What you'll learn
Begin your journey into the Mandarin Chinese language and culture with our Mandarin Chinese courses online!
This beginner-friendly course offers a clear and supportive introduction to Mandarin Chinese — no prior experience required. From your very first class, you’ll start learning practical, everyday Mandarin, building confidence step by step.
Mandarin Chinese is often more logical than people expect. There are no verb conjugations, no plurals, and no grammatical gender, making it accessible for beginners. You’ll learn how the language works through Pinyin (the phonetic system used to represent sounds), while gradually being introduced to commonly used Chinese characters.
As a tonal language, Mandarin places strong emphasis on listening and pronunciation. With guidance from an experienced tutor, you’ll learn to recognise and use tones accurately, communicate using simple sentence structures, and understand how spoken and written Mandarin work together.
Alongside language skills, you’ll also gain insight into Chinese culture and everyday communication, helping you use the language more naturally and confidently.
Learning outcomes
By the end of this Mandarin Chinese: Beginners Level 1 course, participants will have developed practical skills and knowledge in areas such as:
- Understanding the relationship between Pinyin and Chinese characters
- Recognising and accurately pronouncing Mandarin tones
- Greeting people and introducing yourself and others
- Asking and answering simple questions about personal information
- Using basic sentence structures and negative forms
- Expressing possession and belonging
- Using common measure words in context
- Saying numbers, including phone numbers and age
- Talking about time, days, and dates
- Recognising and using basic Chinese characters and vocabulary
- Demonstrating introductory understanding of Chinese culture and communication
Course content
What will be covered in this Mandarin Chinese: Beginners Level 1 course?
During the course, participants will be guided through key concepts, techniques and approaches that typically include:
Topics
- Greetings and introductions
- Names, countries, and nationalities
- Pinyin and pronunciation
- Numbers, dates, and time
- Family and everyday vocabulary
- Introduction to Chinese culture
Language skills
- Listening and pronunciation practice, including tones
- Speaking through guided conversations
- Reading and recognising basic characters
Grammar
- Basic sentence structures
- Asking simple questions
- Forming negative sentences
- Introduction to measure words
Content may vary slightly depending on class pace, participant interests, and instructor approach.
Intended audience
Who is this Mandarin Chinese: Beginners Level 1 course for?
This course is suitable for:
- Complete beginners with no prior Mandarin experience
- Learners interested in Chinese language and culture
- Travellers or those with personal connections to Chinese-speaking regions
- Anyone curious about learning a tonal language
- Learners looking to build practical communication skills for everyday or workplace interactions
Course venue
Online via Zoom
Zoom details will be provided with your enrolment confirmation.
Requirement: A device with a stable internet connection
Course materials
What to bring to class
- Notebook and pen
- Course textbook (see below)
Textbook
Students are required to purchase one of the following textbooks (please check which is required for your class):
- Integrated Chinese Level 1, Part 1 (4th Edition)
ISBN: 9781622911356
or
- Easy Peasy Chinese: Mandarin Chinese for Beginners
ISBN: 9780241513279
We recommend purchasing your textbook once your course has been confirmed (usually within three working days of the proposed start date). The textbook is not included in the enrolment fee.
Please check to see which textbook is required for your class
We recommend purchasing your textbook after the confirmation of your course (usually within three working days of the proposed start). The enrolment fee does not include the textbook.
Certificate of completion
Achievement Recognition
Students who attend at least 80% of the course will receive a Certificate of Attendance from Sydney Community College.
This certificate recognises your commitment to learning Mandarin Chinese and can support your personal or professional development.
Additional information
Mandarin Chinese bundle
- Enrol in three Mandarin Chinese language courses and receive an automatic 15% discount
What's next?
What other Mandarin Chinese classes do we offer?
After completing this course, you can continue your learning with our Mandarin Chinese: Beginners Level 2 course, where you’ll expand your vocabulary, sentence structures, and confidence using Mandarin in everyday situations.
Enrol in both Mandarin Chinese Course: Beginners Level 1 and Beginners Level 2 and save 10% using the promo code GROUP10 at checkout. Please visit our discounts page for full details. Please visit our discounts page for full details.
Course testimonials
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Saleen said: I loved this course, so good. I enjoyed the interaction with my class mates as the class was nice and small so we got to know each other well. The role play experiences were very effective. For me personally, it was a bit tough at the beginning to grasp the various tones but on completion of the course, I now have the basic notions to start a conversation in mandarin. I would like to say a big "XIEXIE" to my teacher as she did a wonderful job. She was friendly, very patient and interacted with everyone in the class. She explained everything in the text book very simply and gave us new vocabulary as well as providing us with examples of what is accurate and inaccurate. After each class, she would always email us the audio files so that we can practice before the next lesson. I am looking forward to joining the Level 2 course. Thank you. Saleen
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Phillip said: I felt that the class was very informative and the tutor was very helpful. She was always able to answer our questions and volunteered extra information to help us better understand the subject.
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Kevin said: My favourite Mandarin teacher! Will be back next course :D
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Kerrie said: Although the course was delivered via Zoom our tutor was able to engage the whole class, making lessons most interactive and interesting. I felt participants learnt a lot, particularly with explanation of cultural situations that enhanced our understanding. I would be happy to continue with Zoom lessons.
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Sonny said: Fang is very knowledgeable and friendly. No exam means less stress. Online course makes it convenient. I learnt more than I expected to.
Course tutors
Fang Zhao
Great reasons to enrol in a short course with us
Small classes
A personal approach means quality learning, so you can enjoy plenty of interaction with your instructor and the chance to ask questions.
Short & sweet
Our short courses & workshops get straight to the point, providing the skills you need with minimal commitment of your precious time.
Facilities & equipment
Our range of venues suit every type of course, are easy to get to, and have the equipment and tech needed to support your learning.
Easy, secure enrolment
Enrol online 24/7 with a safe, convenient 3-step process.
Quality instructors
Our educators bring first-hand experience and knowledge, with up-to-the-minute practices from diverse industries.
Business or pleasure
Our courses help you rapidly increase your skills and knowledge, for professional development or personal interest.
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<p>Begin your journey into the Mandarin Chinese language and culture with our <a href="https://www.sydneycommunitycollege.edu.au/courses/learn-language/mandarin">Mandarin Chinese courses</a> online!</
...If there isn't a class to suit you, please join our waitlist and we will notify you when we have places available. Join waitlist for Mandarin Chinese Course: Beginners Level 1
If there isn't a class to suit you, please join our waitlist and we will notify you when we have places available. Join waitlist for Mandarin Chinese Course: Beginners Level 1
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