are hsk textbooks useless? epic hsk guide pt 1 | HSK1-3

have you ever had this thought: how do i learn a language efficiently? or conversely, what’s the best textbook to learn chinese? are hsk textbooks useless or will they get me to that elusive fluency goal? today we’ll try to answer that question for HSK levels 1-3!

this video is not sponsored by any brands or items listed in my kits. the links provided are affiliate links, so I may make a small percentage off the sale of qualifying items at no extra cost to you :)


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[kira]

I loved this video. It’s so helpful! I am currently studying mandarin and am using the hsk books. I just completed hsk 1 and felt a little deflated because I’m not confident all the time when speaking, but I’ve been reminding myself that this is all a process and most importantly something I’m doing for fun. I just got the hsk2 and 3 and am preparing to continue studying 😊

[hectorpg]

In the earlier stages, I find it more beneficial to use apps like Duolingo and Super Chinese rather than textbooks. This preference stems from the interactive nature of these apps, which offers a level of engagement that textbooks often lack. With language learning apps, you can receive feedback on your pronunciation, practice listening skills, and engage in compelling interactive drills. These features make your learning experience more productive and enjoyable compared to textbooks and traditional methods

[alexzr]

You have no idea how much I needed this video, I've been trying to learn chinese for so long but I not even capable of having a basic conversation, I really don't know how to approach the lenguage or use the text books... thanks a lot 💜

[jon]

I've been learning Chinese on and off for a few years. I've decided to take the HSK exams to ensure I have a goal to aim at. This video has inspired me to study more!

[wrigleyextra]

Thinking about formal textbooks in the sense of potential immersive content is a game changer. Not sweating rote grammar is something I need to stop doing haha but I get paranoid that I am missing out. Thanks for the video bianca!

[dandilion]

thank you so much for this video! i've had a bit of a learning slump but this has inspired me to pick it back up again. i sometimes have to take a break of a day or two to keep going long term. But sometimes i can't get myself to actually pick it back up again. this time it was a break of a little less than a month and i've felt guilty everyday i haven't studied lol. great stuff

[elisas.sesang]

this (along with your blogpost on the textbooks) is super helpful! I've been jumping back and forth between the HSK textbooks, new practical chinese reader and the boya textbook for over a year now after passing HSK 3 last year and it feels like I've spent more time grappling with resources and how to study rather then actual studying... Will now go back to my HSK 4 textbook and hope to make some progress, thanks for all the awesome chinese learning content!!

[joemarshburn]

Thanks for the helpful video, I'm currently at 120/150 words for HSK 1 and looking forward to continuing with these textbooks

[LarissaGXZ]

I'm loving your videos, Bianca! They're so helpful and you have lots of great tips. I plan to buy a HSK 3 workbook next month and I hope I'll buy the main book later for review.

[jolintsaiforever]

I only finished up to Hsk 5 halfway..For me it was boring that I didn’t wanna continue…so I completely discarded hsk, only used Pleco and just kept listening to mandarin YouTube videos, tv shows and read articles. To practice speaking I used italki and used mandarin whenever I buy stuff and groceries from Chinese stores.

Personally I felt textbooks are ok for basic vocab, but even after hsk 5 I felt more of the real vocab were the ones I acquired from listening and talking to native speakers.

[matildawolfram]

Fun video! Many thanks to the author of the channel for the recommendations! The problem with many people is that they want to take a "magic pill" or get "secret knowledge" and immediately have skills and abilities. However, the truth of life is that knowledge, skills, and abilities do not come by themselves. You can't learn a foreign language without doing anything, without wasting your time and effort, just like you can't learn to ride a bike lying on a comfy couch, listening to lectures and watching videos about "modern methods of learning" on a bike. To really learn something, you have to really practice every day. You're going to fall down while you're learning, and you're going to get bumps - that's normal! The ups and downs of learning are an integral part of our lives. Motivation from success and depression from failure will always be your study companions. However, every student has problems in his or her studies that he or she lacks the knowledge to solve. It can be: poor memorization of words; no progress in language learning; the student can speak, but does not understand speech by ear; misunderstanding of grammar; incorrect pronunciation, etc. Agree that a problem you don't know how to solve is very demotivating. In order to find the answer to our question we have to spend a lot of time to read videos, articles and books by polyglots. In today's world, we have to solve problems as quickly as possible. I don't have time to study and analyze a huge amount of information. My goal is to master the basic knowledge of a foreign language as quickly as possible and already start earning money effectively in the international arena. I settled on the practical guide by Yuriy Ivantsiv " Polyglot's Notes: practical tips for learning foreign language". This book is always in my bag. If I have a problem while learning a language, I quickly find the answer in this book. There are many different techniques and tips for learning a foreign language in Polyglot Notes. I have made my own individual schedule and plan for language learning. Now I know what I am going to study, how I am going to study, when I am going to study and what results I am going to achieve. No problem could stop me! With an effective language learning plan my professional skills are more and more in demand internationally every day. Friends, don't stop there! Everyone has talents that millions of people around the world need! Learn the language and make your ideas and dreams come true! Thanks to the author of the channel for the informative and useful video! Your videos motivate me.

