HSK — Chinese Proficiency Test (opens provider site in a new tab)
Official test information and registration. HSK levels give clear long-term milestones.
Mandarin
Tones, characters, and listening — a practical route into Mandarin Chinese.
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16 picks · 11 free · 16 providers · curated by Rowland Kuru
Editor's intro
Editor's intro
Mandarin looks intimidating from the outside, but its grammar is simpler than most European languages — no verb conjugations, no genders, no tenses in the usual sense. The two real challenges are tones and characters, and both respond well to early, consistent practice. This feed front-loads pronunciation and builds characters through reading rather than rote copying.
Spend your first weeks on pinyin and tones until you can hear and produce the difference reliably; it pays off for years. Install a good dictionary app, then pair a structured course with graded reading and natural listening. The intermediate picks help you read real text; the advanced ones are native media and literary Chinese for learners in it for the long haul.
Start here
Chinese for Beginners (Peking University)
Peking University's Chinese for Beginners on Coursera is a clear, well-paced first course covering pinyin, tones, and the phrases you need for everyday situations — greetings, numbers, shopping, time. Short video lessons are followed by quizzes, so you practise immediately rather than binge-watching. It's one of the most popular language courses on the platform for good reason. Take it alongside the Yoyo Chinese pinyin chart and practise tones out loud every single day.
This week added
Chinese Text Project (opens provider site in a new tab)
Classical Chinese texts with translations and dictionary tools. For learners heading toward literature.
Bilibili (opens provider site in a new tab)
China's main video platform, with native content in every niche. Where listening meets real life.
All picks
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Beginner · 6
Pinyin and tones first, then everyday phrases and your first few hundred characters.
Chinese courses (OpenLearn) (opens provider site in a new tab)
Free beginner units from the Open University, with audio and cultural notes.
Free
Coffee Break Chinese (opens provider site in a new tab)
Podcast lessons that explain tones and phrases patiently. Great for commute listening.
Free Extra materials paid
Duolingo Chinese (opens provider site in a new tab)
A light daily habit for characters and phrases. Add real listening to make progress stick.
Free Paid tier optional
Pinyin chart with audio (opens provider site in a new tab)
Every syllable with audio. Get tones right early and everything later gets easier.
Free
Pleco (opens provider site in a new tab)
The essential Chinese dictionary app, with handwriting input and flashcards. Install it first.
Free Add-ons paid
Rosetta Stone Chinese (Mandarin) (opens partner site in a new tab)
Immersion lessons with speech recognition that gives useful feedback on tones.
Paid Partner
Intermediate · 6
Grammar in context, graded reading, and lots of natural listening.
Chinese Grammar Wiki (opens provider site in a new tab)
Grammar points organized by level with many example sentences. The best free reference.
Free
Hacking Chinese (opens provider site in a new tab)
Olle Linge on learning strategy for tones, characters, and listening. Saves months of wasted effort.
Free
Mandarin Corner (opens provider site in a new tab)
Natural conversations with Chinese, pinyin, and English subtitles. Excellent listening practice.
Free
Du Chinese (opens provider site in a new tab)
Graded reading with audio and tap-to-translate. Makes reading characters feel rewarding.
Paid Some lessons free
Mandarin Companion graded readers (opens provider site in a new tab)
Classic stories adapted with limited characters. The best path to finishing your first book.
Paid
The Chairman's Bao (opens provider site in a new tab)
News articles graded by HSK level. Current events make reading practice less of a chore.
Paid
Advanced · 3
Native video, official exams, and classical and literary Chinese.
Bilibili (opens provider site in a new tab)
China's main video platform, with native content in every niche. Where listening meets real life.
Free New
Chinese Text Project (opens provider site in a new tab)
Classical Chinese texts with translations and dictionary tools. For learners heading toward literature.
Free New
HSK — Chinese Proficiency Test (opens provider site in a new tab)
Official test information and registration. HSK levels give clear long-term milestones.
Free Exam fees apply New