Join the Waitlist
Enrollment is currently closed. Join the waitlist and you’ll be among the first to hear when the next enrollment period opens.
Mandarin Foundation: Beginner Course
Build a strong, practical Mandarin foundation in 12 weeks with a clear, step-by-step curriculum designed by a language educator with a PhD who knows what beginners need to learn, practice, and master first.
Maybe this is where you are right now...
❌ You have plenty of Mandarin apps and videos, but no clear idea what to learn next.
❌ You can memorize phrases, but when someone responds, you struggle to understand and answer.
❌ You are putting in the time, but you are not always sure whether you are actually progressing.
Most of all, you want to know that the time you spend studying is actually leading somewhere and that you are making steady, visible progress.
I've got you.
I designed Mandarin Foundation to change that.
A clear path. In the right order.
Mandarin Foundation: Beginner Course
👉A carefully sequenced 12 week beginner program designed by a PhD applied linguist to help you understand spoken Mandarin, build your own responses, improve your pronunciation, and make steady progress toward real conversation.
Each week, you will:
Watch approximately 60 to 90 minutes of guided lessons
Complete focused exercises
Practice speaking throughout the week
Receive feedback on your homework
Join a one hour live Mandarin practice session
Bring questions to the weekly 30 minute Q&A
Receive direct support when you need it
A NOTE FROM...
Hanyu Jia, Ph.D.
Hi, I’m Dr. Jia, an applied linguist and language educator. I have spent my career researching language learning and teaching Mandarin, with years of experience helping adult learners understand complex aspects of the language clearly.
But you don't have to take my word for it. Here's what my students said about my teaching style:
“Everything is very clear and easy to understand. I never learned these details in other Chinese classes. I look forward to learning more from Dr. Jia!”
"Professor Jia is extremely knowledgeable, and also very easy to get ahold of if any questions come up."
"In just half an hour, I have already learned many things that other Chinese teachers had never taught me before."
"You are so knowledgeable and explained it in a way that I could understand. Thank you!"
"You were well organized and your supporting content was clear."
A clear path from learning Mandarin to using it
Mandarin Foundation: Beginner Course takes you through three carefully sequenced stages so you always know what to learn, how to practice it, and how to turn it into communication.
Understand the system
Learn the essential sounds, vocabulary, grammar, useful chunks, and sentence structures you need to begin understanding how Mandarin works.
Make it usable
Strengthen what you learn through controlled and focused practice that helps you recognize and produce key language with greater ease.
Join the conversation
Retrieve and use what you have learned in a safe, supportive live online classroom through guided conversation exercises, role plays, and real time interaction.
Mandarin Foundation:Beginner Course is perfect for you if you are:
You are starting Mandarin from the beginning
You are a true beginner or low beginner who wants to build the fundamentals properly, with clear guidance in pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, listening, and speaking from the start.
You have learned Mandarin in bits and pieces
You are a mid-beginner and may already know quite a few words, phrases, or grammar points from apps, videos, tutors, or independent study, but your knowledge feels scattered. You want to fill the gaps, understand how everything connects, and finally have regular opportunities to use what you have learned.
You are a busy adult who wants a clear path
You are willing to put in the work, but you do not want to waste your limited study time wondering what to learn next. You want a carefully sequenced course, clear weekly goals, focused practice, and a sense that you are making steady progress.
You want to understand and respond, not just memorize
You want to understand basic spoken Mandarin, build your own sentences, answer follow up questions, and become more comfortable using Mandarin in real time instead of only recognizing vocabulary or repeating prepared scripts.
You're in the right place.
Mandarin Foundation is NOT the right fit for you if...
You are already comfortable holding everyday conversations in Mandarin.
You are looking primarily for an intensive character writing or reading course.
You want a completely passive course where you ONLY watch videos WITHOUT practicing speaking and listening.
You are looking for a quick fluency promise rather than a structured foundation you can continue building on.
What Becomes Possible After These 12 Weeks
01
You understand more of the Mandarin you hear by recognizing core vocabulary, familiar sentence patterns, and common ways ideas are expressed.
02
You take part in simple conversations about yourself, your work, your life, and everyday situations without reliance on memorized scripts.
03
You combine core vocabulary and sentence structures to build your own sentences and express more of what you want to say.
04
You produce core Mandarin sounds and tones more accurately and speak more clearly so other people can understand you.
05
You listen, respond, and keep simple interactions going in familiar situations involving introductions, schedules, plans, shopping, people, and places.
06
You finish with a connected, usable foundation in Mandarin and a clear understanding of what you can already do and what to build next.
Why Dedicated Beginners Choose This Course
• You may already know plenty of words, but still struggle to understand and respond in real time.
• You want a clear path, not more scattered resources or guesswork about what to study next.
• You want regular speaking and listening practice so what you know becomes easier to actually use.
• You want to see steady progress and feel that your study time is truly moving you forward.
If you want a structured path, clear explanations, regular speaking practice, and steady progress, this course was designed for you.
⏳ Early Enrollment Pricing (First 3 Days Only)
Use Coupon Code: 100EARLY
For a limited time, you can join the course with $100 off tuition as a reward for early commitment.
This special rate ends October 8th at 11:59 PM Pacific Time, and tuition goes up to the standard rate ($697) after that.
Check out what's inside each module!
Module 1: Greetings & Starting Conversations
Learn how to greet people, respond to common social questions, and start simple conversations with more ease. You will begin building the core expressions and sentence patterns you can use right away.
Module 2: Introducing Yourself and People in Your World
Learn how to talk about yourself, your background, your work, and the people in your life. You will practice asking and answering questions that help conversations become more personal and meaningful.
