Did you know that within China there are hundreds of different accents (as well as dialects!) So many Chinese people speak their own local dialect(s) as well as Mandarin. That’s not to mention the accents of those who speak Mandarin in places other than China! Check out this video to get a flavour of some Chinese accents. Let me know your thoughts! Which is your favourite? How much could you understand?

你 最喜欢 喝 红茶 还是 绿茶？ Do you most like drinking black tea or green tea? Let me know! （我最喜欢喝红茶和牛奶 = 奶茶. I most like drinking black tea with milk = milk tea.) How is tea drunk in your country? 🤔🌏 (Black tea in Mandarin is written as 'red tea').

Find it in the Classroom tab or find Beginners Mandarin Podcast on Spotify to listen.

Hi everyone 大家好! 👋 I’m so excited to share that we’ve officially launched a new Premium Tier inside Trusty Chinese! 🎉 This includes two full video courses + live fortnightly speaking classes with me — designed to help you speak, write, and think in Mandarin faster than ever. ⭐️ What’s Included ⭐️: 🎯 Mandarin Unlocked: The 7 Verb Strategy = Our flagship course that shows you how 7 key verbs can unlock thousands of real, useful Mandarin sentences — helping you start conversations with confidence. (Being able to actually speak the language is amazing!) 📚 Mandarin Beginners 1 Course = A comprehensive, step-by-step journey from zero to confident basics, covering all four skills — speaking, listening, reading and writing. 🗣️ Fortnightly Speaking Classes = Join me live every two weeks to practise speaking Mandarin, get personalised feedback, and boost your fluency in a supportive environment. Whether you’re just getting started or aiming to take your Mandarin to the next level, these courses will give you the structure, feedback, and motivation to make real progress. 💪 👉 You can find everything inside the Premium Tier classroom now (just click on one of the courses in the ‘classroom’ section.) If you have any questions don’t be afraid to ask!

Hey everyone 大家好 👋 We’ve been building something new inside TrustyChinese — and it’s finally almost ready to launch… 💥 NEW: “Mandarin Unlocked - The 7 Verb Strategy” Our next course is designed to help beginners start speaking Mandarin fast. Most people struggle with Mandarin because they try to memorise hundreds of random words before they ever speak. But 90% of what you actually say at beginner level comes from just 7 Power Verbs — words like want, can, go, and have. Once you master these 7 verbs, you can build over 2,000 real Mandarin sentences and start speaking confidently from day one. This course is coming soon — and we can’t wait to show you how simple and powerful it is. ⚡ 💭 We’re Also Exploring These Next… 📺 TV Learning Course — learn Mandarin through popular Chinese shows and dramas. 👩‍🏫 Online Speaking Group Lessons — small-group video calls to practise speaking with Natasja (a qualified teacher). 🎥 Monthly Free Teaching Lessons — open to everyone in the community for live, interactive learning. 🗣️ We’d Love Your Feedback! - Which of these ideas are you most excited about? - What would help you personally learn faster or stay consistent? - Is there anything else you’d love to see us add? Your input will help shape the future of TrustyChinese — and make this community the best place online to actually speak and communicate in Mandarin. 💪 Drop your thoughts below 👇 — we’ll be reading every single one.