I’m Learning Mandarin & It’s Easier Than You Think

I’m finding it easier to understand than Spanish

Shanhou Village on Kinmen Island. (Photo by Kayla Meets Culture)

Yes, you read my title right — one of the hardest languages in the world, and I’m telling you it’s easier than you think.

I’m only three months in, but I expected it to be more difficult than it’s been.

Mind you, I’m not learning characters, so I’ve cut out the most intense part of Mandarin itself.

For three months, I’ve been learning through apps, a one-hour weekly lesson, YouTube videos, and practice in an immersive environment. At this rate, I’m confident my Mandarin will be semi-conversational in six months if I keep up what I’m doing.

For all I know, it could get much harder, but let me explain (as someone who studied Spanish for three years), how Mandarin is easier than you might expect.

A note before reading: The "o" in wo & women is supposed to appear as "ǒ," as in wǒ & wǒmen. The same goes for "u" in Jiǔ. Due to Medium formatting, the accent only appears properly in this grey box.