Mandarin Chinese Course: Beginners Level 1
Begin your journey into the Mandarin Chinese language and culture with this supportive online beginners course. Designed for complete beginners, this class offers a clear and practical introduction to everyday Mandarin — no prior experience required.
Mandarin is often more logical than people expect. There are no verb conjugations, no plurals, and no grammatical gender. You will 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. Guided by an experienced native Mandarin-speaking tutor, you will learn to recognise and use tones accurately, communicate using simple sentence structures, and understand how spoken and written Mandarin connect. You will also gain insight into Chinese culture and everyday communication.
Course Content
- Greetings and introductions
- Pinyin, numbers, dates and time
- Family members and basic vocabulary
- Using tones and forming simple questions
- Basic sentence structures, negatives and measure words
- Introduction to Chinese culture
Textbook
- Integrated Chinese Level 1, Part 1 (4th Edition) (3rd Edition acceptable), ISBN: 9781622911356
- OR Easy Peasy Chinese: Mandarin Chinese for Beginners, ISBN: 9780241513279
Please confirm the correct textbook for your class before purchasing. We recommend buying your textbook after course confirmation. Textbook cost is not included in the enrolment fee.
Certificate
Students who achieve at least 80% attendance will receive a Certificate of Attendance recognising their commitment to learning.
Schedule & Pricing
- Duration: 10 weeks
- Time: 6:30pm – 8:30pm
- Delivery: Online via Zoom
- Course fee: $429
Details
You will learn
- Pronounce Mandarin tones accurately using Pinyin
- Introduce yourself and ask simple personal questions
- Use basic sentence structures, negatives and measure words
You will get
- Expert tuition from a native Mandarin-speaking teacher
- Structured beginner-friendly lessons and materials guidance
- Certificate of Attendance with 80% participation
Appropriate for
Complete beginners with no prior Mandarin experience, travellers, culturally curious learners, and professionals wanting to communicate with Chinese-speaking colleagues or customers.
Preparation
What to bring
- Notebook and pen
- Required course textbook
- Device with stable internet connection
What to wear
Your Teacher
Sydney Community College
38 reviewsSydney Community College is a registered charity with a voluntary Board of Directors.
The College has a mission to offer innovative continuing adult education and training programmes that support individual efforts and facilitate sustainable social change.
We do this by:
- Providing quality continuing adult education opportunities for people to build practical and theoretical skills and develop knowledge;
- Leveraging from and developing community capacity and inclusivity;
- Developing innovative affordable and accessible skills training programmes;
- Partnering with like organisations to deliver learning opportunities for disadvantaged individuals and communities;
- Partnering with all levels of government to deliver education policy objectives.
Cancellations & Refunds
If the organiser cancels the class:
You are entitled to a full refund.
If you can't attend the class:
You’re welcome to send someone in your place.
OR
- A refund can be requested 10 days before class starts. An admin fee of AU$45.00 applies.
Terms & Conditions
At Sydney Community College, we know that plans can change unexpectedly. Whether it’s a shift in your schedule, a family emergency, or just a change of heart, we want to support you in the fairest way possible.
At the same time, we’re a not-for-profit organisation that commits resources to running each class—so last-minute cancellations can significantly impact our ability to offer quality, affordable programs.
That’s why we’ve created a simple, transparent policy that balances your need for flexibility with our need to plan and deliver courses sustainably. Our cancellation policy offers two clear options, depending on when you notify us:
Cancel More Than 10 Days Before the Course Starts – You can choose to receive a full refund, minus a $45 administration fee OR a non-refundable credit note valid for 12 months for the full value you paid for the course. This credit can be used towards any future course at the College.
Option 2: Cancel Within 10 Days of the Course Starting - You’ll receive a credit note valid for 12 months for 50% of the course fee you paid for the course. This credit can be used towards any future course at the College.
Please note that both refund and credit options are only available before the course begins. Once the course has started—or if you decide to withdraw after it has commenced—no refunds or credits can be issued. If you need to cancel your enrolment, just email us and we’ll take care of it based on the timelines above.
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Mandarin Chinese Course: Beginners Level 1
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