Learning Chinese without Chinese characters

[Johnny20270]

Thanks chaps. hmmnm, I think now that I can actually take a HSK test, not that it particularly useful as I'm not looking for a job etc but its something to work towards

(Yes as for the Hanzi, I sometimes see a word think " Oh that’s a new one!", but I realize I have reviewed it 100 times already )

[Steingletscher]

I'm pretty sure it is possible to learn how to speak Chinese without learning any characters (not saying it is easier or harder at all). In order to do so, you would have to be completely immersed in the environment with no one else around you that can speak your language for at least a year at a minimum (and probably longer). Even if you are able to find yourself in that situation, your Chinese would be very heavily accented depending on where you are living. There probably are people who have learned some of the southern dialects where the written characters and the spoken word don't line up that neatly.

But still, characters are fun, so you should give them a try.

[nasan]

I think Chinese characters are the core of Chinese language. If you don't learn characters, it is difficult for you to reach a relatively high level of Chinese language. You can only speak Chinese in this case.