Practical Mandarin
The Mandarin Specialist School in London
Chinese Language & Cultural Training
Courses from Beginner to Advanced Level 6
Practical Mandarin
The Mandarin Specialist School in London
Chinese Language & Cultural Training
Courses from complete Beginner to Advanced Level 6
Practical Mandarin
The Mandarin Specialists in London
Training Complete Beginners to Fluency
Total Fluency Courses© from Level 1 to Level 6
Learn Chinese Language & Culture to Connect with a Wider World
It’s time to equip yourself with the most wanted language in the job market. Choose our Mandarin language courses today.
Newly Designed
Beginner and Elementary
Total Fluency Textbooks
Looking for a structured course? Tired of traditional Chinese textbooks? Still can’t speak Chinese confidently? Our new series of Mandarin learning books are designed with a strong focus on fluency and getting students to use the language. Only available to PM teachers and students for now.
Newly Designed
Beginner and Elementary Total Fluency Textbooks
Looking for a structured course? Tired of traditional Chinese textbooks? Still can’t speak Chinese confidently? Our new series of Mandarin learning books are designed with a strong focus on fluency and getting students to use the language. Only available to PM teachers and students for now.
4 Ways to Learn Mandarin with PM
Effective Training Programmes designed for Professionals and Companies
Group Classes
Best affordable small group classes on weekday evenings and weekends, to learn progressively towards Total Fluency.
Private Tutoring
Available 24/7 with flexible scheduling service, learn intensively and effectively towards your goal, starting from £45 per hour.
Online Lessons
Available 24/7 for students to learn remotely, to top up in speaking practise or to make up lessons, starting from £30 per hour.
Corporate Training
Choose the Mandarin Specialists to train your staff in Mandarin language and culture awareness, starting from £150 per hour.
Why Choose Practical Mandarin?
We are the Mandarin Specialists in London dedicated to be the best school for you
Small Group Class
Each PM class offers limited seats to 4-10 students, this is to guarantee each student gets an optimal amount of speaking time and personal training, at the same time the group is also dynamic enough to have great interactions and fun learning together.
Fluency Focused Training
Over 10+ years of teaching practise and a strong academic team enables us to create our original coursebooks and programs, our lessons are mix of language function learning and fluency skill training, we want you to speak Mandarin confidently from day one!
Full Learning Support
PM is the only language school that offers make-up lessons, and pre-booked holiday absence discount. We don’t want to stop at offering you great Chinese lessons and events, our full time learning support is the guaranteed benefit for you.
What the Students Say about PM
From the happy learners who enjoy the challenge and the whole experience of learning Mandarin with us
I am taking the beginner intensive course, and I am really happy with my progress so far. The classes are challenging and fun , with many interactive exercises which help us practice and improve.
Adrian Bompa
23:43 22 Feb 19
I had such a lovely time at class! Yujie is a great teacher, I learnt a lot and had lots of fun! If you want to learn mandarin this is the place to go!!! 很好👌👍
Virgi Virginia
10:52 12 Feb 19
I've taken the Beginner course with Michelle and I couldn't be happier with the results. The courses are well structured and I feel like I have learned a lot after 10 classes. I will certainly take the advanced beginner course with them too.
Alejandro Felix
10:43 23 May 18
I have just completed a 10-week beginner course. It's been absolutely brilliant with a mix of culture, language, basic character learning, introduction to pinyin and the tones this is a must for anyone wanting to start serious studying Mandarin. I have had a fantastic teacher, Christina, who has even provided us with additional homework after the course finished so that we could revise and challenge our knowledge. Looking forward to taking this to the next level in 2018!
Nirmal Sandhu
22:10 04 Dec 17
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How the Students are Learning Mandarin?
Here are some insightful stories from our students and learning tips for beginners to independant speakers
Eva
Eva speaks 4 languages already before taking up Mandarin, which has remained her favorite ever since. With good efforts from university, she's achieved HSK Level 5 with good fluency. Right now like many of our higher level students, she's [...]
James
James had a goal since age 16 to learn Mandarin to connect with Chinese culture. He took up some self study but with no success. The knowledge he learnt from youtube or apps cannot be pieced together to build [...]
