This is a beginning-level course in spoken Chinese that employs a revolutionary new method designed to have you quickly speaking and comprehending Chinese.
Along with its sister book
Basic Written Chinese and their accompanying workbooks,
Basic Spoken Chinese offers a complete introductory course to the Chinese language. As a native English speaker, working hard to learn Chinese is not enough; you have to work smart to learn this very different language efficiently. Downloadable audio and video reinforce the material introduced in the book. No matter why you’ve chosen to learn Chinese—for business, travel, cultural studies or another goal—the
Basic Chinese approach of two separate but integrated tracks in spoken and written Chinese will help you learn this language most efficiently and successfully.

• Detailed explanations in English of Chinese pronunciation, grammar, usage, culture, society, and recommended learning approaches.


• A digital Instructor’s Guide is available electronically.


• A written Character Transcript (Simplified and Traditional) is available electronically.

The downloadable materials feature:

• 40 videos with dozens of native speakers filmed on location in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia.


• 6 hours of native-speaker audio, including all of the book’s conversations.


• Build up sections, new words, and pronunciation exercises.

Available separately,
Basic Spoken Chinese Practice Essentials is the companion workbook for
Basic Spoken Chinese. This practical guide includes a broad range of drills and exercises designed to enhance your proficiency in speaking and comprehending dramatically. While intended for use with the companion textbook, it can be used together with any Chinese textbook or teaching program to hone your Chinese language skills.