Podcast Episodes

The 7 Worst Ways to Learn Chinese (And What to Do Instead)

After 300 days of secretly studying Chinese, one guy surprises his partner with phrases like “the cheesecake is grieving” and “the purple elephant eats passion for breakfast.” It’s a bit humorous, bu…

Published on 10 hours ago

Fluency Now with Marko Jovanovic: No Classes, Just Progress

Can you become fluent in Chinese without teachers, classes, or even Chinese speakers around you? For Serbian software engineer Marko Javoanovic, the answer is “yes” by focusing on “fluency now”.

In th…

Published on 2 weeks ago

Does It Matter Where You Learn Chinese? Yes And Here’s Why

Ever wonder how the place you study Chinese can shape your accent, comprehension, and even identity as a learner?

In this episode, Jared and John dive into the importance of where you learn Mandarin i…

Published on 3 weeks, 6 days ago

From Bubble Tea to Boxing Rings: How Freddy Buechel Found His Voice in Chinese

Episode 168

What happens when you move abroad at age 10 and suddenly find yourself in daily Chinese class? For Freddy Buechel, it was the start of an adventure that took him from Singapore to Taiwan, back to the…

Published on 1 month, 1 week ago

You Can Speak Chinese, but Can You Understand the Reply? (And Other Listener Questions)

Jared and John are back with a full episode dedicated to answering listener questions covering everything from language learning strategies to cultural quirks. 

They explore the challenges of using sa…

Published on 2 months ago

How to Learn to Read Chinese: Developing Fluency Now (Replay)

In this replay of a fan-favorite episode, John and Jared discuss the concept of fluency now as opposed to some distant time in the future and how reading will get you there.Guest interview is with Ol…

Published on 2 months, 3 weeks ago

Fun First, Fluency Follows: Karl Vilhelmsson’s Chinese Strategy

What happens when a Swedish physics student decides to go all-in on Chinese? Meet Karl Vilhelmsson, a particle physics student at Stanford’s SLAC lab and a self-described language adventurer. 

From a …

Published on 3 months ago

Too Many Chinese Videos, Too Little Progress? Lets Fix That

Chinese learners today are surrounded by video, TikToks from tutors, YouTube explainers, online courses, sitcoms, and AI-powered tools promising to boost your progress. But with so much content, it's…

Published on 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Burnout, Breakthrough, and Fluency: Chaniece’s Story

Chaniece Chen didn’t just study Chinese, she built her own major, battled burnout in an intensive language program, and came back for more. In this episode, Jared talks with Chaniece about her 12-yea…

Published on 4 months ago

Crutch or Catalyst? The Truth About Pinyin

You’re reading Chinese, and there it is, pinyin over every character. It feels helpful, even comforting. But is it actually holding you back? In this episode, Jared and John explore how pinyin can be…

Published on 4 months, 2 weeks ago