Chinese at A2: what actually works

Read and listen to real content with every word tappable — it tracks what you know and feeds you more of what you don't. Input-first reading, done well. Clunky UI, worth it.

Mass-sentence audio drilling with spaced repetition baked in — you shadow real sentences until the patterns are reflex. Brutal, effective, audio-first. Best as a supplement, not your only thing.

Real native speakers pronouncing any word, free. When the robot voice in your app sounds off, this is the human check. A tiny tool you'll use forever.

Book real tutors by the hour when speaking starts to emerge — not day one. Cheap community tutors exist; treat it as conversation reps, not a grammar classroom.

Chat and voice-note with natives who want your language back. Sister to Tandem — good for low-pressure text reps once you have anything to say. Mute the chat-roulette energy.

Record yourself saying real sentences; a human coach corrects pronunciation for free (limited) or paid. The missing output half once your ears are ahead of your mouth.

Browser popup dictionary for Japanese (and more) — hover any word on a page, save to Anki. The reading unlock once you leave graded apps.

Graded Mandarin video input — slow, visual, beginner-friendly. The Dreaming-Spanish idea for Chinese. Pair with a popup dictionary when you graduate to native pages.

The same beginner story, told and retold with rising complexity, in dozens of languages — free. A perfect first reading + listening loop for any language.

Text and talk with real native speakers who are learning your language back. The honest way to get speaking practice and live input — for free — once you have something to say.

The famous one. Picture-matching with zero context or culture, priced like a textbook. It won't hurt you — but your hours buy far more on free comprehensible input. Skip it.

Picture-matching, no real context. Expensive for what it is.

Fill-in-the-blank sentences at scale — better than naked word flashcards, still not real input. Fine as a side game once you're already drowning in shows and articles.

Sentence drills ≠ hours of understanding. Side quest only.