Learning Chinese fast in China

[mokahome]

I'm currently studying in Beijing and will do almost anything to learn as much as I can over the next 4 months. I'm not scared of putting in the effort, but have no idea about how to go about it.

I've largely been using flashcards to build up my vocab, and while my memorization pretty good (near perfect scores in listening and writing tests covering 150 words), very little of what I'm learning is filtering into my spoken language.

It appears that I've only trained myself to remember words, and not to actually use them. With the limited time I have, should I just continue on as I have or refocus my attention elsewhere? For example, writing, reading, songs, movies/tv, street Chinese, tutor, language partner?

[anonymoose]

One thing that might help is that when you learn new words, try to slip them into conversation somehow, even if it means stearing the conversation in such a way as to allow you to slip them in. This may make the conversation somewhat artificial, but the more you use these words, the quicker you'll be able to recall them when needed in a genuine situation.

[fluxs]

Hi, what helps me in learning is to try to use the words I learned as often as possible. Already when memorizing new vocabulary I try to make sentences with the new words. moreover, i once heard that after using a new word like 5 times or so it really starts to move from your passive vocab to your active vocab.

[JenniferW]

Making an effort is key to increasing the range of vocabulary you use when speaking. I used to be a language teacher, and know this sounds obvious, but it's amazing how many learners don't do it. The most important factor in successful vocabulary development is effort. Because you can't see whether, or how much, cognitive effort a learner is making, it can seem as if another person is making progress effortlessly - and they're not.

However daft it feels, make the effort to use new vocabulary in conversations, and make an effort to initiate an interaction where you can actually use the new vocabulary - and it'll pay off. Eventually, this type of learning activity in itself becomes a habit and then automatic. Even if it means starting off with something along the lines of, "Today I was learning about ...." and you ask a friend to give you some examples of using your new words.

As a rehearsal, you can use writing in these vocabulary extension activities. Make up your own sentences using the vocabulary. Use a model sentence from the lesson as the starting point. I remember reading some linguist once saying if you did 12 of these, you'd probably have learned the item successfully, but have no idea what number of creative repetitions are proven to be needed. The key to this is creativity. This is how I do my grammar learning - asking a Chinese friend to check my made-up sentences - and it seems to work. I end up confident I can use the grammar (or not) by some experimentation and pushing it that's not over-hard.