Deanna
Deanna represents a good number of our students whose family background links with China. Being able to speak some Cantonese already, Deanna makes it a mission to acquire Mandarin fluency alongside her university studies. She started from Entry Beginner [...]
Alex
Alex has been learning with PM from Level 4, which is a level where our training is focused on building fluency around topics, and expanding students' vocabularies. Accordingly to him, it's the level that he benefited the most, since [...]
Join our Culture Club Events
As well as our Mandarin language classes, enjoy Chinese food and drinks to playing mahjong or Kungfu, PM is the place to experience Chinese culture and meet new friends
Follow us on Instagram: @practicalmandarin
Find out tips for learning the Chinese language, our latest stories, events and exciting giveaways and lucky draws for £50 vouchers!
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Google Rating
4.9
Based on 30 reviews
Practical Mandarin
4.9
C B
21:19 13 Jun 21
Practical Mandarin is an excellent school. It is very professionally organised. The teachers are expert, capable and friendly. I am extremely grateful for the kindness and support of my wonderful teacher Lily. She has helped me a lot with my Chinese, and I enjoy our lessons very much. I would recommend the 1 to 1 online lessons. They are very good.
Andrea Cavallaro
14:48 03 Jul 19
Advanced Beginner Course @PM is over and the result is satisfying. This is possible only thanks to the superb teaching skills of our laoshi Yujie and Effie!
Ed Nelson
12:18 19 Jun 19
Just completed the Entry Beginner Course, which was great value for money. Jennifer Laoshi was an excellent, patient and enthusiastic teacher. It is a relatively fast pace, but perfectly easy to keep up if you put in an hour or two revision a week. Group sizes vary from 4-8 throughout the course (since some people turn up some weeks and not others). Went to China near the end of the course, and PM offered 2 free catch up lessons so I didn't fall behind. I was very surprised how far my limited Mandarin got me in China! Thanks Practical Mandarin and Jennifer!Would highly recommend - I, for one, am signing up for the Advanced Beginner Course starting in July.
Matt Diakun
09:46 18 May 19
I've really enjoyed the 10 week beginner course at Practical Mandarin. Our teacher Effie was excellent, and the classes were well lead. It was amazing how much stuff was covered in a short space of time. Would highly recommend to others who are wanting to start learning Mandarin.
Davide Maltagliati
18:00 17 May 19
i absolutely recommend this experience to everyone who's interested in learning mandarin chinese, i was able to follow and understand every lesson even if i'm not 100% fluent in english. Thank you Effie and PM
Ben
16:08 17 May 19
Excellent beginner class, our teacher Effie Chen was very patient and easy to understand 🙂
Jewel Kaye
12:43 27 Mar 19
The 10 weeks spent learning entry beginners has been an excellent experience and a fun way of learning a very challenging language, I can’t praise my teacher Yujie enough! Brings positive energy and patience to every lesson without fail!
Sandor Lengyel
23:23 21 Nov 18
I'm doing my advanced beginner class with Practical Mandarin, it's a lot of fun and very educational as well. This course lasts 9 weeks, we are being taught once a week for two hours.PM can provide you with a study book and you get all the teachings after a class via email as well. They also use the quizlet app, it has all the materials you can learn in the class, so it's a great way to practice and study during the week.I found the class very enjoyable which helps to keep going. We start by going through what we have learnt last time. We do little competitions on language learning apps, do a lot of "role play" and dialogue. Beside learning the language we also learn about China and its historic and current culture.My teacher, Jennifer is a native speaker, she is always very attentive, cheerful and patient.
Bill Wright
23:24 04 Dec 17
I've really enjoyed my 10-week Beginners Mandarin course. Michelle, our teacher has been cheerful and encouraging throughout.
Stephanie C
07:45 23 Aug 17
The 10 weeks went super quick! Small class, efficient learning and Ren Min our teacher was very patient. I will definitely be enrolling onto the next course!
Henry Liu
05:56 22 Aug 17
Both myself and my girlfriend have enjoyed the course alot and it's been well worth it. Definitely recommend it to anyone who's thinking to learn mandarin.
