Chinese learning notes
Longer pieces on the parts that actually trip people up β tones, characters, and how long things really take. Written by someone who has taught the language, not generated to fill a content calendar.
Chinese tones explained for total beginners
mΔ, mΓ‘, mΗ, mΓ β four different words. What each tone actually sounds like, the two tone-change rules worth learning on day one, why textbook tone 3 is a lie in real speech, and how to practise without a teacher.
Is Chinese hard to learn?
Yes β but not in the places you were warned about. The FSI's own hours, the parts of Chinese that are genuinely harder than Spanish, the parts that are much easier, and a realistic 90-day sequence for 30 minutes a day.
What goes here. One article at a time, on questions beginners actually search for β how to say something, why a rule works the way it does, what to study next. If a piece cannot be useful on its own, it does not get published.
No posting schedule to announce: new pieces appear when they are worth reading. The free learning materials β pinyin chart, Core 500 wordlist, 642-card library β are always there in the meantime.