Beginning to string together novel sentences

[GaoJinJie]

I've been learning Chinese for a while now, and I'm at the stage where I'm beginning to string together novel sentences. Currently I have two problems:

1. I can understand what people are saying (if I know the words) but it takes a while to process
   
2. I can say what I need to say but it takes a while to process
   

Essentially, I'm looking for any advice as to how to improve the speed at which I can understand and produce Chinese sentences. I know that practice makes perfect, but any other advice would be great

Dan

[character]

It helps to learn set groups of words/phrases you can use (this is a form of chunking). You can also memorize sentence patterns into which you can plug the specific novel information you wish to convey. Both of these techniques also will help when listening, as you can anticipate part of what is being said and spend more of the time processing the other words. More listening practice (watching TV series, etc.) will help with listening speed.

[Ruben von Zwack]

Thanks for mentioning "chunking", looks interesting!

Olle of "Hacking Chinese" has a whole mini series on listening ability:

http://www.hackingchinese.com/?page_id=2629

Improving listening is my main goal at the moment too. I am so sick of being able to read and to complete a textbook task perfectly, but not being able to communicate with real people. I believe speaking will develop from listening, like hearing and imitating how others speak, and "plugging in" my individual information, as character said.

Some things I do:

- watch a Chinese series (currently Jin Yong's Demi Gods and Semi Devils)

- CCTV's "Growing up with Chinese" (someone on this forum was so kind to provide download links, just do a search for the title)

They speak so sloppy, it's like an added hardship bonus! I use "Freemake Video Converter" to edit out all the blah, and make an mp3 of only the dialogues and vocabulary.

- listen to simple Chinese podcasts, not to learn vocab so much, but to get used to hearing different people speak

- get the HSK audio files of your corresponding level (http://www.chinaeducenter.com/en/exams.php - follow the link "important hsk test practice materials") and put them on repeat in the background while you are doing the dishes

- listen to a "Chinese Breeze graded reader Series". I am at Green Phoenix at the moment.

Actually, playing things in the background while you are doing the dishes, I do all the time with all my materials.

I also put a choice of everything on my mp3 player, so when I ride the bike, I can decide if I want to listen to music or learn or repeat. I find that biking is also a good time to repeat the things you are listening to aloud.

It may sound a bit excessive, but not being able to understand/speak bugs me so much, I really wanna get over that stage asap

A bonus of so much different material is that variants (nasalisation of "n" or excessive "erhua"), and differences between individual speakers, don't freak me out anymore.

And, of course, "chunks" and patterns are popping up everywhere, it's like the whole language is making more + more sense.

[JustinJJ]

I use the 赫杰/Imron method. It sounds tedious, but within next to no time I noticed results, such that when I listen to people or watch tv series, the news, etc the speed is no longer a setback and it's easier to guess the meaning of words I haven't heard before because I'm not frantically trying to keep up with the speed, but can focus more on the message that someone is trying to communicate. Try using material that you want to train for e.g. the news or a particular accent and then you can move onto different material when you become used to that accent/speaking manner. http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/6967-will-this-work-to-develop-listening-skills/#comment-54958

[Sophie Sino]

I realize some methods may move you through this stage faster than others, but in all honesty the thing that will make the most difference is practice. Find Chinese podcasts or music and listen to it constantly. Speak Chinese as much as possible, and practice constructing sentences in your head. (Really, go for a walk and think through what you would say if someone was there: 'I see a dog. I'm going to the library. This tree is taller than I am.' etc etc.) This will help you think in Chinese, which is pretty important in terms of internalizing the language.

[joshgibbs]

I think Sophie's idea is very superb. But there is one little (big) trick that rules over all of the other smaller ones. And that trick is practice.

All other tricks are just different ways of practice. Just find the most efficient way to expose yourself to the language, and utilize that way often. Trust me, this is a hump that you will never fully get over. It is a hump that you still probably face in English, with the only difference being the hump is at a much higher level in English than in Chinese. For example, if you went into a doctor's operating room for the first time, you probably wouldn't understand a word they were saying. But after five or six times, you would understand completely. The same goes for your Chinese. Once you have been through a specific scenario enough times, you won't have to consciously process the Chinese being spoken around you.