Lao Dan
11:50 08 Jul 17
I am about to finish the first beginner course and I can't wait for the next one. It is very entertaining and I wish I could do more hours with practical mandarin. Teacher is well trained, very approachable and gives great support to students. I can only say 谢谢, 老师!
Ruchita Nathalal
09:43 07 Jun 17
I have now completed 2 terms at Practical Mandarin (Beginner and Advanced Beginner) and I've made tremendous progress. The teacher and curriculum are great, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this school
Andy Ballantyne
08:39 03 May 17
Really excellent mandarin classes, in small groups with easy to follow progression through the HSK curriculum. I've now completed the HSK2 level with PM, and looking forward to getting stuck into the HSK3 course starting this week. Vivian and the team at PM have also been really awesome in assisting with my application to study Mandarin in Taiwan for a three month sabbatical this winter, helping with my successful scholarship application through the Huayu programme.
Natalie Parker
18:00 19 Apr 17
I have done both Entry Beginner and Advanced Beginner Courses and am looking forward to starting Elementary Level. The classes are really fun and interactive and have given me lots of confidence in speaking. Mandarin is a difficult language to learn but these classes make it very enjoyable.
Corner Shop
11:38 06 Feb 17
I found the class highly enjoyable and the teacher Anne was very nice and helpful. Despite the fact it was 4 hours long on a Saturday I found it extremely engaging!
Matt Kemp
11:22 06 Feb 17
I took the Practical Mandarin 'Entry Beginner' course in January/February 2017. It's a great way of getting the basics of the language.
Piotr Ł.
22:47 05 Feb 17
Have just started my adventure with Mandarin and don't regret having chosen this course. Money and time well spent, or should rather say invested !
Jo Wright
10:19 08 Dec 16
Practical Mandarin offers a really fun learning experience. I am not a natural linguist. The classes are small with no more than 8 students and the teacher always makes sure that we all speak and practice words and phrases. I took the Entry Beginner course and have really enjoyed it and am now enrolled on the Advanced Beginner course. I highly recommend this course. It will whet your appetite for more! Jo
Sonny Murphy
22:01 01 Dec 16
I have just finished the Entry Beginner level at Practical Mandarin. Considering that I had no prior knowledge of Mandarin before starting my lessons, I feel that I now have a good basic vocabulary and a great grounding in the basic grammatical structures of the language. The whole experience was really enjoyable and I Iearnt much more than I thought I would in just 10 weeks - this was all thanks to Ginny's fun teaching style. Ginny was great at explaining difficult bits of grammar and also made every effort to help us learn the language through teaching us Chinese culture and customs. I would definitely recommend both Practical Mandarin as a provider and Ginny as a Mandarin teacher!
Kyriacos Elia
12:06 26 Nov 16
I've dabbled a bit in learning Mandarin in the past using free apps, but I could never quite get to grips with the grammar and in speaking the language. After taking the Entry Beginner class at Practical Mandarin though, and with fantastic support from our teacher Ginny, I've found myself coming on leaps and bounds with my pronunciation and understanding of the language. The classes aren't boring in the slightest and focus on practical uses of the language, and the homework is suitably challenging and fun too. I've already signed up for my next term!
Jean-Pierre C
17:45 13 Nov 16
I'm learning Chinese for the first time and in just over two months I've covered a lot of ground although learning a language so different from the languages I've learnt feels like going back to nursery school again. Practical Mandarin provides excellent courses. We learn in small groups. The learning materials are very diverse and effective. There is also wide range of exercises and Ginny is a great teacher: energetic, patient enthusiastic and fun. Like Andrew I look forward to the second term.
Alex Irving
09:39 08 Nov 16
I have been a student at Practical Mandarin for two terms now and am about to sign up for my third. The school has an entrepreneurial feel, teachers are motivated and enthusiastic, and the materials are helpful. Infinitely better than courses offered by Universities that I previously tried (bored teachers, dated materials). Highly recommended.
