Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Phones
  3. Android
  4. Apple
  5. Mobile
  6. News

Say ‘nǐ hǎo’ to Duolingo’s new Mandarin language course for iOS and Android

By
Add as a preferred source on Google

Over 1 billion people worldwide speak Chinese as their native or second language, and that number is growing rapidly. Also growing is selection of language courses available on Duolingo.

On Wednesday, November 16, the language learning platform added Mandarin Chinese as its 27th course offering, which is available now on the Duolingo app for iOS and Android. In addition to its recently added Japanese course, Duolingo claims that Chinese has been one of its most requested languages.

Recommended Videos

While there are a number of different Chinese dialects, Duolingo’s course will only focus on Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of the People’s Republic of China (China) and the Republic of China (Taiwan). It’s also one of the official languages of Singapore and Myanmar.

Since Chinese is an extremely difficult language to master, Duolingo’s course does not aim to make its students fluent. Like its other courses, the Mandarin course teaches basic phrases and slang terms used by Mandarin speakers. The course specifically focuses on learning words and words and phrases for food, culture and travel, festivals, and internet slang, as well as business and financial transactions. All in all, the course covers all of the vocabulary and grammar points to successfully complete levels 1 through 3 of the official Chinese proficiency test.

In addition to speaking the language, Duolingo’s course will focus on Chinese characters as well. The Chinese writing system is the world’s oldest, and is vastly different than the English alphabet. Initially users will learn about 1,000 of the most commonly used simplified Chinese characters, though Duolingo does plan to add traditional Chinese characters to the lessons in the future. Hanyu Pinyin, the standard romanization system, is also covered in the course.

Like its other courses, Duolingo relied on extensive research to create its newest offering. Duolingo developed the course curriculum using the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages as a point of reference. CEFR provides a step-by-step framework for language learning and makes sure that learners are proficient in certain basic areas before beginning more complex materials.

Duolingo offers free language courses online as well as through apps for iOS and Android.

Steven Winkelman
Steven Winkelman
Former Staff Writer, Mobile
Steven writes about technology, social practice, and books. At Digital Trends, he focuses primarily on mobile and wearables…
Topics
Nothing’s first AI gadget arrives in December, and I don’t want it to be another Humane AI Pin
Nothing’s mystery AI gadget arrives next month with few clues.
The Glyph Matrix on the Nothing Phone 3 in black

I've reached a point where every new AI gadget announcement feels like a solution in search of a problem. So when Nothing hinted at its first AI-native device, I wasn't exactly excited, but I was curious. 

Nothing CEO Carl Pei said on Wednesday that the company's first AI-native product ships sooner than you'd expect. The device ships next month, which means December 2026. However, that is the extent of the information we know (via Carl Pei on X).

Read more
This tiny Android phone brings back two features we thought were gone for good
The Enough Phone brings back compact smartphones, removable batteries, and a simpler Android experience, starting at $399.
Phone

Smartphones have become so big these days that finding one you can comfortably use with one hand is almost a challenge. And if you miss the days when phones were smaller, easier to carry around, and came with batteries you could replace yourself, a new Android phone might catch your attention.

It's called the Enough Phone, and it's a compact Android smartphone that doesn't try to squeeze in every feature imaginable. Instead, it focuses on the basics: a small display, decent hardware, and even a removable battery. The company has now launched a Kickstarter campaign, where early supporters can reserve one for $399.

Read more
Starlink is building a nationwide 5G network with Qualcomm to put an end to dropped calls
Satellites up top, Qualcomm-powered towers below, and hopefully no more dropped calls.
Qualcomm SpaceX parternship

Dropped calls are one of those annoyances we have all learned to live with. You drive through a dead zone or walk into the wrong corner of your house, and suddenly your call is gone. SpaceX wants to fix that, and it has picked Qualcomm to help.

Qualcomm has announced that SpaceX will use its Dragonwing Cellular Infrastructure platforms to build Starlink Mobile, a nationwide terrestrial 5G network in the United States. In simple terms, Qualcomm’s technology will power Starlink’s cell towers on the ground.

Read more