Chinese, like the Kama Sutra, is not something you can learn on your own. The eye blurring characters and the confusing tones which most of us can neither say nor hear correctly threaten to doom our attempts to communicate in Chinese to failure. Whether studying on our own or lacking individual attention in school, most of us turn to language partners and tutors for help.
If you are a native English speaker looking for a language partner (yǔbàn – in Beijing yǔbànrr | 语半) be careful posting an ad. An American friend of mine posted an ad at the Beijing Language and Culture University, a mere forty five minutes later he’d received so many calls that he had to turn off his phone and go pull down the three signs he’d posted on campus. It was another week before the calls ceased.
From an ad by a Chinese tutor
Europeans and others who speak English fluently but are not native speakers have a more difficult time finding someone to do a language exchange with them but given a little time and patience it’s almost always possible to find someone by sticking an ad on a university bulletin board or posting one online. Keep in mind that some Chinese are looking to learn a language other than English and may be looking for a partner who speaks another language.
Usually when you meet your language partner the plan is to speak English for an hour and Chinese for an hour. If you don’t create rules for your partner and yourself you may spend more time speaking English than Chinese.
Language partners can be enormously helpful – accompanying you to buy a cell phone, to the bank, or shopping for pants - when you need someone who understands what’s going on. I’ve had my language partner make calls for me, go apartment hunting with me, and generally put him thorough the paces. In return I’ve helped him prepare for a visa interview and suffered some of the most excruciating hours of my life at various events he’s masterminded. (Like the party at the Women’s University where he abandoned us to fight with bitterly with his girlfriend, broke up with her, and then an hour later proposed to her onstage. While her classmates shrieked with excitement she fled. And that was only the beginning.)
They can also teach you a lot about China and Chinese culture – inviting you to meet their families, or to go out with their friends – and give you a window into what life is like in China for college students and their families.
If you lack the time or just want someone qualified to really have to teach you then you’re better off with a tutor. Chinese tutors (fǔdǎo lǎoshī | 辅导老师)are often college students learning to teach Chinese as a foreign language, Chinese teachers working part-time, or just college students looking to make some cash. Prices range from 15 to 80 yuan an hour. A reasonable price for an experienced tutor in Beijing is 30 yuan. 50 is high but certainly not unheard of and many consider the help they receive from their tutor more than worth the expense.
Usually people meet their tutors and language partners at a café or campus library. Keep in mind that while you may not think twice about spending 22 kuai on a cup of coffee, to your language partner, although they won’t say so, this is a lot of money. Be considerate and meet in a park, library, or somewhere like McDonald’s where you can loiter for free or pay a couple of kuai for a soda.
This man wants to be your language partner
With both a tutor and language partner you’ll get more out of it if you come to a session prepared with a story, vocab, questions from class, or a topic to discuss. Unlike formal classes you can study the topics you’re most interested in. If you urge them to, your tutor or language partner can make sure you correct all your tonal and grammar mistakes.
A language partner or tutor is more than just another aid to learn a language – they are a teacher, friend, and guide to Chinese culture as well. Many friendships and, as many an expat will tell you, relationships grow out of hours spent drilling tones or English grammar. Shop around until you find a suitable tutor for yourself – and be careful about giving out your phone number.
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Related Links:
Find a language partner in Beijing | Shanghai | Guangzhou | Shenzhen
Find a Chinese tutor in Beijing | Shanghai | Guangzhou | Shenzhen
Where to Learn Chinese? University vs. Private Language Center
The Challenges of Chinese – the eChinacities.com language corner
Free online Chinese lessons at eChinacities.com
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Fred Dintenfass， I feel very bad for your article,and I think it`s misleading people. I graduated from BLCU majoring in teaching Chinese as a second language and after years of working at BLCU and some language schools,now I`m working as an indepent freelance tutor at Sanlitun.And I know how hard it is for a professional tutor to charge a reasonalbe price (100~200 RMB/hour)from Chinese learners(my ex-employer BLI school did make it as over 200 RMB/hour).Some learners pay such low price(30 RMB cannot even buy a cup of coffee)but require their tutors or language parters to do too much things( "I’ve had my language partner make calls for me, go apartment hunting with me, and generally put him thorough the paces"). I don`t think the rate for an exprienced or professional tutor should be lower than 100 RMB/hour.What you are paying for is not only the words he/she is speaking but the skill of correcting your errors and explaining the rules and his/her attention and patience. If you want to practice your Chinese,why don`t you meet various common Chinese people outside the univeristy campus(young and old,male and female)and exprience real life in China. For private classes(not just chatting but serious teaching I mean),I know the average hourly payment of a native ESL tutor is 200 and above,no matter he/she gets a degre of certification or not,as a result millions of English learners in China do suffer a lot from amateur teaching and waste so much time and money(one of my ex English teacher at BLCU was a truck driver from the U.S.,and although we know that he worked hard and tried his best on our news reading class,it was really boring!!!).I often heard some Chinese learners complaining the torture of bad tutors,maybe of on the reasons is that the low payment certainly drive really good tutors away. Not every Chinese can teach Chinese language,and it is the same that now every English speaking people can teaching English.I have to tell you the truth that over 70 percent of my classmates(they made a lot of effort to enter the TCSL major of BLCU,and for most of them,their grades are good enough to enter Tsinghua or PKU) gave up their major after intern as a part-time teacher at language schools and only the ones who really like teaching is insisting. Maybe you take the goods'made-in China' as cheap ones,but the service of teaching Chinese ,behind which the efforts after years of strict learning and training,is different.
Feb 23, 2013 20:11 Report Abuse
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