Pimsleur Chinese (Mandarin) Basic Course - Level 1 Lessons 1-10 CD: Learn to Speak and Understand Mandarin Chinese with Pimsleur Language Programs

First, let me say, I'm 75 years old. I have been to many countries whilst in the US Navy. I have never been to China and have never learned a foreign language. I am a volunteer docent at a museum that has many Mandarin speaking visitors.This basic course is GREAT! I have just completed the lessons on the first of the 10 CD"s and am so very pleased with the quality of the instructions. I'm a slow student, ( I like to think it's due to age), But. I now know what is said on the first CD and able to answer in Mandarin. I'm looking forward to continuing on. This is fun for me. Purchase this one if you want to learn !!!!

very good way to learn

Easy to learn

I was skeptical but only after 30 - 40 minutes of listening I could understand the track 2 conversation perfectly and replicate the sounds with relative ease. Pimsleur is definitely the way to go.I think listening to track 2 and speaking along was equivalent to the 2 -3 years of foreign language learning in the American public school system. All about repetition and speaking.Thanks!

Poor choice of native speakers, they don't speak clearly. Secondly, even by the fourth lesson, they are still repeating the same dialog from the first lesson. Not bad to review but they get carried away with it. Again, biggest problem is speaking too fast and not clearly. Some people speak clear as a bell but not these speakers, just mush mouth. Had to give up and return the cd's.

Pimsleurs method of teaching Mandarin to neophytes works. The repetition is very helpful, the pronunciation of the male and female voices is clear and easy to duplicate, the speed is paced well, learning happens. It is American male orientated. If you are neither it is a bit funny to don the persona of an American man out to find a Chinese girlfriend. But it is not offensive and most of the people learning this way are these types. So, I am learning and I am not easy to teach.

We gave these out to our executive travelers before they departed to China for a seminar. They all loved them and the hosts were very honored that the travelers tried to learn some of the local language before arrival. Many of the execs learned on the plane on the way to China by ripping this to their ipods, something that cannot be done with Rosetta Stone and other bidirectional (and much more expensive) learning plans. This was very affordable to boot.

I like how the material is presented. It’s a build upon method and I am learning at a decent rate. After I finish this Level One Basic edition, I will very likely buy the next step up edition. I recommend.