Language courses

The Confucius Institute offers a range of Mandarin language courses which are open to the general community. Whether you are a beginner or just want to polish your Chinese language skills, these courses will provide you with the language training to suit your needs. One-on-one tutoring is also available by arrangement - contact us to find out more.

A course for those with no experience of Chinese language. Chinese for Beginners 1 starts with simple and practical everyday Chinese. Language competence will be developed step-by-step using listening and speaking skills.

Learning Outcomes

• Understand basic and well-pronounced words/expressions and simple sentences that are related to personal and daily activities
• Respond to simple greetings, introduce oneself and exchange basic personal information
• Pronounce Pinyin and some simple characters
• Write simple characters learned in class
• Know common social etiquettes and customs in Chinese culture

This course is for people who have a little experience of Chinese language. The skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing will be taught through an integrated communicative approach. The focus is on further developing listening and speaking skills.

Learning Outcomes

• Begin to identify basic components of Chinese characters and radicals, strokes and stroke order
• Master basic word order and sentence patterns
• Can express greetings, thanks, apologies and farewells
• Experience the Chinese cultural value-systems
• Examine commonalities and differences between Chinese culture and their own culture

This course is for people who have some prior experience of Chinese language. The skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing will be taught through an integrated communicative approach. The focus is on further developing listening and speaking skills.

Learning Outcomes

• Able to identify components of Chinese characters and common radicals
• Master about 150 commonly used Chinese characters closely related to daily life
• Master more complicated word order and sentence patterns
• Exchange greetings, express thanks, likes and dislikes, abilities, talk about health, make complaints etc.
• Begin to understand expressions of emotions and feelings
• Experience the Chinese cultural value-systems
• Examine commonalities and differences between Chinese culture and their own culture

A course for those with experience of Chinese language. The skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing will be taught through an integrated communicative approach. The focus is on further developing listening and speaking skills.

Learning Outcomes

• Be able to identify more complicated components of Chinese characters and common radicals
• Master about 400 commonly used Chinese characters closely related to daily life;
• Master more complicated word order and sentence patterns
• Can understand brief questions, replies, demands, and requests closely related to daily life
• Can express emotions and feelings
• Experience the Chinese cultural value-systems
• Examine commonalities and differences between Chinese culture and their own culture

A course for those with at least 1 year of Chinese learning experience. The skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing will be taught through an integrated communicative approach. The focus is on further developing listening and speaking skills.

Learning Outcomes

• Be able to identify complicated components of Chinese characters and common radicals
• Master about 700 commonly used Chinese characters closely related to daily life;
• Master complicated word order and sentence patterns
• Can understand and ask questions about common topics
• Can express emotions and feelings
• Experience the Chinese cultural value-systems
• Examine commonalities and differences between Chinese culture and their own culture

A course for those with at least 100 hours of Chinese learning experience. The skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing will be taught through an integrated communicative approach. Students will start to learn to appreciate Chinese idioms and classic poems.

Learning Outcomes

• Be able to identify complicated components of Chinese characters and common radicals
• Master about 900 commonly used Chinese characters closely related to daily life;
• Master complicated word order and sentence patterns
• Can understand and ask questions about common topics
• Can express emotions and feelings
• Experience the Chinese cultural value-systems
• Examine commonalities and differences between Chinese culture and their own culture

A course for those with at least 120 hours of Chinese learning experience. The skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing will be taught through an integrated communicative approach.

Learning Outcomes

• Be able to identify complicated components of Chinese characters and common radicals
• Master about 1000 commonly used Chinese characters closely related to daily life;
• Master complicated word order and sentence patterns
• Can understand and ask questions about common topics
• Can express emotions and feelings
• Experience the Chinese cultural value-systems
• Examine commonalities and differences between Chinese culture and their own culture

A course for those with at least 140 hours of Chinese learning experience. The skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing will be taught through an integrated communicative approach.

Learning Outcomes

• Be able to identify complicated components of Chinese characters and common radicals
• Master about 1100 commonly used Chinese characters closely related to daily life;
• Master complicated word order and sentence patterns
• Can understand and ask questions about common topics
• Can express emotions and feelings
• Experience the Chinese cultural value-systems
• Examine commonalities and differences between Chinese culture and their own culture

A course for those with at least 160 hours of Chinese learning experience. The skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing will be taught through an integrated communicative approach.

Learning Outcomes

• Be able to identify complicated components of Chinese characters and common radicals
• Master about 1200 commonly used Chinese characters closely related to daily life;
• Master complicated word order and sentence patterns
• Can understand and ask questions about common topics
• Can express emotions and feelings
• Experience the Chinese cultural value-systems
• Examine commonalities and differences between Chinese culture and their own culture

A course for those with at least 180 hours of Chinese learning experience. The skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing will be taught through an integrated communicative approach.

Learning Outcomes

• Be able to identify complicated components of Chinese characters and common radicals
• Master about 1300 commonly used Chinese characters closely related to daily life;
• Master complicated word order and sentence patterns
• Can understand and ask questions about common topics
• Can express emotions and feelings
• Experience the Chinese cultural value-systems
• Examine commonalities and differences between Chinese culture and their own culture