Andrew M
20:18 06 Nov 16
Learning Mandarin at Practical Mandarin has been an enjoyable experience.Ginny's class has been really fun! I feel that I have made great progress in a short amount of time. I look forward to continuing to the next level!
Hannah de Haan
08:45 17 Jan 17
I just completed the entry level beginner's mandarin course. I found the course to be good value for money, as well as a fun & interactive way to start to learn Mandarin. The classed are small and the atmosphere relaxed - I will certainly be booking for the next term!
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Google Rating
4.9
Based on 238 reviews
Practical Mandarin
4.9
Will Hanneman
08:09 16 Oct 25
Would definitely recommend. Good size classes (4-8 ppl), well structured, and excellent teachers - Jasmine is very patient, personable, explains things clearly, and makes the classes enjoyable too.
fabio crispino
21:51 28 May 24
I’ve joined this courses almost 1 year ago and I found it super. Teacher Eva is very patient on teaching us mandarin. Can’t wait for the next course starts. Highly recommend it.
JC Sar
15:13 28 May 24
Lovely to study with Eva in small groups following an easy course structure and format.
Ross Wareing
07:41 28 May 24
I’ve just completed my first course and have been using my new language skills in China. The class sizes are perfect and the venue also very pleasant and easily accessed. My teacher, Sia, is very personable and patient. I can honestly say I look forward to my lessons and to starting my next course. Great job Practical Mandarin ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lewis Fogden
22:24 21 May 24
I have now been attending evening classes with Practical Mandarin for around 14 months, and have been high impressed with each of my teacher's enthusiasm and dedication to teach their students. The classes are located in a modern, spacious, and conveniently located building just by Aldgate East station, and class sizes are small enough to get everyone involved but large enough to feel like you are learning as a group and to motivate one another.
Alex Rees
19:45 09 May 24
I have been learning at Practical Mandarin for several years now. The classes are good value for money, with responsive and supportive teachers and a convivial atmosphere. At higher levels there is also the opportunity to shape the direction of the classes in a way that suits your needs, something that's not always common in other providers but is good for the adult professional learner.
Stefan Heimersheim
22:27 18 Feb 24
I'm doing the Mandarin beginner lessons, just finished beginner 1.0. I enjoy the classes and the materials seem great!
Anna Hearn
16:45 07 Jan 24
I could not be happier with my experience learning Chinese with Practical Mandarin! The teachers are very friendly and professional, and the whole team is very helpful and responding very quickly to any queries! I am signing up for the third term and cannot wait to start the lessons! Highly recommend Practical Mandarin if you want to start learning or need to brush up your Chinese!
Lor
14:46 05 Jan 24
Loved the classes, the teachers and the methods and materials used, very engaging and supportive. Classes are well structured with plenty of practice and exercises for all students in the class with classes kept small (c. 8 people) for max engagement in each session. I feel I have made good progress already at level 1 and looking forward to continuing in the future. My classmates were really great too and we helped each other throughout the course making it a really fun experience.
Thomas Corker
21:09 03 Jan 24
Good Mandarin classes! Small class sizes, friendly and knowledgeable teachers. Highly recommend!
monikaskirewska
20:15 01 Jan 24
Great school to learn Mandarin. The classes are very interactive, the book are great and the teachers are very enthusiastic and competent. The school provides books and additional teaching materials such as podcasts, and Hanzi and Pinyin coursebooks. I truly recommend it to everyone!
Robert Eagleton
13:41 29 Dec 23
Practical Mandarin is a fantastic learning centre.I have always struggled learning languages (e.g. French/German at high school) but Practical Mandarin has made learning Mandarin enjoyable and productive.The resources they provide (e.g. the textbooks and review podcasts) are amazing and the teachers are really well-qualified and patient.The class sizes are small - offering great value for money - and you really bond with the people you are studying with.Practical Mandarin 很最好 😇
Cora
14:36 16 Dec 23
I’ve taken the first course for Mandarin and absolutely loved it! The teachers are all so nice and knowledgeable, groups are small which makes the learning personalised, and the whole of PM is very accomodating if we miss lessons, we can follow online instead. I’m looking forward to the second course!
