Learning outcomes
Target level: A1
Students
• know how to distinguish and pronounce the five tones in Mandarin Chinese
• get familiar with the Pinyin transliteration system
• know how to introduce themselves by stating their name, nationality, language skills, etc.
• can carry on some short superficial small talk
• get familiar with basic Chinese grammar
• learn the basics of reading and writing the most common Chinese characters

Prerequisites
Starting level: 0 (No prerequisites)

Upon successful completion of the module, the students should be able to
• get familiar with the Chinese spoken language Pinyin system
• can have a short small talk in Chinese on some of the most common everyday topics
• learn the basics of reading and memorizing the most common Chinese characters
Contents
• Vocabulary and phrases from everyday conversations
• Know how to introduce oneself by states one’s name, nationality, and language skills, etc.
• Culture elements will be introduced during the contact hours

Chinese is the most spoken language in the world and one of the official languages of the UN. It is used officially in mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore. It is also used in Malaysia and the business world of Southeast Asia to a large extent. The Chinese language has had a great impact on East Asian languages and cultures. Thousands of Chinese characters have been borrowed by the Japanese language, and about 65% of Korean words have their origin in Chinese.

Contrary to what many people believe, Chinese is not that difficult to learn. For example, the grammar is simple, the verbs are not conjugated and most words are short – only one or two syllables. Learning the Chinese characters takes time, but the graphic writing system is extremely interesting. The art of writing characters, i.e. calligraphy, is itself one of the most esteemed art forms in East Asia.
According to the latest language research made by the Chinese Ministry of Education in 2007, only 581 characters make up 80% of common Chinese texts. And if you know 934 characters, for whatever you might wish to read in Chinese, you can already recognize 90% of the characters.

Grade 1
The student
- has limited capability to understand simple oral and written messages and transmit them to the recipient. Speaking and writing skills are passable as far as constructions and/or pronunciation is concerned.
- is able to recognize simple constructions and frequently used expressions in different situations.

Grade 3
The student
- is often able to understand simple oral and written messages and transmit them to the recipient. Speaking and writing skills are good as far as constructions and/or pronunciation is concerned.
- has readiness to apply the learned skills in practice on simple constructions in new situations.

Grade 5
The student
- is able to understand simple oral and written messages and transmit them successfully to the recipient. Speaking and writing skills are excellent as far as constructions and/or pronunciation is concerned.
- knows how to apply the learned skills in practice on simple constructions in new situations.

Contact hours once a week starting at 16 o´clock + internet teaching via Moodle