[mikassamikassa]

I started chinese 4 years and I stopped like 6mounth after cause there was something missing there
I couldn't go ahead very efficiently ... I hated grammar
But now I think I'll buy a text book that looks very organized and proffesional

[dflosounds]

Complete Chinese beginner here. How meticulous should I be about understanding the literal translations of every single character? I really want to use these HSK textbooks because I love having a sense of progression and a structured path for learning. My problem is that I often get really caught up in taking notes and focusing on all the detail, to the point where I practically end up re-writing the textbook itself!

For example, things started out fine in HSK 1 with 你好. I'm like, "okay, 你 means 'you', and 好 means 'good', so it's like saying 'you good'". But then I started getting really caught up with, for example, 没关系 for "no problem". I'm like, "okay, 没 is 'nothing', 关 in this context is 'concern', and 系 is...department...or something?"

So end up going down some rabbit hole, and next thing I know my notes are way out of the scope of the textbook. Do you have any tips for this? Do you even take notes, or do you literally "just read" (and do the exercises when prompted)? I'm guessing there's a compromise between trying to drill down to the microscopic level, and plowing through without retaining any knowledge?

Thanks for the video!

[nicoleraheem]

I think they are a wonderful foundation for people who are new to the language. especially for those who started learning on a whim without exposure.

I don't think one should stop there. .I Think HSK is step one from 0 to doable but I Think afterwards, people should study elementary Chinese using books published by Beijing language and culture university oress or go to their local Chinatown and look at some Chinese learning books. They are more extensive than hsk material. I think HSK focuses on the most commonly used words, and other books like those for bilinguals, and books for the Beijing language and culture covers more vocabulary and subjects.

This has worked for me.

Also, studying phrases from modern tv shows helps and watching interviews given by Chinese speakers with subtitles helps. Like, with Mandarin corner. They do a great job with this.

Like I said, I think one should complete HSK 1-6 AND THEN VENTURE OUT

[XiaoBaoBao-Bb]

Thank you ! I was a bit confused with the HSK 1 book, I studied Korean and Japanese and was used to a different style of textbooks, now I kind of understand why it is build up like it is.

[ThatOneFanficWriter]

I have the HSK 1 textbook collecting dust after i decided I want to learn mandarin. Its so nerve wracking especially since i have absolutely no platform to go by. But thinking it as supplement really is a good idea!

[okorolina]

Beautiful plants! I would love to speak Chinese and talk plants and herbs all day 😂 I'm so glad I stumbled upon your channel. I loaded the anki deck and wow I gotta get the hsk books cause just seeing those characters gave me anxiety lol. Thank you for making this journey feel empowering and doable though your videos. I'm looking forward to immersing myself .

[amyx]

I’m a native/heritage speaker. I keep blazing through book 1 (or lessons 1+) of a series then losing interest. Oops. Currently I’m using 四五快读。Fast and easy lessons - 8 characters per lesson. The funny part is, separating common word combos frustrates me but also makes learning individual characters more effective. I’m just needing memorization basically. And I guess tech words - but whatever, mostly memorizing words. I still confuse 的 and 得， lol.

[josephine]

Thank you so much for this really useful review!
I’ve tried other textbooks before, too. However, I didn’t like the high ratio of new- to old words in every chapter.
You sold me on the hsk books with the low amount of new words in each chapter, at least in the earlier books.
A lot of COMPREHENSIBLE text/input is great. If every text is full of many new words, however, the text doesn’t even qualify as comprehensible input. It’s much easier to pick up the new words on the fly without much effort, while reinforcing what has been encountered previously, when there aren't so many new words. Much more natural to learn like this, more motivating and it’s ultimately possible to learn more quickly.
Thanks again.

[ShotaAM]

"Call and response" mentions to music makes me immediately jump to jazz when you said that