Ciaran Walsh
12:16 15 Nov 23
Wonderful learning experience. The teaching has been second to none and the administration alongside has also been really efficient.
Ivan L
12:25 13 Nov 23
A good place for beginners to start the journey of learning Mandarin! Interactive classes, attentive teachers and quick progression.
Christelle
16:08 01 Oct 23
I’m doing my third semester at this school. Love the classes, it’s very pedagogical and interactive. All in all it makes the process of learning very interesting and fun!
Tim -
19:26 19 Sep 23
Just finished my third Mandarin course and would definitely recommend studying here. The classes are generally well organised and fun. I’m surprised how much we’ve all learnt over the past 6 months. Our teacher Jinfan is wonderful, she puts a lot of effort into making each class engaging, answering our questions etc. However, I do feel like the class sizes could be a little smaller - our class has ~10 people but I think limiting to 6-8 would be more optimal.
Megan Crane
14:56 18 Sep 23
I have been learning Chinese at Practical Mandarin for 2 years now. I really enjoy the classes - not only have I learnt a lot (both language and culture!) but I also enjoy socialising with other such interesting and friendly students/teachers. I studied online during the pandemic which was also great, but I prefer the in-person classes as the atmosphere and sense of fun is great! Would recommend to everyone wanting to learn Chinese
Sadaat Cheema
11:50 18 Sep 23
Fun, immersive and very effective learning environment and approach in small size group classes
Ilyas
13:56 13 Sep 23
Just finished Beginner 3.0 course. Jinfang 老师 is very nice and creates a pleasant learning environment in class. On top of the class, Jinfang is always happy to answer any questions in our class group chat.Looking forward to Elementary 1.0. Just wish there was no 2 week break between courses :((
KK Yeung
22:11 11 Sep 23
I started learning mandarin as a complete beginner in January and I love coming to the classes every week. Jinfang is a great teacher and my classmates are all so lovely too!
Gavin Duffy
16:15 11 Sep 23
Loving the HSK5 classes, Jiaqi is a great teacher. Lots of fun activities and my chinese improved a lot. I like that the teachers rarely use english as there really is no need at this level
Nick
10:53 10 Sep 23
I've been studying here for 2 classes now and have improved my Chinese so much! The teachers are great and the content is really relevant and fun. I'll be continuing on with PM!
Prashant Lonikar
15:07 05 Sep 23
Loved the entry beginner 1.0 sessions with Joy. Classes are very interactive and the quizzes at the end of class really help. Looking forward to the next ones!
Claire Fowler
15:20 26 Apr 23
I started learning Mandarin as an absolute beginner with this school back in 2021 and have been with them ever since. The lessons are paced well and by organising events and socials they have created a close knit community of Mandarin learners. I highly recommend.
Lukas Fiala
13:22 14 Apr 23
Great experience. I've been to many different language schools, but the courses here are the best I've had so far. Very engaging lessons with motivated teachers!
Brad Tait
21:19 05 Apr 23
My lessons at Practical Mandarin have quickly become one of my favourite times of the week. The lessons are engaging, fun, and teach useful materials. I would highly recommend this organisation.
Flo Reeve
17:52 29 Mar 23
真棒！immersive, fun and great teachers. The group classes are engaging and my chinese level has improved a lot since joining the intermediate classes. The group classes are also good value for money.
Andreas Perikleous
13:00 22 Dec 22
I have started my Practical Mandarin beginner entry course in November 2022 after searching Mandarin schools through the web. I have seen the amazing reviews that PM had and decided to give it a try. I can now say that I loved my learning experience in PM and the way Mandarin is taught; it made me love Mandarin even more. There are no words to express how lucky I feel that I have found PM and I recommend it to those who want to learn and speak Mandarin.
Astrid Gonzalez
15:00 31 Oct 22
Great academy, good environment, teacher Kuhsiang is wonderful and the place is very nice and comfortable, materials are good and easy to follow, just started entry beginner and looking forward for the next levels!
Elliot Nichols
14:56 14 Sep 22
Having an amazing time getting started with my Mandarin journey hereGreat location, great resources and most importantly great teachers!
