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I’ve been learning Mandarin via Comprehensible Input (CI) for about 9 months and really admire OP’s dedication and consistency. In the first 4-5 months of being

I’ve been learning Mandarin via Comprehensible Input (CI) for about 9 months and really admire OP’s dedication and consistency. In the first 4-5 months of being truly consistent with ~1hr a day of Anki and Peppa pig I got to around 2,000 words and was able to have a great experience when I traveled to Taiwan, so I can vouch for the core methodology in this post. It’s not “easy”, but it’s definitely the most effective way to learn a foreign language that I know of. The CI community has come a long way in the last ~5 or so years - the general consensus looks a lot like OP’s methods, which I would summarize as: 1. Brute force [premade Anki flashcard decks](https://ankiweb.net/shared/info/810519009 https://ankiweb.net/shared/info/810519009) for the first ~1k most common words 2. Start watching comprehensible input as soon as you can, ideally for an hour a day or more 3. [Sentence mine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBcQJESGQvc)the https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBcQJESGQvc)the comprehensible input and add it to the daily SRS flashcard grind The best summary of these methods that I’ve found is https://refold.la/ https://refold.la/ Self plug: I’ve been working on a way to generate Mandarin audio comprehensible input using LLMs/TTS models. The idea is that there aren’t many great CI options between 500 words and ~3k-5k words - OP himself mentions that when he started watching Scissor Seven 刺客伍六七 he barely understood anything, which is pretty hard to “push through” without some hardcore willpower. My project https://plusonechinese.com https://plusonechinese.com makes Mandarin audio stories that are 85% comprehensible at any level from 400 words all the way to 8k or more words and then auto-imports the audio snippets into SRS flashcards, which makes a CI workflow like this a lot easier to engage with at a lower level and without advanced willpower. Still working on making the content _truly_ interesting, but would love some feedback!

shubb 2y ago
I was hoping to find something like your app. Haven't tried it yet but so excited!
neves 2y ago
Peppa Pig is hard :-) What would a be a good child animation for learning a foreign language? I'm trying to learn a little of French for a coming trip.
- triyambakam 2y ago
  1. Check Wikipedia for the major TV networks in the country. E.g. Sweden is SVT 2. Check if the network has a mobile app 3. Use a VPN to connect to that country and open the app 4. Look for shows you want to try.
- cmuguythrow 2y ago
  Totally depends on what you can get access to in the target language. For French - maybe Trotro? https://www.youtube.com/@TrotroOfficiel/videos https://www.youtube.com/@TrotroOfficiel/videos If you need French Subs + dictionary (and maybe also English subs) you can try using the [languagereactor](https://www.languagereactor.com/ https://www.languagereactor.com/) chrome plugin and find a source that has both subtitles (i.e. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIZ2gLCkv5Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIZ2gLCkv5Y)
- hintymad 2y ago
  I also find it hard in Spanish, even though it's a kid show.
- baby 2y ago
  I remember watching haimian baobao (spongebob squarepants). Back then you could download this pptv app and watch a bunch of shows for free, I'm not sure what's the equivalent today.
triyambakam 2y ago
Thank you so much for sharing!
15kingben 2y ago
DuChinese is a great app for reading stories at beginner levels of vocabulary. It also supports tap-to-lookup and saving words to flashcards, but unfortunately they don't integrate with Anki, only their own app's system.
- cmuguythrow 2y ago
  Yeah DuChinese is I think the premier Chinese graded reader app right now. We also have the tap-to-lookup and make-flashcard-from-content flows (unfortunately only in our system for now, haven't build flashcard import/export yet). The thing we have that they don't is the ability to generate content about whatever subject you want (which can help make it much more personally interesting) Also while naming quality resources I should also mention [Pleco](https://www.pleco.com/ https://www.pleco.com/) - it's _definitely_ the best Chinese dictionary app - highly recommended.
- attheicearcade 2y ago
  DuChinese does have an integration with HackChinese, which is basically a Mandarin only paid version of Anki with a sleek interface. I use it for convenience because I find managing Anki decks too tedious.
rafeyahmad 2y ago
Your project is very interesting. Thanks a lot!
braunshedd 2y ago
I also use Netflix to great effect for practicing Chinese, especially when paired with the Language Reactor[1] extension in Chrome. * Note: Netflix has much more Taiwanese content than mainland China content, so do note the difference in the accent / dialect you'll be learning. [1] https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/language-reactor/hoombieeljmmljlkjmnheibnpciblicm?pli=1 https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/language-reactor/ho...
- hintymad 2y ago
  How do you pass the initial language barriers? I'm trying to learn Spanish with Netflix shows and the Language Reactor, but I find it extremely hard to understand spoke Spanish. The characters speak so fast that I couldn't discern individual words or phrases. For a lot of times, they speak as if they are murmuring. When I was learning English, my ability to understand spoken English grew with my ability to read, but in the case of Spanish, I can read a lot more advanced text than being able to listen...
  - baby 2y ago
    this is akin to incomprehensible input and you need it, after listening to a lot of it your brain will start recognizing patterns and decompose things on its own, for now just brute force through as much of it as you can.
  - NoInkling 2y ago
    Have a look at Dreaming Spanish, it exists precisely to bridge the "comprehensibility gap" for learners. https://www.dreamingspanish.com https://www.dreamingspanish.com (or find the Youtube channel) There's tons of free content to keep you occupied for a while, and then there's a paid tier if you want more down the track. After choosing the level that's suitable, I recommend starting with Pablo's videos - he's the founder and I still like his style the most, particularly his older videos before things expanded. Just click on whatever looks interesting.
    - hintymad 2y ago
duncancarroll 2y ago
Your app is good, I'm between HSK1-HSK2 and there are often scenarios I want to practice that aren't covered in the standard dialog options in other popular Mandarin apps, so I see the appeal. Some feedback: - It took a while to generate my first session, I almost lost interest before I even knew what the app was. - I tried to click on the buttons in the splash screen screenshot, mistaking it for the app itself. - I would have liked to not to have to enter the prompt myself the first time, and just click something pre-made, only because the first time I use an app I have very little patience and just want to see what it actually does, so if it makes me think (or wait a long time) I may churn. Maybe if you had a default prompt's audio baked into the APK it would feel more snappy (for those who select the default prompt.) Anyhow nice work
baby 2y ago
I wish more people would talk about incomprehensible input. Just feeding input in your brain, like an LLM, so that with time you can detect pattern. Like playing the radio in the background, or watching Chinese movies without understanding much, or watching educational chinese youtube videos while you sleep, etc.

