1. Build a Strong Foundation in Pinyin

2. Train Your Tones

3. Learn in Full Sentences, Not Just Individual Words

4. Listen a Lot + Imitate

5. Don’t Be Afraid of Making Mistakes—Speak First

6. Create a Chinese Environment
 

1. Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world

2. Learn Chinese culture and Chinese traditions

3. Make friends with different cultures

4. Improve your brain power

5. Enter the Chinese business world

6. Travel to China
 

1. Listen to Mandarin as often as possible

2. Devote time to memorizing characters

3. Recognize patterns rather than rules

4. Read more than you can handle

5. Get the rhythm of the language to master the tones

6. Speak a lot and don't second guess yourself

1.  Speaking with a friend or a native speaker 

2. Embrace your mistakes

3. Devote time to reading, writing, listening and speaking

4. Use palm cards, or flash cards

5. Set realistic goals