Aaron T
10:16 09 Sep 22
Our teacher Rui (Ray) was fantastic, class sizes are small too. Just booked my second block of classes, would definitely recommend 🙂
Veronica B
11:23 12 Jul 22
Great teaching method. Small groups. Learning while having a fun experience.
Helena A. V.
21:52 11 Jun 22
I've had a great time these last months on my beginner modules at PM. The materials are easy to use, learning is fun and you can see the progression throughout the weeks.Mostly focused on talking practical Mandarin and updated with the current use of it in the population.
Emily Armstrong
14:48 19 Apr 22
Have had a wonderful experience of learning Mandarin with Practical Mandarin. The teachers are fabulous, especially Vivian - making the classes engaging and tailoring them to the ability levels of the class.
Bon Searle
13:22 21 Mar 22
Beginner 3.0 done and dusted, enjoyed the course a lot (even the homework!). The teachers are all wonderfully friendly and engaging people, they really help make learning a language seem somehow like less work than it is. Big shout out to my teachers over the last few months - Xinrong and Yunzheng 谢谢老师们😃!I'd definitely recommend it to everyone whether learning for business or pleasure. I'm just about to book the first course of the next level - Elementary 1.0 here I come 😁
Sonali Gidwani
12:09 13 Dec 21
I have thoroughly enjoyed learning at PM London - the group classes are well priced and you get dedicated attention from an experienced teacher. I appreciate the extra PM bespoke materials and the motivation to learn the hsk syllabus. I am very grateful to Lily 老师 for being an excellent and supportive teacher and look forward to continuing my studies and sitting my HSK exam!
AST Digital Learning Solutions LTD
22:07 02 Dec 21
I loved learning at Practical Mandarin. The staff were friendly and helpful with everything from enrolling to giving directions. The classes were well organised and I felt really comfortable practising. I was also very impressed with the learning materials.More importantly, Marcus 老师 was supportive and was an amazing teacher. After only three classes my mandarin has improved enough so I can speak complete sentences and answer basic questions. There were also games and such to make the class interactive and fun.I really recommend these courses to everyone!
James Tristram
17:46 30 Nov 21
I studied the Beginner Course 1 with Marcus 老师 and have already signed up to Course 2.For me, the lessons are a perfect blend of grammar, pronunciation and application through puzzles, games and role play. It’s great that there is also often some communal social events taking place before lessons such as mooncake, tea or Chinese wine tasting. This provides a good way to apply some of learning.The course materials are excellent and when coupled with the companion podcasts, the lessons are sticking!Having tried multiple apps etc, in person lessons for me are far better. I’m glad to have discovered Practical Mandarin for this. 谢谢 Practical Mandarin!
L. K.
16:38 29 Dec 21
I took a few online courses over the year and generally found it very good. Some instructors are better/more experienced than others - the course was really fun, engaging and productive with the better ones, not so much with the less experienced ones. PM uses several online tools to make the lessons interactive. I would recommend it.
Formosa
18:52 21 Mar 23
I had Chinese course in practical mandarin with one of the tutors Lily Ruan 乐乐老师. The course was fine but a bit pricey. tutor is Vietnamese and speaks Chinese well but sometimes with grammatical mistakes in the language she is teaching.
Bee
17:09 06 Jul 26
There is a clear gap between the promotional claims and the actual course content. The course feels overpriced for what is delivered, and I did not find it a good use of time or money.
van dang
20:04 03 Sep 22
The testing was bad consequences put me into the wrong level which is too easy for me resulting in wasting time and money. Moreover the consultant is bad with unclear consulting. I asked do I need to pay any money for the next class if I transfer the current credits. She consulted me that only need to pay transfer fees and no need to pay any money. When the date coming, they still send an invoice to charge me, and said already put registered me to the class even though I asked the refund but they are not refunded.
K K
17:37 24 May 22
Most of the comments here are too sided.I was in a group lessons with Lily some months ago. The course was just okay, however, I felt my tutor did not treated me in the nice way as how she treated other native English classmates. I was not so sure if it is related to where I am from (non UK).One day after class, I was leaving the premises and I saw my tutor Lily shouting to the a building cleaner and security very rudely shouting for manager. I didn't know why and what was going on and her behaviour was so different from when she was at class.I think we should all respect people who work for us and we treat others the same way we want to be treated. I don't think I will go back to this centre in the future.
