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ChinesePod - Beginner

ChinesePod LLC

ChinesePod makes learning Mandarin fun and easy. It isn't your typical language learning resource - we think you'll be entertained as well!

If you’re just trying to learn some survival Chinese or looking to start a lifelong relationship with the language, this ChinesePod - Beginner Level Podcast Channel is where to start.

Expand your Mandarin Chinese learning experience by also SUBSCRIBING to ChinesePod - Intermediate and ChinesePod - Advanced Podcast channels.

For more lessons, go to www.chinesepod.com and take us for a spin.

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59 episodes
Avg 14 min
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Episodes 59

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Yesterday · 15 min
Elementary | Open the Trunk!
Whether you're a tourist with a plethora of heavy bags or a mafia gangster with some relatively sensitive cargo, it's important to be able to ask the driver to open the trunk of a car. Today's lesson will teach you how to say this highly useful phrase in Mandarin Chinese. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1926
Friday · 15 min
Elementary | Turn It Down, Please
Whether you've just gotten off a 12-hour flight or been up all night partying, sometimes you just want some peace and quiet on your taxi ride home. Unfortunately for you, the cab driver is a Beijing opera enthusiast and has different plans. Learn how to (politely) ask someone to turn down the music in today's elementary lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1923
Wednesday · 13 min
Elementary | What's This Made of?
Whether you're shopping for furniture or buying low-quality knick-knacks at the fake market, it always helps to know what your product is made of to help determine a fair price. There's nothing worse than realizing your shiny dragon statue is made of cheap plastic! Learn how to talk about materials in today's elementary lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1920
October 30 · 16 min
Elementary | Where Did You Learn Chinese?
Once you get past the initial niceties and compliments that inevitably take place during a conversation, your newfound Chinese friend will most likely ask you where you've learned such exemplary Mandarin. Today's lesson will teach you how to respond to this question while still preserving the image of your impeccable language skills. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1916
October 28 · 12 min
Elementary | Please Heat My Food
Modern China has reinvented the convenience store. Or rather, it has borrowed Japan's reinvention of the convenience store. But in any case, it's new heights of convenience. These stores are now places you can pick up fresh (?) food and even have it heated on your way out. Learn this lesson and finally find out what they've been asking you every time you buy food! Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1909
October 27 · 13 min
Elementary | Looking for a Tour Guide
So are you looking for a tour guide, or are you just looking for a friend of a friend to show you around the city for free? No matter; those two are the same word in Chinese! Learn how to get help finding a tour guide in this Chinese lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1906
October 23 · 18 min
Elementary | Forks and Spoons
True, asking for a fork is pretty much "giving up" when you're living in China, but there are times when it's not so frowned upon. And a spoon is basically always OK; eating soup with chopsticks is not for everyone. Learn this key vocabulary in our Chinese lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1900
October 21 · 15 min
Elementary | Can I Sit Here?
Noisy, crowded restaurants and cafeterias are especially common in China; it is the largest country in the world, after all. This alone may not be too jarring for a newly-arrived foreigner, but you may be a bit more surprised when a group of strangers asks to sit at your table with you! Learn how to politely ask to sit with people (and how to respond to such requests) in today's ChinesePod lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1897
October 20 · 14 min
Elementary | Can I Eat With You?
A new workplace can be intimidating at first if you don't know anyone and especially if no one is speaking English! The first step to breaking the ice and becoming more familiar with your coworkers is obtaining a coveted lunch invitation. But what do you do when you can't get an invite? Learn how to ask to tag along in today's elementary lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1896
October 16 · 16 min
Elementary | Big Numbers
Today's podcast is all about massive numbers in Mandarin Chinese. We're talking the numbers used in high-occurrence discussions on the population of China, US debt to China, your expected salary, and the price of a Ferrari in Shanghai. Enhance your numerical knowledge with today's elementary lesson! Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1877
October 14 · 15 min
Elementary | Buying High-Speed Train Tickets
If you're a fan of traveling (and if you're in China or planning a visit, you almost undoubtedly are!) then chances are you're going to need to buy train tickets at some point. Train ticket offices in China can be very daunting: lines are more of a suggestion and dialects reign supreme. But have no fear, ChinesePod is here to help! Listen in and learn all the key vocabulary vital for purchasing high-speed train tickets to your next destination. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1875
October 13 · 16 min
Elementary | Exchanging Dollars for RMB
One of the first things you're going to need to do in China is change some of your hard-earned cash into spendable RMB. Today's dialogue follows one such traveler as they venture into a local bank. Learn all the vital vocab for exchanging money using Mandarin Chinese in today's elementary lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1872
October 9 · 13 min
Elementary | Words of Encouragement
It's been a rough week. The work piled up over the holiday last week and all your dutiful employees have been working long overtime hours. What's the best way, other than an expensive bonus, to show your immense appreciation for your subordinates who pour their blood, sweat and tears into your company? Uplifting (and cheap!) words of encouragement, of course! Learn how to spur on your workers in today's ChinesePod elementary lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1866
October 7 · 15 min
Elementary | Spending Money in Hong Kong
As one of Asia's premier shopping cities, Hong Kong has more than a few places to spend your hard-earned cash. No matter what it is you buy, your coworkers will undoubtedly be curious as to how much money you've spent on your most recent buying binge. Learn how to discuss such a topic in today's ChinesePod lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1862
October 5 · 18 min
Elementary | A Present for Mid-Autumn Festival
Mid-Autumn Festival, which is celebrated every year on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, is a celebration in honour of the moon, and sharing mooncakes is one of the hallmark traditions of this festival. Listen in to today's lesson to see what someone gets for a present on this holiday. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/2536
October 2 · 16 min
Elementary | Photocopying and Printing
What do you do when you're thrust into an office environment with little English and a multitude of tasks to complete? ChinesePod offers a solution with today's lesson on the wild world of office duties like photocopying, printing and calling cabs for your superiors. Learn how to be a company superstar with this elementary lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1858
September 30 · 16 min
Elementary | Finding the Office Building
You've gotten directions to the office and gotten your friend to tell the taxi driver where to go. All you need to do now is find your way out of the taxi to the correct floor in the office building itself. Learn how to make this final push in Mandarin Chinese in today's elementary lesson! Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1855
September 28 · 14 min
Elementary | Buying a Prepaid Cell Phone Card
So you've just had an hour-long argument with your landlord about the electricity bill or exchanged a few hundred texts with your significant other; either way your phone is out of credit. Don't panic! Learn how to recharge your cell phone minutes in today's highly useful Elementary lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1851
September 25 · 15 min
Elementary | Restaurant Recommendation
Each person has his own preferences, but the Chinese way to finding a good restaurant is -- no, not Yelp or Dianping -- asking friends, face to face, the good old-fashioned way! In this lesson, follow such a conversation about where to eat lunch and learn some Chinese. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1847
September 23 · 18 min
Elementary | Directions for the Taxi Driver
Why bother to even ask for directions at all, when you can just hop in a cab, call your Chinese friend, and have her tell the driver where you want to go? In this lesson, our lazy office visitor does just that. But you may just learn some Chinese from the exchange if you listen in and pay attention! Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1845

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