🇨🇳 Complete Beginner Mandarin – In-Person Class

Learn Mandarin in Berkeley in a welcoming small group—serving adult learners from Oakland, San Francisco, and across the Bay Area.

📅 Course Dates and Schedule

January 9–February 13, 2027
Saturdays, 10:00–11:30 a.m.
Location: Polyglottist Language Academy, 2161 Shattuck Avenue, Suites 234–235, Berkeley
Format: In-person, small group (3–6 students)

👥 Who This Course Is For

Ready to start learning Mandarin? This course is designed for adults with no prior knowledge of Chinese—or those who know just a few words and would like to start with the basics.

Whether you’re learning for travel, family, work, or personal interest, you’ll receive step-by-step guidance in a friendly, supportive environment. Our small classes give you plenty of opportunities to ask questions, practice with classmates, and receive personalized feedback.

📖 What You’ll Learn

Build a foundation in Mandarin through:

• Pinyin, the pronunciation system used to learn Mandarin

• Mandarin sounds and the four tones

• Essential vocabulary and basic sentence structures

• Greetings, introductions, and simple personal questions

• Recognizing and writing a first set of Chinese characters (Hanzi)

• Listening and speaking practice for everyday situations

🌍 Themes and Topics

• Greetings and polite expressions

• Introducing yourself and others

• Nationalities, languages, and basic personal information

• Numbers, dates, and time

• Daily activities and simple routines

• Ordering drinks and simple food items

• Chinese cultural traditions and everyday etiquette

💬 What to Expect

Each class includes:

• Interactive, face-to-face instruction with an experienced teacher

• Clear explanations of pronunciation, tones, and grammar

• Guided conversations and practice with classmates

• A gradual introduction to reading and writing Chinese characters

• Cultural insights that bring the language to life

• Light, manageable homework to reinforce your learning

✅ By the End of the Course, You’ll Be Able To:

• Recognize and begin using Mandarin sounds and tones

• Exchange greetings and introduce yourself

• Ask and answer simple questions using familiar vocabulary

• Take part in short, guided conversations

• Recognize and write a small set of essential Chinese characters

• Understand familiar words and phrases spoken slowly and clearly

• Continue building your skills in a Mandarin Low Beginner course

👩‍🏫 About the Instructor

Catherine Tan brings more than 20 years of Mandarin teaching experience to the classroom. She has worked with students of many ages and proficiency levels, including university students and adult learners, in both in-person and online settings.

Her lessons emphasize practical communication, clear pronunciation, and confidence in speaking and understanding Mandarin. Catherine creates engaging, interactive activities and adapts her instruction to students’ goals, interests, and learning pace.

🏫 About the School

Polyglottist Language Academy offers language classes for adult learners in Berkeley and online.

Conveniently located on Shattuck Avenue, our school welcomes students from Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco, and throughout the Bay Area. If you’re looking for in-person beginner Mandarin classes in Berkeley, this small-group course is a welcoming place to start.