Learn Chinese fast by learning common scenarios.
Skip the "the cat drinks milk" phase. Type the moment you're about to walk into, like a Shanghai market or a Beijing taxi, and GigaLearner writes the Chinese you'll actually hear and say. Hit play, slow it to 0.75×, parrot away.
Why scenarios beat word lists.
Real lines, not random words
You learn the exact Chinese for the moment you're in, in the order it actually comes up.
Hear it the way it's said
One natural voice explains in English and speaks the Chinese. Too fast? Slow it to 0.75× and say it back.
Tones you can actually hear
Every line comes in characters, pinyin with tone marks, and plain English. Slow it to 0.75× and the four tones stop sounding the same.
5 more common Chinese scenarios to rehearse first.
The situations that come up on day one. Each line below is the one you'll need. GigaLearner writes the whole conversation around it, so you know what the other person will say back.
- RESTAURANT, CHENGDU
Ordering, not spicy
Rehearse this →我要这个，不要辣。Wǒ yào zhège, bú yào là."I'll have this one, not spicy." - TAXI, BEIJING
Giving the taxi an address
Rehearse this →请到这个地址。Qǐng dào zhège dìzhǐ."Please go to this address." - SUBWAY, GUANGZHOU
Finding the airport line
Rehearse this →去机场坐几号线？Qù jīchǎng zuò jǐ hào xiàn?"Which line goes to the airport?" - HOTEL, HANGZHOU
Checking in at the hotel
Rehearse this →我有预订。Wǒ yǒu yùdìng."I have a reservation." - SHOP, SHENZHEN
Paying by phone
Rehearse this →可以用微信支付吗？Kěyǐ yòng Wēixìn zhīfù ma?"Can I pay with WeChat?"
Chinese in 30 seconds.
- Spoken in
- Mainland China, Taiwan and Singapore. Mandarin is the most spoken first language on Earth.
- Written in
- Chinese characters (simplified on the mainland), with pinyin to read them.
- The tricky bit
- Tones change meaning: mā (mother) and mǎ (horse) are different words. Copying the audio is the shortcut.
- Quick win
- "我要这个" (wǒ yào zhège, "I want this one") plus pointing gets you most things.
Three steps. Zero flashcard guilt.
Type the moment
Anything that's about to happen, like ordering, not spicy. No ideas? Tap a template like At the restaurant.
GL writes the script
Seconds later: the conversation that usually goes down, line by line, in native script, pronunciation and English.
Tweak it, then hear it
Harder, easier, or what happens next. Then add voice, slow it to 0.75× and parrot away. Nobody's listening. Probably.
Chinese questions, answered.
How fast can I learn Chinese?
Fluency takes years, and no app can honestly promise otherwise. Getting through the moments you're nervous about takes days: rehearse a scenario a few times before it happens and the lines stick. Start with the 6 on this page.
Do I need to read Chinese script first?
No. Every line comes in characters, pinyin with tone marks, and plain English. Slow it to 0.75× and the four tones stop sounding the same.
Which Chinese does GigaLearner teach?
Mandarin Chinese with simplified characters, as used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is it free?
You start free with 3 minutes of lesson audio and 20 lessons, no card needed. Pro is $9.99 a month or $89.99 a year for 30 minutes of audio and up to 500 lessons every month, in every language.
Is there an app?
GigaLearner works in your browser on phone, tablet and computer today. The iPhone and Android apps are coming soon.