The Most Recommended Online Chinese Courses

Because of limitations due to time, location, or a lack of teachers, more and more students are turning to online lessons. Mandarin Chinese learners are no exceptions. Today, there are numerous excellent online Chinese courses. These range from the beginner to even high level business Chinese, from basic pronunciation to Chinese slang; everything you want to learn, you can find online. Over time, the quality of the lessons are getting better and better. I picked several popular online Chinese courses and have given a brief introduction and review below.

Touch Chinese

TouchChinese is a leading Chinese school that offers live one-on-one online classes. All classes are handled by professional teachers.

As you set out to learn Mandarin, it is essential that you get a native Chinese teacher who can converse with you and give feedback. You’ll need one who can pinpoint your weak points and help speed up your learning process.

Course Structure:

TouchChinese doesn’t follow a one-size-fits-all approach. All lessons are customizable according to the student’s needs. When you sign up for a lesson, you’ll be evaluated based on your level of proficiency and learning goals.

Online Chinese classes are conducted via Skype or Zoom as both are easy and convenient to use. Teachers use online materials and present them via screen sharing so that both teacher and student can watch and discuss the topic. This technique also helps students learn to write Chinese characters.

TouchChinese has highly qualified teachers, each with a bachelor’s degree at the minimum. They are bilingual and speak English fluently. Before they can take on students, they undergo extensive training to maintain high quality teaching.

The schedule of classes is flexible, allowing you to take lessons depending on your availability. You may also cancel or reschedule with a 12-hour notice without getting charged.

Courses Content:

TouchChinese offers a wide range of structured-approach and needs-based Chinese lessons. For example:

• General Chinese
• Spoken Chinese
• Chinese for Kids/Teens
• Chinese Test Preparation/HSK
• Business Chinese
• Daily Chinese

You could also customize or choose a different Chinese lesson other than those listed above.

Price:

The cost of each lesson depends on the number of topics and length of class. Typically, you’ll spend somewhere between $13 and $18 per lesson. (view pricing detail)

Get one trial class for FREE (click to schedule)

Yoyo Chinese

Yoyo Chinese was started in 2007, more than 10 years ago. It`s easy to find free video episodes of Yoyo Chinese on YouTube that cover pinyin, grammar, and conversational lessons. Yoyo Chinese was founded by Yoyo Cheng, the main host of the video Chinese courses. She is probably the most well-known and productive Chinese online course teacher. Her courses are mainly designed from zero to upper-intermediate level learners.

Course Structure:

The free episodes contain individual knowledge points while the paid packages are organized in a systematic level by level progression.

The levels contain a Beginner Conversational Course, an Intermediate Conversational Course, and an Upper Intermediate Conversational Course. You can learn from the beginning and onward.

You can also focus on specific parts to study, such as the Grammar Serial Course, Chinese Characters Course, or even Chinese Learning Tips Course.

There are various useful tools that you can download, such as PDF files like worksheets, e-books, and lecture notes. The Pinyin Chart of Yoyo Chinese even contains videos for each featured letter.

Yoyo has clearly put a lot of time into how to teach Chinese. The videos break down the topics very clearly. Since Yoyo was working as a TV show host in English, her language background and hosting style are outstanding. Her English expressions and accents are better than many other Chinese native teachers.

Course Content:

• Conversational Courses:

The Conversational Courses are packaged from beginner level to upper intermediate level. In each level, hundreds of videos are included as well as quizzes and practice parts. It`s recommended to take this course so that you can lay a good foundation, especially on grammar.

• Chinese Character Course:

Unlike other online character course, this course is more systematic and includes more than 300 essential characters which equals to HSK level 2 requirement. Furthermore, you can use interactive flashcards to type and review the characters. Each character has its own images & animations, memorable explanations, with story and cultural notes, which can help you memorize the characters in a better way.

All of these courses are comprised of video lessons, audio reviews, flashcards, and quizzes.

Price:

There are two payment options for gaining access to Yoyo Chinese:

Subscription: starting 11.99USD/month

One-time Payment: 299USD for lifetime access.

Save 10% on a sale to Yoyo Chinese with the promo code “DIGMANDARIN10”.

ChineseClass101

Class 101 serial courses include not only Mandarin Chinese, but also Cantonese, English, Korean, and other languages. The ChineseClass101 course targets your language levels. Choosing your own level is one of the registration steps. Once you enter your home page, you can start your course and track your learning steps.

Course Structure:

The level you choose after registering determines your corresponding content. You can also add a pathway through the library to enrich your learning content. Besides the pathways, you will also have the latest lessons on the page so that you can learn something new.

Unlike other video course websites, there are many audio lessons, but the video lessons are also plentiful.