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Facebook Rating
5.0
Based on 4 reviews
Practical Mandarin
5.0
Adrian Bompa
23:43 22 Feb 19
I am taking the beginner intensive course, and I am really happy with my progress so far. The classes are challenging and fun , with many interactive exercises which help us practice and improve.
Virgi Virginia
10:52 12 Feb 19
I had such a lovely time at class! Yujie is a great teacher, I learnt a lot and had lots of fun! If you want to learn mandarin this is the place to go!!! 很好👌👍
Alejandro Felix
10:43 23 May 18
I've taken the Beginner course with Michelle and I couldn't be happier with the results. The courses are well structured and I feel like I have learned a lot after 10 classes. I will certainly take the advanced beginner course with them too.
Nirmal Sandhu
22:10 04 Dec 17
I have just completed a 10-week beginner course. It's been absolutely brilliant with a mix of culture, language, basic character learning, introduction to pinyin and the tones this is a must for anyone wanting to start serious studying Mandarin. I have had a fantastic teacher, Christina, who has even provided us with additional homework after the course finished so that we could revise and challenge our knowledge. Looking forward to taking this to the next level in 2018!
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×
Google Rating
4.9
Based on 30 reviews
Practical Mandarin
4.9
C B
21:19 13 Jun 21
Practical Mandarin is an excellent school. It is very professionally organised. The teachers are expert, capable and friendly. I am extremely grateful for the kindness and support of my wonderful teacher Lily. She has helped me a lot with my Chinese, and I enjoy our lessons very much. I would recommend the 1 to 1 online lessons. They are very good.
Andrea Cavallaro
14:48 03 Jul 19
Advanced Beginner Course @PM is over and the result is satisfying. This is possible only thanks to the superb teaching skills of our laoshi Yujie and Effie!
Ed Nelson
12:18 19 Jun 19
Just completed the Entry Beginner Course, which was great value for money. Jennifer Laoshi was an excellent, patient and enthusiastic teacher. It is a relatively fast pace, but perfectly easy to keep up if you put in an hour or two revision a week. Group sizes vary from 4-8 throughout the course (since some people turn up some weeks and not others). Went to China near the end of the course, and PM offered 2 free catch up lessons so I didn't fall behind. I was very surprised how far my limited Mandarin got me in China! Thanks Practical Mandarin and Jennifer!Would highly recommend - I, for one, am signing up for the Advanced Beginner Course starting in July.
Matt Diakun
09:46 18 May 19
I've really enjoyed the 10 week beginner course at Practical Mandarin. Our teacher Effie was excellent, and the classes were well lead. It was amazing how much stuff was covered in a short space of time. Would highly recommend to others who are wanting to start learning Mandarin.
Davide Maltagliati
18:00 17 May 19
i absolutely recommend this experience to everyone who's interested in learning mandarin chinese, i was able to follow and understand every lesson even if i'm not 100% fluent in english. Thank you Effie and PM
Ben
16:08 17 May 19
Excellent beginner class, our teacher Effie Chen was very patient and easy to understand 🙂
Jewel Kaye
12:43 27 Mar 19
The 10 weeks spent learning entry beginners has been an excellent experience and a fun way of learning a very challenging language, I can’t praise my teacher Yujie enough! Brings positive energy and patience to every lesson without fail!
Sandor Lengyel
23:23 21 Nov 18
I'm doing my advanced beginner class with Practical Mandarin, it's a lot of fun and very educational as well. This course lasts 9 weeks, we are being taught once a week for two hours.PM can provide you with a study book and you get all the teachings after a class via email as well. They also use the quizlet app, it has all the materials you can learn in the class, so it's a great way to practice and study during the week.I found the class very enjoyable which helps to keep going. We start by going through what we have learnt last time. We do little competitions on language learning apps, do a lot of "role play" and dialogue. Beside learning the language we also learn about China and its historic and current culture.My teacher, Jennifer is a native speaker, she is always very attentive, cheerful and patient.
