Mandarin Chinese 2 (Post-Beginners)

Who is this course for?

This course is for learners who have completed Mandarin Chinese 1 (Beginners) or have equivalent prior experience. Basic knowledge of Pinyin and simple sentence structures is required. If you are unsure whether this course is suitable for you, please contact us for a free language level check.

This course is taught live online.

Course overview

This course is designed for adult learners who have completed a beginners’ course or have equivalent foundational knowledge of Mandarin. It builds on your existing skills and supports you in developing greater confidence across the four core areas: speaking, listening, reading and writing.

As you progress, you will expand your vocabulary and begin to use more complex sentence structures with improved grammatical accuracy. You will also be introduced to additional Chinese characters, enhancing your reading and writing abilities in everyday contexts.

Alongside language development, the course offers further insight into Chinese culture, traditions and social customs, helping you to understand how the language functions in real-life situations. Class activities will support practical communication, including asking and answering questions, describing events, and taking part in simple conversations.

The course content is responsive to the needs and pace of the group, with the tutor adapting lessons to ensure a balance between structured learning and interactive practice. Through a variety of engaging tasks and dialogues, you will continue to build fluency and confidence in using Mandarin in both spoken and written forms.

Informaton on any textbooks you will need to purchase will be given in the first session.

Equipment needed

This course is tauht live online and you need to access the sessions on a suitably equipped computer. The tutor will be using Microsoft Teams for course delivery.

Term dates

•  Autumn Term: week beginning 13 October 2025 until week ending 12 December 2025

•  Spring Term: week beginning 5 January 2026 until week ending 20 March 2026

Any questions?

If not a complete beginner in the language please seek level advice. For this and any questions pre-enrolment about the content of this course please contact the Mandarin Chinese Coordinator, Dr Ruth Herd at ruth.herd@imperial.ac.uk

For general programme and enrolment questions please contact the Imperial after:hours Administrator, Christian Jacobi at c.jacobi@imperial.ac.uk

Class recordings

These classes are not recorded.

Imperial certificates

There are no examinations or assessments for this course. However, attendance can lead to the award of an Imperial attendance certificate (T&Cs apply).