Unlocking Mandarin Chinese with Paul Noble

Paul Noble, Kai-Ti Noble

• Publisher: Collins
• Year: 2021
• Print ISBN: 9780008135850
• eBook ISBN: 9780008408176
• Topic: Languages & Linguistics
• Subtopic: Languages
• Index: Languages & Linguistics

Ever tried to learn Mandarin Chinese and found it too hard? Bestselling language coach Paul Noble has a quick and easy way to get you back on track with his unique tried-and-tested method.

• Keeps things simple with three basic rules; don’t skip anything, don’t try to memorise anything and cover up to test yourself.
• A fun, jargon-free way to learn
• Easy-to-understand Mandarin Chinese pronunciation
• PROVEN to work; Paul can teach anyone a language, even people who think they’re incapable

Paul’s course teaches you how to speak Mandarin Chinese more effectively, giving you the building blocks to form a huge range of conversations. This is a practical way to learn the aspects of language that you’ll actually need and use; from booking a hotel room to navigating a menu, Paul will effortlessly build your confidence and give you the tools to handle any holiday situation. You will unlock a range of vocabulary you already know.

Ideal for first-time learners or people who struggled in school, this book will help you absorb information quickly and efficiently, just like you did learning English as a child. Forget the way you used to be taught; this course guarantees you minimum effort and maximum success without the need for complex grammar rules or jargon.

“There is nothing so complicated in foreign languages that it cannot be made simple.” Paul Noble

A quick, easy and fun way to unlock your basic language skills. Perfect for beginners, this book will give you all the information you need to build basic conversations and get by on your travels.

Which Paul Noble product is right for me?

I need a basic audio course for use on holiday or a business trip – choose The Essential Paul Noble Course.

I am a beginner or near-beginner and need an in-depth audio course – choose The Paul Noble Complete Course.

I have listened to a Complete Course and I would like to take my learning to the next level – choose The Paul Noble Next Steps Course.

I have some understanding and have previously studied the language, I need a book to consolidate what I know and increase my conversational ability – choose The Paul Noble Unlocking Series.

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CHAPTER 1

Do you want a bit of fried rice?

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Do you want a bit of fried rice?

I dunno. Maybe…

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The two English sentences above aren’t that complicated, are they? Or are they…?

Well, I have taught many people over the years, ranging from those who know no Chinese at all through to those who may have spent several years trying to learn the language. And yet, whether they have studied the language before or not, more or less none of them arrive in my classroom able to construct seemingly simple sentences, such as the two above, when I first meet them.

Admittedly, they might know how to say other far less useful things, like “I’m 37 years old and have two sisters” – an unusual conversation opener for an adult from my perspective – but they nevertheless can’t ask someone if they want a bit of fried rice or give a non-committal response in reply.

Well, in just a few minutes’ time, you will be able to do this – even if you’ve never learned any Chinese before.

Just remember though: don’t skip anything, don’t waste your time trying to memorise anything but do use your bookmark to cover up anything red you find on each page.

Okay now, let’s begin!

“You want” in Chinese is:

你要

nǐ yào

(pronounced “nee yow”¹)

And “chow mein” in Mandarin Chinese is:

炒面

chǎo miàn

(pronounced “CHow mee-en”)

So, knowing this, how would you say, “You want chow mein”?

你要炒面。 Nǐ yào chǎo miàn. (nee yow CHow mee-en)

Did you remember to cover up the red words while you worked out the answer?

“Tofu” in Chinese is:

豆腐

dòufu

(doe-foo)

Now again, what was “you want”?

你要

nǐ yào

(nee yow)

And, as I mentioned just a moment ago, “tofu” is:

豆腐

dòufu

(doe-foo)

So how would you say “You want tofu”?

你要豆腐。

Nǐ yào dòufu.

(nee yow d...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Introduction
• Chapter 1: Do you want a bit of fried rice?
• Chapter 2: He ordered tea, coffee, and dim sum but he didn’t pay!
• Chapter 3: We went to Shanghai and played mahjong – I don’t know where my money went…
• Chapter 4 (1): I’m planning to go to China in May (part 1).
• Chapter 4 (2): I’m planning to go to China in May (part 2).
• Chapter 5: You know what? She won all my money!
• Footnotes
• About the Publisher