Learn Mandarin in China – Yes, You Can Do It Too!

After spending several months in China through the “Journey to the East” cultural exchange program, Igor shares a refreshingly honest, entertaining, and incredibly helpful guide on what it’s really like to learn Mandarin—straight from the source. If you’ve ever wondered “Is this even possible for me?”, this one’s for you.

Why Learn Mandarin?

Mandarin is the most spoken language in the world, with close to 2 billion speakers. By learning it, you’re unlocking the ability to communicate with nearly a quarter of the global population.

Yes, China has many dialects—Shanghainese, Cantonese, and more—but Mandarin is the official national language, and it’s spoken or understood in all corners of the country. Even where dialects are strong, locals will switch to Mandarin when needed, especially when speaking with foreigners.

But Isn’t Mandarin Hard?

Here’s the plot twist: Mandarin grammar is surprisingly simple.
No verb tenses

No conjugations

No genders

No articles

No plurals in the traditional sense

Seriously. Most of what we’re used to in European languages just doesn’t exist in Mandarin. Instead, you build meaning through word order and contextual particles. It might sound strange, but this actually makes the language flexible, efficient, and fun.

So How Long Does It Take to Speak?
Igor’s been in China for 6-7 months and is already having full conversations in Mandarin—including one about haircut techniques with his barber, a topic he admits he doesn’t even know much about in his native language!

He points out that daily exposure, Mandarin classes, and just going for it made all the difference.

You’ll make mistakes. You’ll point. You’ll mime. You’ll mix in English or Serbian or whatever you’ve got. That’s not failing—it’s communicating.

What’s So Special About Learning Mandarin?

Learning Mandarin doesn’t just open doors—it reshapes how you think. The language is rich with logic, creativity, and a whole different worldview. Even pluralization works differently—take two words like “cup” and “glass,” combine their syllables, and boom: a plural form unique to both.

Through the language, you start to understand how Chinese people think, connect, and express themselves—and that’s when you really start feeling at home in the culture.

What If You Hit a Wall?

Everyone does. Igor admits he had moments of doubt where he thought, “What am I even doing?” But pushing through those moments brought him something even more valuable than fluency—a new confidence in himself.

Conquering something unfamiliar like Mandarin, gives you a type of joy and self-belief that’s hard to put into words.

But What About the Chinese Characters?

No, you don’t have to memorize thousands of them overnight. Modern tech has your back. You type the pinyin (the phonetic spelling) into your phone

Your phone gives you a list of character options to choose from You recognize and select the right one—done!

Over time, you’ll start recognizing characters naturally, even when you don’t know them all. It becomes a visual game, a puzzle, and it’s so satisfying when you start reading signs, menus, or messages on your own.

Final Thoughts from Igor

Mandarin seemed impossible at first. Now, I’m texting with my roommates in Chinese using real characters. And no—there’s nothing stopping you from doing the same.

So what are you waiting for?
Say yes to the adventure. Say yes to learning Mandarin in China. Say yes to a completely new chapter of your life. 🌏✈️