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#21

Children’s shows are no use, the vocabulary is just not for everyday life… unless of course you live in a world of magical dragons.

Most modern movies are spot on. Super clear mandarin. Some very useful stuff. I tend to enjoy the Rom-coms for Chinese. They seem to have the most real-life dialogue to my ears. And can actually be quite entertaining movies.

Besides the above, I love anything by Zhang YiMu. He is a genius film maker. Some of his earlier films give a real sense of culture, which is what I also want to pick up from Chinese movies. Even though I live in China, with the everyday life routines, I forget I’m in China sometimes. Good cultural movies like his bring me back to really appreciating China.

But it’s not only Mandarin as a language, and culture, that one gets, but also how it is used and in what context. Really helps learn appropriate sense stress, punctuation, how to appropriately put different emotions into Mandarin and the likes.

Check out modern romantic comedies for language and early Zhang YiMu movies for deeply soul enriching Chinese culture :grinning:

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#22

Is there a Chinesepod episode on childhood pranks?

Since you asked for dares + #NotPodAsUsual: I dare Fiona to give Constance a wedgie in an episode!

#23

Hi team!

  1. As you know, everyone on this platform is struggling to learn Mandarin. But, to keep the balance fair, I would like to know which foreign languages YOU guys are currently studying and (maybe) struggling with :grin:
    And if you’re not learning any foreign language now, maybe you’ve done it already or plan to do it. What motivates you to learn it ? What do you find curious/hard/funny/etc about it ?

  2. I’d also be curious to know who your favourite taiwanese artist/band is and why. As random as it might sound, I must say that my heart has currently chosen MC Hotdog and the band Chthonic… You’ll enjoy the fact that these two artists have probably never appeared in the same sentence before, right ? :smile:

  3. And if we ever come and visit Taiwan, can we come to your office, quickly say hi, and leave you a few specialities of our home-country ? (We have great beers and chocolate in Belgium).

Thanks a lot for your great work!

#24

This is really helpful. Thanks for taking the time to respond!

#25

Hi, big fan of you guys!

Can you give a Chinese pod lesson teaching us how to eat with shop sticks?

Ah another. Can you give a pod about choosing funny Chinese names for us, westerners?

And for last, a pod about what Chinese people think about Brazil (like, it is a forever party place? Carnaval? Soccer?)?

I am very very happy for finding the Chinese pod a year ago!

A big hug

Fabio

#NotPodAsUsual
#chinesepodthebest

#26

Hi!

Other than listen to Chinese Pod, my second favourite method for trying to tune into new words is listening to music.

I’d like to know who your favourite Mandarin speaking music artists are and why?

:slight_smile:

Tina

#27

Hey! I love ChinesePod! There are so many lessons/topics, I can always find something interesting to listen to.

I have 2 questions:

  1. Say It Right really helped me get past some of my fears of pronunciation but I still struggle saying or distinguishing some sounds. Perhaps a lesson or two on some of the sounds that people typically struggle with? I would love that review.

  2. What are your favourite success stories (big or small) from your users?

#28

And for something funny… I’d love to see you do one of the typical silly videos like you see on youtube (in Mandarin, of course).

1 – eat terrible things
2 – the jellybean challenge
3 – the “boyfriend” challenge

Something where we see you having fun interacting in Mandarin (rather than a lesson!)

#29

Hello fellow 台北ers! I too used to live in Mainland China and came to this potato-shaped island for language study and now for graduate school. Are there any plans for a Taipei meetup in the near future? ChinesePod fans, 聯合起來!

1 Like
#30

When it comes to language exchange, what is the best methods of getting the most out of them?
Should I just be more focused on attempted chit chat or reading to my language exchange buddy to see if they understand what I said or…?

#31

I’d like a video introduction of each of your cats please!

What is your favourite meal to cook at home?

#32

What is the general oppinion of Germany and the EU in Taiwan and what are your personal stereotypes.

Do you think we will solve intelligence in our life time and maybe upload our brains into computers to become effectively immortal?

Do you like milk tea? (I love it)

Also I dare you all to read the following German sentences in a German accent: “Ich frohlocke und jauchze beim Chinesisch Lernen!”, “Wenn ich mal groß bin, möchte ich eine Sternschnuppensammlung haben.”, “Gwylem sieht so süß aus, wenn er Chinesisch unterrichtet!”

#33

Constance, how often does Fiona need your help to learn something? Am I going to need a personal tutor forever :o ?

1 Like
#34

Gwillym, what’s the worst thing you’ve overheard Taiwanese people saying about you in public?

#35

Fiona, next time I go back to Taiwan, can I visit the cpod office :grin: ?

1 Like
#36

For Gwilym, I’ve been learning Chinese in my spare time for several years, but I can’t seem to get over the intermediate hump. Do you have any advice for maintaining progress and motivation when you don’t have the momentum of studying Chinese full-time?

1 Like
#37

To all three:

A la Theresa May, what’s the naughtiest thing you’ve ever done!?

你以前做過的什麼最調皮的事？（英國投票之前therea may 也受到這樣的問題，記得嗎）

#38

To all three, can I please win a prize?
可不可以讓我中獎嗎？

#39

Hey guys! I just LOVE your shows, and since I try to stay a little far from the traditional textbooks, I would like to know what does Gwilym thinks about learning chinese through comics.

#40

Hi, Fiona, Constance and Gwilym. What did you guys do before ChinesePod? :slight_smile:

1 Like