Review: Easy Chinese Phrase Book by Lingot Mastery

EASY CHINESE PHRASE BOOK

Today's book isn't one for a specific age group. Middle graders, teens, young adults, new adults and adults can use this one. After all, who doesn't love to dip their toes into tackling a new language...and this book does exactly that. While it isn't really meant for middle graders, I know I picked up these type of books when I was ten because I was simply curious and wanted to learn.

Over 1500 Common Phrases for Everyday Use and Travel

by Lingo Mastery

Languages

140 pages

What is the hardest challenge you've faced as a student of the Chinese language?

You can work hard on your grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation, but being able to communicate naturally isn't easy.

In fact, the toughest part of learning Chinese is knowing how to speak like a native.

 

Most textbooks are made to teach you the traditional rules and structures of a language and are great for getting around the grammar and spelling questions you may have.

However, how many of them provide you the tools necessary to have a common conversation with a best friend or someone you've just met? Not many at all.

Language learners often complain about this - a lack of material that can help you familiarize yourself with the most common phrases used in everyday conversation and in native surroundings.

For this reason, we at Lingo Mastery have developed Easy Chinese Phrase Book: Over 1500 Common Phrases for Everyday Use and Travel for you, our favorite language-learner, so that you may find the best expressions for common usage in China and communicate with your Chinese friends, colleagues and client without any issue!

In this book:

       An introduction with a detailed guide on how to pronounce vowels and consonants (as well as their combinations) in the Chinese tongue.

       A list of over 1,500 common phrases in Chinese, with an accurate translation in English for your understanding.

       A phonetics pronunciation guide of each and every word in the phrases, included after every translation.

       Finally, a conclusion to make sure you've learned and supply you with a final list of tips.

 

Your days struggling with natural communication with natives is finally over. Our Easy Chinese Phrase Book is here. 

It's time to take your Chinese (simplified) to the next level.

       

Book Depository

MY TIDBITS

I've always been fascinated by languages and speak a few (even some fluently). My latest endeavor has been to pick up some Chinese. So, when this book came along, I couldn't help but dive into it. And it does a decent job at teaching some basic words and phrases.

The book claims to teach 1500 Chinese phrases, which is obviously not learning the language completely but is definitely a good start. The book begins with several pages, which explain the pronunciation of vowels and such. It is nicely done and does make sense. Honestly, I've never been a fan of these explanation, since hearing the language and repeating it is really the only way to get it right. But considering this is a book and only in printed form, it does the best it can. So, thumbs up on this front (although impatient learners are going to skip right over it). It tries.

The book is broken down into topics like numbers, colors, greeting and such. It starts out with some basic words and then offers sentences or questions relating to these words and topics. The word/phrase is written in English, then in the Chinese writing form, and lastly, in the Chinese pronunciation. It's simple, direct and easy to use. If you're looking for a specific phrase, it does take a little longer to find...although I'm not sure how one would avoid that, anyway. This book does present the phrases easily and clearly. And I enjoy using it for this.

There isn't really any grammar or word explanations, but when learning Chinese, this is also a little different to tackle. Plus, this book concentrates on phrases and simple words. And while it doesn't teach Chinese, it does to what its intended purpose is nicely.

Summed up, this is a fun book to flip through and learn some Chinese. The phrases are useful and quick to simply memorize. I enjoy it and will use it.