If you’re unaware, the most spoken language in the world isn’t English or French or Spanish; it’s Chinese. With about 918 million, Chinese (Mandarin) speakers make up about 12% of the world’s population compared to about 6% and 5% by Spanish and English respectively.
The Chinese language is very old, as far back as 959. If you ever plan to travel to the most populous continent in the world, it’s likely you’re traveling to China or Hong Kong. Hence, it’s ideal that you learn how to speak Chinese. Chinese has its own characters, logograms, which makes the language seem hard.
Nevertheless, there are places where you can learn Chinese language in Nigeria. Check them out below:
- Online Learning
You can learn Chinese online easily. There are many apps and websites you can use. Examples include Coursera, Udemy, Alison, edX, and more. On these online learning platforms, you’ll find paid and free Chinese language courses. If you want to learn in-depth, you’ll have to purchase a paid course.
On the other hand, you can simply take a free course as a starting point. That way, you can decipher if Chinese is a language you can actually learn. To learn Chinese online, you need a smartphone or a laptop – generally, any device that can install the learning apps or load the website.
- Chinese Language Training in Nigeria
The second option here is the Chinese Language Training school located in Abuja. It’s situated at Apo. FCT, 37 Denis osadebey crescent , zone A, National Assembly Quarters, 900104, Abuja. This training school offers different services including adult lessons, advanced classes, beginner’s classes, intermediate classes, group lessons, private lessons, youth classes, Chinese language training.
The aim of the training school is to make students proficient in Mandarin. It’s a renowned school and popular for their efficiency. The Chinese Language Training School in Abuja, Nigeria is open from Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm (3pm on Friday). On Saturday, classes are held from 10am to 1pm.
- Confucius Institute
Confucius Institute features different programs to promote Chinese culture, one of which is language learning. The institute exists in different countries and there’s one in UNILAG, Lagos, Nigeria. You can enrol in the institute if you want to learn Chinese language. The institute is also present in many other Nigerian universities.
It’s one of the best ways to learn Chinese if you’re an undergraduate student. The advantage is that some of the classes are free. However, to access the full package, you have to pay and the fees are yet affordable. At the Confucius Institute, you learn from actual Chinese nationals. The main language they teach is Mandarin but you can learn other Chinese languages too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions you may have in mind about learning the Chinese language.
How many years does it take to learn Chinese fluently?
Three to five years is a decent estimate of how long it will take you to learn Chinese fluently, based on official data and anecdotes, but there are so many variables. Chinese is spoken by roughly one out of every seven persons on the earth. Different types of Chinese exist, which are divided into seven dialects. Though they share written characters, Mandarin and Cantonese are vastly different languages. A Mandarin speaker may sometimes pick out and comprehend Cantonese words and phrases. The same is true for a Cantonese speaker. However, it’s difficult for someone who only speaks Cantonese to interact correctly with someone who only speaks Mandarin.
What is the easiest way to learn Chinese?
The more you can listen to Mandarin, the better. Focus on listening during the first month or two. Listening is the best way to begin. Listen to the sounds. To better understand what you’re hearing, it’s a good idea to read aloud using a phonetic writing system like Pinyin. You’ll eventually have to study the characters, but for now, you can focus on learning the language instead.
If you start studying characters when you don’t know how the words sound or fit together, it’ll be too difficult. At first, learning a new language may sound like a jumbled mess. When learning a language, it is important to become familiar with the language’s sounds, distinguish words from each other, and have a few words and phrases in your head.
Is Chinese hard to learn?
Yes. It’s often said to be the most difficult language to learn despite being the most widely spoken language. For a variety of reasons, learning Mandarin Chinese might be difficult. English speakers, as well as anyone else who is accustomed to the Latin alphabet, will find the writing system incredibly difficult to learn. Additionally, persons who want to learn Mandarin face the obstacle of memorising hundreds of unique characters, unlike those found in Latin-based languages.
However, learning to write in Mandarin isn’t the only challenge. Additionally, the tonal character of the language makes speaking it extremely difficult. In addition to Cantonese, other Chinese dialects exist, such as Mandarin and Wu dialects, which have varying pronunciations and written characters, and are similarly difficult to acquire, as is the case with Cantonese.
Bottom Line
If you want to learn Chinese in Nigeria, the best option you have is using online learning platforms. That way, you have the luxury of learning from actual Chinese people. Of course, you can find Chinese schools in Nigeria with Chinese teachers but online learning offers more convenience. Considering how difficult Chinese is to learn, you’ll need the convenience.