LESSON 1
Chinese Is Not That Scary
Chinese tones, characters, and pronunciation? Let’s make them feel way less scary—and a lot more fun.
Your first steps in Mandarin
Total Beginner MINI Course
A mini Mandarin Chinese course for total beginners: learn your first words, tones, and everyday phrases in 10 fun lessons.
Join now with 50% OFF10 fun video lessons · Lifetime access · One-time payment
Made for real beginners
Is this a good place for you to start?
You don’t need a perfect accent or a lot of free time. Start where you are and build from there.
✓You only know “Nǐ hǎo” so far
✓Your Chinese sounds a little too English
✓Tones feel difficult to remember
✓You want to speak with confidence
✓You have limited time to study
✓You prefer a gentle, low-pressure start
One step at a time
10 fun lessons to get you speaking
Learn the sounds, try useful patterns, and bring it all together in a real-world dialogue.
LESSONS 2 & 3
A quick, easy guide to Pinyin
Learn Pinyin with a playful “alphabet song,” then focus on the tricky sounds that don’t exist in English.
LESSON 4
You’re speaking Chinese with an English mouth
Find out why your Chinese can sound “off” even when you pronounce each sound correctly. Learn the speaking habits that help Mandarin sound more natural.
LESSON 5
Chinese tones, made memorable
Use simple associations and scene tricks to feel the four tones, tell them apart, and remember what you learn.
LESSON 6
Speak without obsessing over tones
See how tones work in real conversations and learn to speak more freely without chasing perfection.
LESSON 7
Go beyond “Nǐ hǎo” in conversation
Try natural, polite small talk and learn what people actually say after hello.
LESSON 8
Start speaking in full sentences
Discover simple sentence patterns you can use to build real conversations.
LESSON 9
Learn useful everyday words and phrases
Build a practical vocabulary for common situations and learn simple phrases you can start using right away.
LESSON 10
Take Your Learning Further
Get dialogue audio at normal and slow speeds, vocabulary flashcards, character tracing sheets, and a bonus guide to the Total Beginner Full Course.
Your teacher
, I’m Lia 👋
I’m the founder of Chinese With Lia. I help learners around the world speak Chinese confidently through fun, practical, real-life lessons. I’m a native Chinese speaker and certified teacher, and I’ve spent more than eight years helping students communicate naturally in Mandarin.
- 📱 More than 1 million followers worldwide
- 🎓 More than 2,000 students enrolled
- 👩🏻🏫 8+ years teaching in China and America
- 🎓 Bachelor’s degree in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language
- 🏅 Certified CTCSOL International Chinese Teacher
- ✨ Native Chinese speaker and educator
Useful skills for everyday Chinese
What You’ll Walk Away With
Build a foundation you can keep practicing after the challenge.
Clearer pronunciation
Work on standard Mandarin sounds and common English accent habits.
More comfortable tones
Build tone habits and speak with more clarity and confidence.
Confidence to speak
Get more comfortable trying Mandarin out loud and making mistakes.
Natural expressions
Explore everyday expressions and the way Chinese is really spoken.
From learners
Students say it best
A few notes from learners about Lia’s lessons and teaching style.
★★★★★
Kept me interested!
“The pronunciation and alphabet of any language is vital, but sometimes it can be boring to wade through. I’m happy to say that your way of teaching kept me interested the whole time.”
Morgana · Jan 30, 2025★★★★★
Tones made easy!
“I always thought the Chinese tones were so complicated! But you made it really easy. Thank you!”
Anna D. · Jan 21, 2025★★★★★
Easy to remember!
“Love your funny explanations, so much easier to remember, thank you!”
Luis · Jan 1, 2025★★★★★
Fun lessons, amazing community!
“Lia’s lessons are very engaging, you will have fun learning from the basics on up, plus the community is very supportive.”
auniauni3 · Aug 26, 2023★★★★★
Useful for everyday life
“Lia teaches the things from EVERY DAY LIFE stuff we wouldn’t learn from a textbook!”
Student feedback · Aug 27, 2024★★★★★
The lessons are so fun!
“I actually found myself smiling and laughing but the lessons work really well and sink in straight away!”
Michaela · Mar 15, 2023Your Mandarin journey
Learning Map
Start with the mini course, then keep growing your skills one course at a time.
- 1YOU’RE HERE
Total Beginner Mini Course
Get comfortable with your first Mandarin words, sounds, tones, and everyday phrases.
10 video lessons1–3 weeks - 2NEXT STEP
Total Beginner Full Course
Build a strong foundation and learn to handle more everyday conversations in Chinese.
100 video lessons5–15 weeksLearn more - 3
HSK 1 Full Course
Learn essential beginner vocabulary and phrases while building your first structured Mandarin skills.
250 video lessons10–20 weeksLearn more - 4
HSK 2 Full Course
Expand your vocabulary and practice communicating in a wider range of common situations.
200 video lessons10–20 weeksLearn more - 5
HSK 3 Full Course
Keep progressing toward more confident conversations and stronger independent Mandarin skills.
200 video lessons10–20 weeksLearn more
Get started today
Total Beginner MINI Course
A fun, beginner-friendly next step for learning Mandarin.
$54$27
50% OFF · ONE-TIME PAYMENT
- 10 fun video lessons
- Pinyin, pronunciation, tones, and sentence patterns
- Everyday words and useful phrases
- Audio, flashcards, tracing sheets, and bonus guide
- Lifetime access on all devices
- $27 credit toward the Full Course upgrade
- One-time payment · No subscription
A few helpful details
Frequently asked questions
Do I need any prior Chinese experience?
No. The lessons are designed for beginners, including learners who are just getting started with Mandarin.
Is 10 minutes per lesson really enough?
The lessons are designed to be short and approachable. Your practice time can vary, and you can revisit the material at your own pace.
Is this really lifetime access?
The mini course offer above lists lifetime access. Please review the checkout page for the current purchase terms.
What if I don’t have much time?
Start with one lesson at a time and continue when it fits your schedule.
What if my pronunciation is really bad?
That’s a fine place to begin. The lessons are designed to help you notice common pronunciation habits and practice new sounds.
What will I learn in the Mini Course?
You’ll work on Mandarin pronunciation, Pinyin, tones, everyday words and phrases, and simple sentence patterns. The course includes 10 video lessons to help you build a beginner foundation.
Can I study at my own pace?
Yes. The Mini Course includes lifetime access, so you can work through the lessons at a pace that fits your schedule and revisit them whenever you need a refresher.
What learning materials are included?
Along with the video lessons, you’ll get downloadable learning materials, dialogue audio in normal and slow speeds, vocabulary flashcards, character tracing sheets, and a bonus guide to the Total Beginner Full Course.
Can I take the course on my phone or tablet?
Yes. The Mini Course is available on your devices, so you can study on a phone, tablet, or computer.
How do I upgrade to the Total Beginner Full Course?
After you finish the Mini Course, you can upgrade to the Total Beginner Full Course. Your $27 Mini Course payment will be applied as credit toward the full course. When you’re ready, use the upgrade option in your course account or follow the upgrade link provided with the course.
