Top 10 Free Apps and Websites for Learning Chinese!

Today we're reviewing the best FREE apps for learning Chinese (mostly Mandarin, though you could use a few of these for other varieties of Chinese). They're all amazing and all things I've personally used extensively -- I've had to leave out some things like Memrise that I've heard amazing things about, only because I haven't used them enough to feel confident in recommending them. And no endorsements either!

Note also that even if you're not learning Chinese, you CAN use several of these apps and websites (including the #1 pick) for learning other languages, and my choices also might be interesting in terms of expressing how I've studied Chinese.

Thanks for visiting Ari in Beijing! I've honed my Mandarin Chinese to near native-level fluency through a variety of tips and tricks that I share with you each week. So whether you're studying Mandarin, Cantonese, English, another language, or are simply interested in language in general, please subscribe and stick around for a while!

[zhugabyy]

as a chinese watching this, it’s amazing to see how hard ppl are trying to learn mandarin:)

[HelloChineseApp]

We may be a bit bias but we think HelloChinese is a great way to learn Mandarin ;)

[garym]

This is, BY FAR the greatest most helpful video for learning Chinese ever made. EVER

[bryanadams]

I speak different languages, but in January I started to learn Japanese. My learning was pretty slow... however when I started using your tips my Japanese became better!! Now I'm improving every single day. Thanks for your videos man.

[stevenshih]

Thanks Ariin! As an intermediate speaker. I’ve been trying so hard to find best options to boost up my Chinese. Agree with most that HelloChinese is good for beginners. But the tips above opens me to more online based learning. Cheers bro !

[takashiinagaki]

Perapera comes from Japanese. It means you can speak the language fluently. e.g. “英語ペラペラだね” -> “Your English is perapera!” -> “You speak English really well.”

[Chantwizzle]

Lingodeer! Free, and it includes Korean, Japanese and now Vietnamese as well as Chinese.

[juliette]

Two years after you posted this all are still live and useful. Thanks man. Also, hope you are hanging in there and staying safe. I'm sure it broke your heart to see the racism that's resulted, but maybe we will come together as a globe in the end.

[キスウエタ]

perapera(ペラペラ) means fluent in Japanese.

[VintageCurrent]

Wow!! Such a brilliant list! I can't thank you enough for these.

[mariajohnson]

I am a Russian learner, but I love Clozemaster! Because I can hear the sentence before I see it and then type in the answer based on hearing and knowing.

[johnsparegrave]

I find your video great, thanks a lot Ari. I started using Hello Chinese and it works fine with me to discover the basics.

[PaulCraddock]

I searched this video after my MAC was stolen just so I could find these extensions and use your advice like I did 2 years ago! Thanks man

[amj.composer]

The name perapera comes from Japanese, it's an onomatopoeia for speaking non-stop but is often used in the context of fluency.

[tupapyrox]

dude. ive been looking for an extension like that for chrome. I'm just crying, its not the first time You helped me 7.7 god bless your soul.

[maxmustermann]

The best tip for me was the Chinese phrases deck for Anki. I love it so much. Wish to have seen this video sooner.

[luisfernandocuestasanchez]

Man, you are the best thanks for all of that
I just started this week, I know all of this will be really helpful
I hope that a year from now I can have at least an intermediate level

[P.Gillett]

I tried Anki but found the Pleco flashcard system more useful. I know Anki's SBS works better, but what you can do with Pleco is much more useful. When I come across a word I don't immediately recognize, I open up the word in the dictionary and add anywhere from three to six phrases that use that word into the flashcard folder I'm working on. So I will start with about 20 words, and then within a day I'll probably easily recognize half of them. The 10 I'm struggling with, I will add a couple phrase that use characters I'm familiar with. (I'm now upper intermediate) I would not use this for absolute beginners. But once you know 300 - 500 characters, it works well.

[pamchina]

Thank you so much! I can now read the New York Times in Mandarin with Perapera! Excellent!

[dudeinskibro]

Very useful video - thanks much!
I've been starting my journey with Hello Chinese and have been very happy with it's style & progression for an absolute beginner.
Now I'm moving on to Chinese Skill as it has many more free features allowing for further learning beyond (what I feel) Hello Chinese can offer.
Soon I'll be adding many of your suggestions to my tool belt. Thanks again!