living in a goldfish bowl, watching the world but unable to interact.
chineselearnonline.com has a great online progamme for paid or free subscribers, it is a gradual course offering knowledge and understanding of grammar and pronounciation for chinese, my level is equivilent to their level 5 just for reference. some people hear me speak and think i am fluent, but i personally think i am a advanced conversational. i can read and write 2500 characters and can read and understand about 50-70% of most articles in a news paper. not being cocky but letting you know that if you strive to learn, it's not so hard. good luck!
I would definitely recommend learning some Chinese, even if its just enough to ask for directions and order food. I guess it depends how long you plan to stay in China as to how much you should learn. If you're here on holiday then stuff it, but if you planning on staying here I would say you'll get more out of China if you learn the language, same with any country.
