Most Chinese learners start with “nǐ hǎo” — but no one actually says that. We break down how native speakers really greet each other, and why using the right phrases makes you sound less like a tourist.

We also go deeper on:

• Why we might flip our podcast intro to help beginners stay engaged

• Life priorities — health, family, work, rest — and how they keep changing

• When to push kids into learning skills (like piano, languages, or acting)

• Confidence, stage fright, and how to stay brave even when you’re scared

This episode mixes Mandarin and English, perfect if you’re learning Chinese and want natural conversation plus real-life topics that make you think.

Listen, learn, and share your thoughts with us at mandarinmonkey.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn Mandarin while you live your life. Bilingual Mandarin-English. Easy listening. Real topics.

Today you get 10 positive stories, quick takes, and daily Mandarin input.

What you hear

• How to use this podcast while commuting, working out, or doing chores

• UK vs Taiwan buses, commuting, and remote work social energy

• Good news stories with simple Chinese and English context

Good news highlights

• The Red Dress Project, 14 years, 51 countries, Guinness record embroidery

• A free compliment stand by a 9-year-old in Illinois

• A nurse revives a drunk raccoon that ate fermented fruit

• Saving Somerset’s eels with community action

• A casque-headed iguana’s rare virgin birth

• Australia’s new marine reserve to protect sea life

• Viral road-sign cleaning

• Saturn’s 128 newly confirmed moons, total now 206

Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

Practice with our teachers or join Hangouts at mandarinmonkey.com.

Leave a review. It helps others find the show.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Mandarin Monkey Podcast, we chat in Mandarin and English about the safest countries to move to in 2025. Iceland, New Zealand, Singapore, Canada, Taiwan, which one would you choose?

This is a bilingual Mandarin and English conversation. You’ll hear natural Mandarin phrases mixed with English, perfect for learners who want to practice listening, pick up everyday vocabulary, and get a feel for real spoken Chinese.

What we cover in this episode:

• Phones listening and targeted ads
• Our youngest starting school
• Global Peace Index 2025 and safe countries
• Iceland, New Zealand, Singapore, Canada, Taiwan
• Travel stories, turbulence, and long flights
• Our final shortlist of countries to live
• A closing poem in English and Mandarin

If you want to learn Mandarin in a fun, real way through English and Chinese conversation, this podcast is for you.

Try a free Mandarin lesson and more at: www.mandarinmonkey.com

Subscribe for more episodes and tell your friends if you enjoy the show.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn upper-beginner Mandarin with real stories from UK life. We talk about meeting Hong Kong neighbors, Cantonese vs Mandarin, Center Parcs, bikes, bowling, mini golf, and family costs. You get natural conversation, clear vocab, and usable phrases.

What you learn today

• Meeting neighbors in Chinese

• Cantonese vs Mandarin basics, Traditional vs Simplified

• Family, school, and community vocabulary

• Activities vocab: bikes, boats, bowling, mini golf, swimming

• Money talk: prices, renting, mortgages, daily costs

• Travel talk: Center Parcs pros, cons, and tips

Who this helps

• Upper-beginner to intermediate learners

• HSK 2–4

• Learners who want comprehensible input and real topics

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a bonus Tuesday episode of the Mandarin Monkey Podcast. We talk about summer holidays in the UK, why we want our kids to spend time in Taiwan, and what happened when a glamping hot tub got way too hot.

If you’re learning Mandarin, this podcast gives you real conversations in English and Chinese. You’ll hear everyday Mandarin in context, with natural back-and-forth between a native speaker and a learner.

In this episode:

• Teaching kids about Taiwan and Taiwanese culture
• How family life mixes with language learning
• Why daily life experiences are the best way to learn Mandarin
• Glamping stories, from sheep to wasps to a boiling hot tub

Mandarin Monkey is a bilingual podcast for Mandarin learners who want practice, culture, and fun without textbooks.

Listen in, laugh with us, and pick up useful Mandarin along the way.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We left the kids with Grandpa and went camping in the Cotswolds.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Surviving storms, wind, and wasps
• Setting up camp like amateurs
• Watching a movie in our tent with a projector
• Exploring Banbury and Woodstock
• Learning Mandarin through real, honest conversation

Ula speaks Mandarin. Tom speaks English. You get natural Mandarin input with built-in context. No textbook. No boring repetition. Just real talk, in two languages.

Perfect for learners who want to:

• Train their ears with native Mandarin
• Use context clues instead of translations
• Hear real-life conversations, not scripted phrases

Want more? Join lessons, hangouts, or get bonus content:

👉 https://www.mandarinmonkey.com

💬 Email: chat@mandarinmonkey.com

🎧 Join us on Patreon:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Think learning Mandarin is all flashcards and peaceful study sessions? Try doing it with three kids, zero time, and a brain that forgets half the vocab by lunch. In this episode, we talk about the real side of language learning—messy, inconsistent, and occasionally shouted across the room.

We cover how we keep (some of) our Mandarin skills alive, why casual conversations aren’t enough, and how learning a language with your partner can be… character-building. There’s also some talk about camping, future dreams, and why structured study is like flossing—everyone says they do it, but come on.

www.mandarinmonkey.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.