How to Learn Cantonese

Learning Cantonese is beyond doubt a challenging language to learn, especially for the English speaker, but learning to speak the language can be easier than many believe.

Here are some tips to get going:

Start off with learning the language orally – spoken and written Chinese is distinctly different, so those reasonably familiar with the sounds and words of the spoken language will have an easier time tackling Chinese characters.

Chinese is all about tones, so concentrate on your pronunciation.

As Chinese has no alphabet, know a “Romanization” system, which shows the Cantonese pronunciation with Western spellings using a mark to show the pitch. Some systems include: Meyer Wempe system, the Chao Barnett system and the Yale system

Practice! Even if you are a beginner, practice what you do know with a native speaker. This will help you get a feel for the right pitch.

Use Visual Aids: carrying around flash cards and reviewing them when you have spare moments throughout your day can make a world of difference.

In Cantonese, using the accurate word is a great deal better than having a sizeable vocabulary, especially if you make mistakes with the pitch and end up saying something completely wrong.

Invest in the right educational materials suitable to your schedule and lifestyle, be it online, through tapes or in a bricks-and-mortar school.

Study and practice every day, at least 30 minutes is a good time allotment.