5 Best Courses for Online Chinese Classes [2024 Updated]

Are you looking for free online Chinese classes? This article will tell you about the 5 best online Chinese courses for adults or students. With the increasing fame of the Chinese language, the modern world has provided many ways to learn it effectively like there are online Chinese classes and in-person classes. However, among many options of learning Chinese language, online classes are the best way to do so. 

Part 1. Coursera

Coursera is an ocean of opportunities and courses to learn anything you want. It offers free and paid learning Online Chinese Classes from which you can choose according to your budget and time.  These courses are self paced and offer online chinese classes from the native chinese teachers. Here are some of the features, price evaluations, reviews, pros and cons of learning online Mandarin from coursera:

Features

• Courses are  self-paced and curated according to the level of difficulty you need
• It offers both free and paid courses, the difference being the paid courses reward a certificate at culmination
• Smart and native speakers have curated and scheduled these courses in such  away that you won’t find difficulty in learning even if you are a beginner

Price Evaluation

You do not need to worry about the prices as there are many free online chinese classes offered by various native mandarin teachers. One should always start from free courses, and there is an option to buy the coursera plus subscription to move to the advanced level of taking online chinese classes. 

Pros:

• Flexible
• Self-paced
• Affordable, and free online Chinese classes
• Variety of courses to choose from

Cons:

No cons reported yet

Reviews:

One of the coursera course reviewer Felipi M. wrote:

“To be able to take courses at my own pace and rhythm has been an amazing experience. I can learn whenever it fits my schedule and mood.”

Part 2. Alison

Alison is another wonderful platform which offers free online Chinese courses taught by experienced  mandarin chinese teachers. These native people or other Chinese teachers make the content easy to follow and complete. You can complete the course for free and then purchase the certificate to display in your socials.  

Features

• Online Chinese Classes are  self-paced and curated according to the level of difficulty you need
• It offers both free and paid courses, the difference being the paid courses reward a certificate at culmination
• Smart and native speakers have curated and scheduled these courses in such  away that you won’t find difficulty in learning even if you are a beginner

Price Evaluation

You do not need to worry about the prices as there are many free online chinese classes offered by various native mandarin teachers. Most of the courses are free and easy to follow with your busy schedule, you just have to pay for the certificate at the end if you want. However, there are courses which offer free certificates too, if you want. 

Pros

• Flexible
• Self-paced
• Affordable, and free online Chinese classes
• Variety of courses to choose from
• Short Lectures

Cons

• No cons reported yet

Reviews

One of the Alison’s online Chinese classes reviewer Clara said:

“Yes, I am so glad I found this course. I love these courses, I love it and I will keep loving them. All thanks to Alison and Alison’s team, you really don’t know what you have added to my life. thank you so much.“

Part 3: Preply

Preply is one of the most sought-for platforms for providing Online Chinese Classes, teaching and learning online Chinese language and other things that you are interested in. It has the following features:

Features:

• Courses are 1-on-1 sessions which involve the total attention of a teacher to one student. 
• These private classes at preply involve an interactive whiteboard, audio, video, and other interactive features where you can message the teacher and ask them your questions. 
• You can book whoever you want

Price Evaluation:

You do not need to worry about the prices as they are not very expensive. These courses range from $8/hr for simple Chinese to $25/hr for business Chinese.

Pros:

• Flexible
• Self-paced
• Affordable
• Variety of courses and teachers to choose from

Cons:

• Not affordable for many

Reviews:

One of the students taking Aki Li’s (a chinese teacher) classes wrote:

“I decided to take Aki’s classes to brush up on my Cantonese & I’m so glad I did. Aki is really patient & she makes me feel comfortable learning my native language again. I look forward to Aki’s classes & I’m excited to be fluent with her!”

Part 4. Class Central

Class Central is a lot like Coursera is an ocean of opportunities and courses to learn anything you want. It offers free and paid learning courses from which you can choose according to your budget and time.  These courses are self paced and offer online chinese classes from the native chinese teachers. Here are some of the features, price evaluations, reviews, pros and cons of learning online Mandarin from class  central:

Features:

• Class Central courses are self-paced and curated according to the level of difficulty you need
• It offers both free and paid courses, the difference being the paid courses reward a certificate at culmination
• Smart and native speakers have curated and scheduled these courses in such  away that you won’t find difficulty in learning even if you are a beginner

Price Evaluation:

You do not need to worry about the prices as there are many free online chinese classes offered by various native mandarin teachers. 

Pros:

• Flexible
• Self-paced
• Affordable, and free online Chinese classes
• Variety of courses to choose from

Cons:

• No cons reported yet

Reviews:

One of the coursera course reviewer wrote:

‘It is a good course for someone who has no idea about the Chinese language and wants to get a feel of it. I liked that it was simple and still well structured. I definitely recommend this course to others. Also the tests were manageable, if one is very busy, they can still manage to complete it within deadlines.”