Module 3: Pronunciation Training Lab
You will learn Pinyin systematically and develop clearer, more accurate speech through focused listening and speaking practice.
Module 4: Numbers in Everyday Life
Learn to use numbers for things that actually matter in daily communication, including age, dates, time, prices, quantities, birthdays, and schedules.
Module 5: Talking About Your Day and Your Plans
Learn how to talk about what you do, when you do it, and what you are planning. You will build the language you need to discuss routines, activities, food, schedules, and everyday plans with other people.
Module 6: Finding People, Places, and Things
Learn how to talk about where people and objects are, ask about locations, and understand simple information about places.
Plus the support that helps you turn learning into use
Weekly live Mandarin practice
Practice speaking, listening, role plays, and real time responses every week in a supportive online classroom.
Weekly live Q&A
Join a 30 minute Q&A every week to ask questions, submit them in advance, or simply join the conversation.
Individualized correction and feedback
Get personal feedback during live practice on pronunciation, grammar, sentence building, and communication.
You will be backed by a risk-free 10 days guarantee
You will be backed by a risk-free 10 days guarantee
If, after fully participating in the first 10 days' lessons, you feel the program is not the right fit, you may request a refund within 10 days of the course start date.
To be eligible, you must:
• Watch the video lessons and attend live sessions (or watch the replay if you cannot attend live)
• Complete the assigned practice
• Email a brief explanation (3–5 sentences) outlining the effort you made and why the program isn’t a good fit
If you’ve shown up, done the work, and it’s still not right for you, I will honor your request.
Enroll Today and You'll Get These Bonuses (For Free!)
🎁 Bonus #1: 12 Months of Direct Email Support
Value: $257
You will not lose access to support when the 12 week course ends.
Continue sending me course related Mandarin questions or your recordings after the program is over. You will receive direct email support for a total of 12 months from course start date, with a response within 2 business days.
🎁 Bonus #2: Beginner Conversation Rescue Kit
Value: $78
Know what to say when the conversation does not go as planned.
Get practical phrases and strategies for asking someone to repeat themselves, clarifying meaning, buying yourself thinking time, handling follow up questions, and keeping a simple conversation going.
🎁 Bonus #3: After Foundation Study Roadmap
Value: $97
Know exactly what to do after the course ends.
You will receive a clear next step study plan showing you what to review, what to keep practicing, and how to continue building your Mandarin without falling back into scattered self study.
Frequently asked questions
If you have another question not listed here, feel free to email me at nihao@mandarininsights.com
What level is this course for?
Mandarin Foundation is designed for true beginners, low-, and mid- beginners, and self taught beginners who may already know some Mandarin but have never built a systematic foundation.
As a rough reference, the course approximately moves from HSK 1 through basic HSK 2 level materials.
What if I already know some Mandarin from apps, videos, or self study?
You are still a great fit. If you know words and grammar in theory but struggle to understand, respond, or use what you know in conversation, this course will help you connect the pieces and put them into practice.
What if I fall behind or need more time?
You do not need to keep a perfect pace. You will have the course materials, structured practice, and support you need to review difficult material and continue progressing at a manageable pace.
How much time should I plan to study each week?
Plan for about 1 to 1.5 hours for the video lessons, 30 to 60 minutes for quizzes and exercises, and 1 hour for live practice each week.
I also recommend at least 10 minutes of speaking practice each day. More speaking practice is always beneficial, but even 10 consistent minutes a day can help you keep building momentum and make steady progress.
Do I need to learn Chinese characters to take this course?
No. The course prioritizes listening and speaking. Reading and character learning are available as supplementary content, so you can develop literacy without letting it slow down your spoken Mandarin.
Why does it cost more than many online Mandarin courses?
Because this is more than a collection of prerecorded lessons. You receive a carefully sequenced curriculum designed by a PhD applied linguist, structured practice, weekly live conversation practice, individualized feedback, weekly Q&A, and direct support throughout the program.
What if I am too busy to attend the live practice times offered?
I will offer at least two time options for the weekly live practice session and will ask students about their availability before the course begins. If the two time options don't work for you, I will choose another time for the live practice. You will also have life time access to the recordings of live practice sessions.
You do not need to feel completely ready to begin.
You just need to be ready to learn consistently, practice what you learn, and give yourself the structure to keep moving forward.
You are serious about learning Mandarin
You are not looking for a quick trick or a few memorized phrases. You want to understand how Mandarin works and build a foundation you can keep developing for years to come.
You are willing to practice
You do not need to be talented at languages or perfectly confident before you begin. You just need to show up consistently, practice speaking and listening, and allow your skills to develop step by step.
You do not have to figure it out alone
You have already spent enough time wondering what to study next. Inside Mandarin Foundation, the sequence, practice, live support, and feedback are already there. Your job is simply to follow the path and keep going.
If Mandarin matters to you, give yourself the chance to learn it with structure.
I created Mandarin Foundation because I know how overwhelming Mandarin can feel when you are trying to piece everything together on your own.
With my background in language education, I wanted to create the kind of beginner course I believe you deserve: clear, carefully sequenced, practical, and built around actually understanding and using the language.
12 weeks from now, you could still be collecting resources and wondering whether you are studying the right things.
Or you could have the foundation that moves you toward the future you imagined when you first decided to learn Mandarin: holding conversations, understanding what you hear, expressing yourself, traveling with more independence, and connecting with people through Mandarin.
⏳ Early Enrollment Pricing (First 3 Days Only)
Use Coupon Code: 100EARLY
For a limited time, you can join the course with $100 off tuition as a reward for early commitment.
This special rate ends October 8th at 11:59 PM Pacific Time, and tuition goes up to the standard rate ($697) after that.