It’s no secret that learning the local language makes your time in China more fulfilling.

By speaking Mandarin, you can make native friends who teach you about the culture. You can order all the delicious (and weird) food you want in restaurants. And you can travel with ease!

But how do you choose a resource to learn Mandarin?

Try FluentU.

FluentU takes a huge collection of Mandarin language video clips from real-world sources—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and uses it to generate personalized Mandarin lessons for each learner.

But why should you choose FluentU over any other language learning resource?

1. You get to watch fun videos

Yes, FluentU teaches you with authentic videos. But it’s more than that. The program uses these videos to create in-depth lessons.

The interactive subtitles, vocabulary lists and tailor-made flashcard decks will help you learn actively while watching your favorite videos, giving you an extra boost in Mandarin reading and listening practice.

These videos become unique Mandarin lessons for every user. Choose videos that work with your learning style, Chinese level and personal interests, and FluentU recommends more for you!

It’s a great way to figure out what kinds of Mandarin language videos help you learn best! Plus, FluentU provides plenty of tools to actively practice your Chinese vocabulary and grammar, like interactive subtitles, flashcards, vocabulary lists and more.

2. You hear native accents

Hearing a fellow foreigner speak Chinese one thing. Understanding a local who speaks Mandarin is a completely different ball game!Familiarize yourself with the accent and dialect so you can hold conversations with Chinese people more easily. This way, you can befriend your co-teachers, neighbors and neighborhood shop owners with ease.

3. You learn about the culture

Sure, learning Mandarin in a classroom is useful. So is studying with books, apps and songs. But real-world videos teach you something these other things just can’t… They teach you about Chinese culture.

The culture shock you’ll likely experience by moving from your Western home country to an Eastern country like China is drastic. But the more you prepare yourself for life in China beforehand, the less overwhelmed you’ll feel when you arrive.

FluentU provides you with TV shows that are popular in China, so you’ll know what locals are watching. You’ll also see news broadcasts about current events so you can know what people are concerned with at the time of your arrival. And you can watch Chinese sports!Thanks to authentic videos, your culture shock might not be so intense.

4. You have new conversation topics

FluentU consistently updates its videos. Is a new movie coming to Chinese theaters next month? You’ll see the trailer. Was there an intense soccer match? You’ll watch it.Because you’ll always be up-to-date on pop culture, news and recreation, you’ll have plenty to talk about with your new Chinese friends. That’s much better than having the same typical conversations over and over again. Trust me, you’ll grow tired of repeatedly asking people about their likes and dislikes and asking what different foods are called in Chinese.

5. You don’t need internet access

You can download FluentU files for offline use. This is super handy for people living abroad, because connecting to Wi-Fi can be tricky. And in China, even when you have internet access, it isn’t always the fastest.But thanks to its offline functionality, you can watch fun videos while riding the bus ride to work, eating lunch at your favorite neighborhood restaurant or taking the metro to meet your friends on the other side of the city.

6. You receive a free trial

Who doesn’t love free stuff?Your first 15 days with FluentU are free. You can watch videos with FluentU on your web browser or with its app on your phone… That means plenty of opportunities to maximize your free 15 days!
Click here to sign up for your free trial with FluentU.