Part 5. EdX

EX is an ocean of opportunities and courses to learn anything you want. It offers free and paid learning courses from which you can choose according to your budget and time.  These courses are self paced and offer online chinese classes from the native chinese teachers. EdX is a library with a variety of courses from which you can easily choose your favourite and suited online chinese courses.

Features:

• Courses are  self-paced and curated according to the level of difficulty you need
• It offers both free and paid courses, the difference being the paid courses reward a certificate at culmination
• Smart and native speakers have curated and scheduled these courses in such  away that you won’t find difficulty in learning even if you are a beginner
• Offers classes from MIT, Harvard, and other high-end universities

Price Evaluation:

You do not need to worry about the prices as there are many free online chinese classes offered by various native mandarin teachers. One should always start from free courses, and there is an option to buy the coursera plus subscription to move to the advanced level of taking online chinese classes. 

Pros:

• Flexible
• Self-paced
• Affordable, and free online Chinese classes
• Variety of courses to choose from

Cons:

• No cons reported yet

Reviews:

It has many five stars reviews and ratings across various courses.

Part 6. The Benefits of Online Chinese Classes

This way of learning Chinese has many benefits which are listed  below:

#1. Flexible Schedule

Flexible schedule is one of the primary advantages provided by the online Chinese classes. It allows you to learn your desired language or course without compromising on your existing schedule. You can learn at your own pace and in your preferred learning hours. The benefit is best for the business people, students working women, housewives, and other working professionals. Online classes do not require a fixed time commitment from you. Students can easily learn from the online Chinese classes during their breaks, and after studying without any disturbance in their daily learning and study schedule.

#2. Comfort and Ease of Access

The online classes do not require you to commute or to be present at any place which means geographical limitations are removed. Individuals from any part of the world can have direct access to the native Chinese speakers for learning Chinese language. It saves both the time and money, allowing you to study and learn the Chinese language from the comfort of your home. This also increases productivity and the speed of learning as you do not get tired and do not face any physical or mental stress. Another advantage that online classes have is that they can revisit and get the recorded lectures anytime. All of these resources help the students foster a deeper understanding of writing, learning, speaking, and reading of the Chinese language.

#3. Interactive Learning Tools

The modern era and advancement in technology has revolutionised the online classes system by adding many interactive tools like worksheets and other helpful learning resources in the courses. Online Chinese classes have recorded videos, worksheets, podcasts, interactive videos, and quizzes which has increased the interaction between the tutor and the student. This has also enhanced the learning experience. All these interactive resources have made learning the Chinese language a fun thing to do.  

#4. Personalised Learning Experience

Online Chinese Classes have an advantage over in-person classes in that one can have personalised experience. The students can choose their desired tutor according to their teaching style, content of the Chinese language course, availability, budget, and expertise. They can also get one-on-one lectures from the tutor which will be personalised lectures enabling the learners to work and study the Chinese language at their own pace. Online classes also provide a proper curriculum and personalised schedules to fix date and time of your online Chinese classes. These personalised classes help in faster and better learning of the Chinese language as the teacher is solely focusing on one or a few students only. You can easily ask questions and clear your misconceptions too.

Part 7. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)

1. What are the best sources to learn Chinese online?

 There are various tools, courses, apps, and programs available online for learning any language be it Chinese. Duolingo is the most famous app for learning languages used widely around the world. Other sources used to learn the Chinese language online include the native speakers offering Chinese language courses, Coursera, Alison, Youtube, and many others. You can learn at your own pace according to your schedule and you should add at least a 20 min class of Chinese language in your everyday schedule to learn it consistently.

2. Is it possible to take online Chinese classes if one is a beginner?

Yes, it is possible indeed to learn the Chinese language online if you are a beginner. The online apps or programs available on the internet require you to describe your level of understanding of Chinese language. They ask you if you are a beginner, intermediate or an expert in earning the Chinese language. The beginner level is best for the children or people who are new to the Chinese language and do not know anything about it.

3. What is the right way to choose the best course of Online Chinese language?

To choose the best Chinese language course for yourself, you need to learn the details and content of the course. You should also check the video of the tutor available on the website of that particular Chinese language course. Some other important factors like your budget, teaching style, learning goals, and schedule should be taken into consideration. Read the reviews, and watch the trial lectures because they tell a lot about the lectures and the tutor. After assessing all of this, you can align your preferences with the course and get your desired course.

4. Do the online classes provide extra learning material other than the classes?

Yes, many online Chinese courses provide learning material like worksheets and notes of the lecture. Some other supplements provided by them are grammar guides, vocabulary lists, digital textbooks, and audio recordings.

Summary

The above introduces the 5 best online Chinese classes for adults or students, as well as the prices, features, advantages and disadvantages, and student reviews of these Chinese courses. There are also free online Chinese courses. Please choose the appropriate online Chinese course according to your actual situation and effectively study Chinese courses online.