shubb 2y ago

I was hoping to find something like your app. Haven't tried it yet but so excited!

neves 2y ago

Peppa Pig is hard :-) What would a be a good child animation for learning a foreign language? I'm trying to learn a little of French for a coming trip.

triyambakam 2y ago
1. Check Wikipedia for the major TV networks in the country. E.g. Sweden is SVT 2. Check if the network has a mobile app 3. Use a VPN to connect to that country and open the app 4. Look for shows you want to try.
cmuguythrow 2y ago
Totally depends on what you can get access to in the target language. For French - maybe Trotro? https://www.youtube.com/@TrotroOfficiel/videos https://www.youtube.com/@TrotroOfficiel/videos If you need French Subs + dictionary (and maybe also English subs) you can try using the [languagereactor](https://www.languagereactor.com/ https://www.languagereactor.com/) chrome plugin and find a source that has both subtitles (i.e. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIZ2gLCkv5Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIZ2gLCkv5Y)
hintymad 2y ago
I also find it hard in Spanish, even though it's a kid show.
baby 2y ago
I remember watching haimian baobao (spongebob squarepants). Back then you could download this pptv app and watch a bunch of shows for free, I'm not sure what's the equivalent today.

triyambakam 2y ago

Thank you so much for sharing!

15kingben 2y ago

DuChinese is a great app for reading stories at beginner levels of vocabulary. It also supports tap-to-lookup and saving words to flashcards, but unfortunately they don't integrate with Anki, only their own app's system.

cmuguythrow 2y ago
Yeah DuChinese is I think the premier Chinese graded reader app right now. We also have the tap-to-lookup and make-flashcard-from-content flows (unfortunately only in our system for now, haven't build flashcard import/export yet). The thing we have that they don't is the ability to generate content about whatever subject you want (which can help make it much more personally interesting) Also while naming quality resources I should also mention [Pleco](https://www.pleco.com/ https://www.pleco.com/) - it's _definitely_ the best Chinese dictionary app - highly recommended.
attheicearcade 2y ago
DuChinese does have an integration with HackChinese, which is basically a Mandarin only paid version of Anki with a sleek interface. I use it for convenience because I find managing Anki decks too tedious.

rafeyahmad 2y ago

Your project is very interesting. Thanks a lot!

braunshedd 2y ago

I also use Netflix to great effect for practicing Chinese, especially when paired with the Language Reactor[1] extension in Chrome. * Note: Netflix has much more Taiwanese content than mainland China content, so do note the difference in the accent / dialect you'll be learning. [1] https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/language-reactor/hoombieeljmmljlkjmnheibnpciblicm?pli=1 https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/language-reactor/ho...

hintymad 2y ago
How do you pass the initial language barriers? I'm trying to learn Spanish with Netflix shows and the Language Reactor, but I find it extremely hard to understand spoke Spanish. The characters speak so fast that I couldn't discern individual words or phrases. For a lot of times, they speak as if they are murmuring. When I was learning English, my ability to understand spoken English grew with my ability to read, but in the case of Spanish, I can read a lot more advanced text than being able to listen...
- baby 2y ago
  this is akin to incomprehensible input and you need it, after listening to a lot of it your brain will start recognizing patterns and decompose things on its own, for now just brute force through as much of it as you can.
- NoInkling 2y ago
  Have a look at Dreaming Spanish, it exists precisely to bridge the "comprehensibility gap" for learners. https://www.dreamingspanish.com https://www.dreamingspanish.com (or find the Youtube channel) There's tons of free content to keep you occupied for a while, and then there's a paid tier if you want more down the track. After choosing the level that's suitable, I recommend starting with Pablo's videos - he's the founder and I still like his style the most, particularly his older videos before things expanded. Just click on whatever looks interesting.
  - hintymad 2y ago

duncancarroll 2y ago

Your app is good, I'm between HSK1-HSK2 and there are often scenarios I want to practice that aren't covered in the standard dialog options in other popular Mandarin apps, so I see the appeal. Some feedback: - It took a while to generate my first session, I almost lost interest before I even knew what the app was. - I tried to click on the buttons in the splash screen screenshot, mistaking it for the app itself. - I would have liked to not to have to enter the prompt myself the first time, and just click something pre-made, only because the first time I use an app I have very little patience and just want to see what it actually does, so if it makes me think (or wait a long time) I may churn. Maybe if you had a default prompt's audio baked into the APK it would feel more snappy (for those who select the default prompt.) Anyhow nice work

baby 2y ago

I wish more people would talk about incomprehensible input. Just feeding input in your brain, like an LLM, so that with time you can detect pattern. Like playing the radio in the background, or watching Chinese movies without understanding much, or watching educational chinese youtube videos while you sleep, etc.