In each lesson, there are simplified and traditional Chinese characters to read. Pinyin, lesson notes, and translations are also presented. You can also take lesson notes online if you need them.

Course Content:

The free courses are mainly from elementary to intermediate level. Each level includes different categories, such as listening comprehension, reading comprehension, and everyday dialogue. There are also vocabulary and culture courses for you to pick from.

There are several paid course packages. If you subscribe to the premium courses, you can get different paid services, such as personal word banks, bonus vocabulary, convenient downloads, and even professional assessments.

Price:

ChineseClass101 is paid for by the month. The 1 USD dollar special offer is only for new members. It`s more like a trial month for you to see if this course fits your needs. You can also just skip the trial step to enter your home page to try the free courses or upgrade to premium membership. The monthly prices are all below 30USD.

ChineseFor.us

ChineseFor.us is a relatively young website which was founded by Lili and Chuck who are now based in the US. The main host is Lili herself, though sometimes Chuck appears as a cartoon figure. You can also find many free lessons on YouTube.

Course Structure:

The lessons of ChineseFor.us are not very long. The knowledge points are divided into small units. The advantage with these kinds of lessons is they are easy to digest and just take you a few minutes.

The main content of this site now focuses on the beginner level. There is the elementary introduction course, beginning & HSK 1 level course, pinyin drills course, and the common words learning course.

The teaching style of Lili is clear: relaxed and simple. It`s recommended to use your spare time to watch her videos.

Course Content:

For beginners, the Chinese Characters Writing course from Chinese For.us is a really good start. With this course, you can learn how to write from zero to thousands of characters. With this comprehensive guide, you will find writing in Chinese can be quite easy and understandable. The course’s clear instructions will show you the inner logic behind character construction, and will teach you the HOW’s and WHY’s behind the Chinese writing system.

Price:

The payment of ChineseFor.us is also by the month. Unlike ChineseClass101, there are 3 time-periods to choose: 1 month, 6 months, and 1 year. The prices range from 19~110USD.

Save 15% on a subscription to Chinesefor.us with the promo code “DigMandarin”.

DigMandarin

DigMandarin distinguishes itself as a premier online resource for Chinese language learning. It provides an extensive selection of online courses and materials, designed to meet the needs of learners at every level.

The curriculum of its online courses is thoughtfully crafted to progressively enhance language skills in a structured and effective manner. Covering key components of the language such as pronunciation, grammar, Chinese characters, and vocabulary, the courses offer a thorough and well-rounded approach to learning.

Course Structure:

Distinct from other online course platforms, DigMandarin offers a unique array of courses from various teachers and websites, all conveniently accessible in one location. It provides more than just video content; it’s a comprehensive network for Chinese language learning. Take, for instance, the HSK series courses: these include not only tutorials based on the HSK Standard Course but also detailed HSK mock paper analysis for each level, complete with free downloadable papers.

Additionally, DigMandarin provides extensive resources for the HSK tests, including introductions to the tests, tips and suggestions, information on registration and test dates, vocabulary lists, as well as reading and listening practice materials. This specialized subject matter is continually expanding and regularly updated.

Furthermore, DigMandarin caters to diverse learning preferences with its variety of teaching styles. Whether you favor a relaxed and easy-going approach or a more serious, academic style, there is a wide range of hosts and courses to suit your preferences.

To enhance the learning experience, DigMandarin provides a wealth of additional materials. Each course comes with its corresponding downloadable PDF notes. Some courses also offer online quizzes to assess your learning progress or a free e-book for added convenience in your studies.

Course Content:

DigMandarin’s curriculum includes a detailed Chinese Pronunciation Course, which is crucial for beginners to master the sounds of Mandarin.

For those interested in writing, the Chinese Characters Courses enable students to learn and write Chinese characters independently.

Vocabulary building is covered extensively in the Chinese Vocabulary Courses, aimed at quickly and effectively expanding the learner’s word bank.

The Chinese Grammar Courses provide an in-depth understanding of essential grammar points, making it easier for students to grasp complex language structures.

For practical communication skills, the Chinese Made Simple Courses progress learners from basic to intermediate levels, aligning well with HSK standards.

The Step by Step Chinese Courses, based on the New Practical Chinese Reader, offer a traditional textbook approach to learning.

Additionally, for those preparing for proficiency tests, the HSK Mock Test Courses provide valuable practice and insights.

DigMandarin’s content is updated on a regular basis. Therefore, you can always find something new and worth learning here.

Price:

There are various pricing plans, including individual course purchases and membership plans. The Essential Plan covers basic courses and ebooks, while the HSK Plan and NPCR Plan offer more comprehensive options suited to specific needs.

DigMandarin provides a 7-day money-back guarantee policy for unsatisfied learners, ensuring a risk-free trial for new users.