11 of the best apps to learn Chinese

Why invest in language courses when you can use an app to learn Chinese and speak it fluently?

China has always attracted you, you dream of discovering this country and its millennium culture, but also its dynamic landscapes and cities. Or maybe you’re interested in China’s economic opportunities?

In any case, learning Chinese (mandarin) is essential for your success, whether in exploring the country, expatriation or business. If the Chinese speak better and better English, it is not always the case and you may have surprises! Especially since nothing is more pleased with a native than to meet a stranger who has made the effort to learn Chinese: if you are looking to get acquaintances once on site, learning Mandarin is a must!

To help you, we have selected 11 apps to learn Chinese. You will only need your smartphone or tablet to launch! So you can learn all over the world without ruining yourself in particular courses.

1. The Little Mandarins

“Les Petits Mandarins” proposes to learn Chinese through an innovative, playful, effective and even fun online method adapted to the whole family from 4 to 104 years old.

The site offers a free trial but the formula 9,95€ per month is the one that allows you to learn the first bases of Chinese, before going further. Otherwise, the basic mobile application is free but contains Integrated procurement if you want to push the learning to its maximum.

“Les Petits Mandarins” indicates that one of the game’s users has acquired 515 vocabulary words in just two months, to write it as to the oral, the essential bases of the Chinese grammar, the way to compose the characters, write phrases, read the time, present themselves, say what he wants to eat, order a means of transport etc...

The user reached this level in 64 hours of learning or only about one hour of work a day!

2. Mondly

Mondly is one of the only major language applications that offers to learn Chinese. Developed and refined over several years of language learning research, Mondly follows 4 extremely effective principles:

• Learn Chinese through common expressions, not isolated words;
• Master the Chinese by listening to native speakers;
• Put in practice what you have just learned through real conversations;
• Remember what you learn using a smart repetition method.

One of the advantages of the Mondly app is that you can learning Chinese from French !

This app to learn Chinese is for beginners and intermediate or more advanced profiles. The first lessons are free, but the following can be paid! This is the price to learn Chinese easily from home, and with its mother tongue, French.

Thus, you will have the choice between a subscription 9,99 € for a month, and 47,99 € For a year. The application also offers many offers throughout the year. Otherwise, you can also choose the "subscription for life" version. 60 € , to never have to spend any more money.

3. Memrise

Like the Anki app you will discover later, Memrise is an application to significantly increase your vocabulary. It also works with vocabulary cards, and uses the spaced repetition.

You can download lists of words created by other users: an excellent way to learn a more specific vocabulary.

A basic version is free. For advanced use, three monthly subscriptions ( $8.99 ), quarterly ( $18.99 ) and annual ( $45.99 ) are planned.

4. MosaLingua

MosaLingua is a mastodont of Chinese learning applications, as in other foreign languages. Indeed, this small multi-platform application provides courses according to a method that has proven its evidence at the scientific level , the rehearsal spaced. The purpose of the application is to help you memorize words using vocabulary exercises.

To do this, MosaLingua uses some 3,000 cards with words as well as key phrases, which will be repeated unexpectedly through your evolution in levels, to help you memorize the maximum possible words.

For this application, you will have to pay 9,99 € per month , or opt for the formula 12 months to 59,99 € (or €4.99 per month) !

5. Busuu

To learn Chinese, you can trust Busuu: this app allows you to learn many languages. Thanks to her, you will be able to start learning Turkish or finish mastering this language.

You will learn grammar, conjugation, vocabulary, pronunciation and Turkish understanding. During your next discussions with natives, you will be perfectly comfortable and relaxed!

Especially since the app offers you to exchange with its millions of users around the world and to learn more about China’s culture, thanks to music, films and stories.

First free of charge, the application becomes paid. On the other hand, this is quite economic since you will only have to count 34,99 € year round, for the premium version!

For the premium plus version, you will have to pay about 6,50 € per month. But no worries, it is common that the application offers attractive offers...

6. FluentU

FluentU is the most in phase application with its time in our ranking. Indeed, it breaks with the learning codes by offering everything good to learn Chinese through podcasts and other digital information formats.

Several types of tools are available within FluentU, ranging from videos to fairly vulgar subjects such as music clips, to more squares such as news and advertising. This type of training is challenging one of the issues of language learning. Indeed, after days and days of learning, when you are put into real situations, you rarely have whites during conversation phases.

Only flat, as in the air of its time the application has a cost, since only the first two weeks of use are free, you will have to pay later 15 € per month or 120 € per year to continue accessing it.

7. Anki

Anki is the cream of the app cream to learn Chinese, it uses the flashcard system to maximize your vocabulary. Built in open source, it is constantly improving and the online community is extremely dynamic.

How does the app work? The user can create or import a Chinese vocabulary list on which it can be tested. Text, audio, images, spaced repetition, progress system and statistics are the main features proposed by the app to help you master Chinese!

This application is offered at a price 27,99€ which seems clearly justified.

8. Tandem

This is a much different application from all you know so far! Here you learn the languages you already master, then the ones you want to learn. Then, you indicate some of your interests, topics of discussion that you like to discuss on a daily basis.

Finally, Tandem will offer you profiles of people who want to learn your language, and who master the one you want to know. The advantage here is that you can chat with people from all over the world, and thus exchange on your cultural differences.

Fully free Tandem is a real opportunity to learn a language while meeting (virtually) new people. So you will be both a pupil and a teacher, all in a stylish and relaxed atmosphere.

9. LingQ

Excellent app to learn Chinese, LingQ is here to help you in your learning and Chinese adventure!

The app offers you access to an important course library, allowing you to select the content you find interesting. You no longer have to listen to stereotypical conversations about rain and good weather, no, you decide what you want to study!

You also have access to an online community of students and natives, who can help you and support you during your Chinese learning.

Finally, the basic application is free . However, LingQ also provides "premium" and "premium Plus" versions. To access it, simply take a subscription for 1, 6, 12 or 24 months. The rates vary depending on the length of the subscription: between €7.99 and €12.99 per month for the "premium"; and between 33,99€ and 39,99€ per month for the Premium Plus.

10. Duolingo

Before last application to learn Mandarin Chinese, Duolingo is there to allow you to master grammar, understanding and expression, oral and written. His only disadvantage is that for the moment, it is only possible to learn from English.

The application is very playful, using modules in the form of mini-games and offering a system of progression, success, with series to be held. An essential asset to stay motivated and not abandon in the course of learning!

Fully free (no integrated purchases), Duolingo also has a backup tool that will make learning easier on various supports. Indeed, you can start an exercise on your tablet to complete it on the smartphone.

11. Hello HSK

The last one is to prepare for the HSK exam (equivalent to TOEFL for English). It is available in 6 versions to learn step by step, and not collide with unknown notions.

It allows to develop the listening, reading and writing of Chinese characters, through exercises and tangerine courses. You also have the opportunity to realize white HSKs so that you don't leave anything random on D-Day.

Basic mobile application is free but contains Integrated procurement if you want to push the learning to its maximum.

Only flat: the application is only available in English!