Mandarin Language for Travel

About this course

Learners practise Mandarin for situations including greetings, hotel check-ins, dining, shopping, asking directions, transport and seeking help. Role-plays and realistic travel scenarios provide guided speaking practice, while lessons introduce high-frequency vocabulary and simple sentence structures. The course also covers the four tones, Pinyin and pronunciation of sounds such as j, q, x and zh. Cultural topics include social etiquette, formal forms of address, gift-giving taboos and everyday digital interactions. Chinese characters are introduced briefly, with the travel course focusing on Pinyin.

What you'll learn

• Use Mandarin phrases for common travel situations such as checking in, ordering food, shopping and asking for directions
• Recognise and produce the four basic Mandarin tones
• Apply Pinyin to pronounce Mandarin sounds, including j, q, x and zh
• Form simple Mandarin sentences using common vocabulary and sentence structures
• Use appropriate language and social formulas in travel and everyday interactions

Is this course right for you?

The course is designed for absolute beginners, near-beginners and learners who have studied very little Mandarin but want to use it in travel situations. Participation involves guided speaking tasks, role-plays and conversations based on realistic scenarios.

• No previous Mandarin knowledge is required
• Suitable for learners seeking focused language for travel to Mainland China or Taiwan
• Includes repeated guided speaking practice rather than language study focused only on explanation

Before you go

• Bring a notebook and something to write with.
• The teacher provides course materials and resources, which are shared digitally via SharePoint.
• No fixed coursebook is required.