Mandarin Chinese 2 (Post-Beginners)

Location: Online | Level: 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.

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.

This course uses a textbook and other material to teach the course. Advice on which course textbook to buy will be given in the first class.

Term dates - subject to confirmation

•  Autumn/Michaelmas Term: week beginning 12 October 2026 until week ending 11 December 2026

•  Spring/Lent Term: week beginning 11 January 2027 until week ending 20 March 2027

For course content and language level enquiries: Contact the Mandarin Chinese Coordinator, Dr Ruth Herd at ruth.herd@imperial.ac.uk

For enrolment and booking enquiries: Contact Christian Jacobi at c.jacobi@imperial.ac.uk

Class recordings

These classes are not recorded.

Imperial certificates

This course has no exams or assessments, so you can focus on enjoying your learning. Regular attendance may also lead to the award of an Imperial attendance certificate. (T&Cs apply).