Does anybody know of good software to learn to speak mandarin for an absolute beginner?
The language spoken in Beijing is considered the most eloquent even to the people in Taiwan. I have used Transparent Language materials and feel that they are pretty good language software. You will need to learn Pinyin (Mandarin romanization) first, then start learning characters. It’s a lot to learn at once and can get overwhelming but will level off after a while. I haven’t used software to learn Mandarin, I have lived here for almost 20 years, but you definitely need to hear the language constantly in order to grasp the tones. So you will want something that will give you lots to listen to. If you are looking to only use it in or around Taiwan you may want to consider not learning the Mainland China dialect, there are some word usage differences. Plus the character system is the complicated and not simplified system you find in the Mainland. But if you will be using it in the Mainland stick to simplified and Beijing dialect. The on-line course at hellomandarin.com sounds good too a