Bill Wright
23:24 04 Dec 17
I've really enjoyed my 10-week Beginners Mandarin course. Michelle, our teacher has been cheerful and encouraging throughout.
Stephanie C
07:45 23 Aug 17
The 10 weeks went super quick! Small class, efficient learning and Ren Min our teacher was very patient. I will definitely be enrolling onto the next course!
Henry Liu
05:56 22 Aug 17
Both myself and my girlfriend have enjoyed the course alot and it's been well worth it. Definitely recommend it to anyone who's thinking to learn mandarin.
Lao Dan
11:50 08 Jul 17
I am about to finish the first beginner course and I can't wait for the next one. It is very entertaining and I wish I could do more hours with practical mandarin. Teacher is well trained, very approachable and gives great support to students. I can only say 谢谢, 老师!
Ruchita Nathalal
09:43 07 Jun 17
I have now completed 2 terms at Practical Mandarin (Beginner and Advanced Beginner) and I've made tremendous progress. The teacher and curriculum are great, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this school
Andy Ballantyne
08:39 03 May 17
Really excellent mandarin classes, in small groups with easy to follow progression through the HSK curriculum. I've now completed the HSK2 level with PM, and looking forward to getting stuck into the HSK3 course starting this week. Vivian and the team at PM have also been really awesome in assisting with my application to study Mandarin in Taiwan for a three month sabbatical this winter, helping with my successful scholarship application through the Huayu programme.
Natalie Parker
18:00 19 Apr 17
I have done both Entry Beginner and Advanced Beginner Courses and am looking forward to starting Elementary Level. The classes are really fun and interactive and have given me lots of confidence in speaking. Mandarin is a difficult language to learn but these classes make it very enjoyable.
Corner Shop
11:38 06 Feb 17
I found the class highly enjoyable and the teacher Anne was very nice and helpful. Despite the fact it was 4 hours long on a Saturday I found it extremely engaging!
Matt Kemp
11:22 06 Feb 17
I took the Practical Mandarin 'Entry Beginner' course in January/February 2017. It's a great way of getting the basics of the language.
Piotr Ł.
22:47 05 Feb 17
Have just started my adventure with Mandarin and don't regret having chosen this course. Money and time well spent, or should rather say invested !
Jo Wright
10:19 08 Dec 16
Practical Mandarin offers a really fun learning experience. I am not a natural linguist. The classes are small with no more than 8 students and the teacher always makes sure that we all speak and practice words and phrases. I took the Entry Beginner course and have really enjoyed it and am now enrolled on the Advanced Beginner course. I highly recommend this course. It will whet your appetite for more! Jo
Sonny Murphy
22:01 01 Dec 16
I have just finished the Entry Beginner level at Practical Mandarin. Considering that I had no prior knowledge of Mandarin before starting my lessons, I feel that I now have a good basic vocabulary and a great grounding in the basic grammatical structures of the language. The whole experience was really enjoyable and I Iearnt much more than I thought I would in just 10 weeks - this was all thanks to Ginny's fun teaching style. Ginny was great at explaining difficult bits of grammar and also made every effort to help us learn the language through teaching us Chinese culture and customs. I would definitely recommend both Practical Mandarin as a provider and Ginny as a Mandarin teacher!
Kyriacos Elia
12:06 26 Nov 16
I've dabbled a bit in learning Mandarin in the past using free apps, but I could never quite get to grips with the grammar and in speaking the language. After taking the Entry Beginner class at Practical Mandarin though, and with fantastic support from our teacher Ginny, I've found myself coming on leaps and bounds with my pronunciation and understanding of the language. The classes aren't boring in the slightest and focus on practical uses of the language, and the homework is suitably challenging and fun too. I've already signed up for my next term!
Jean-Pierre C
17:45 13 Nov 16
I'm learning Chinese for the first time and in just over two months I've covered a lot of ground although learning a language so different from the languages I've learnt feels like going back to nursery school again. Practical Mandarin provides excellent courses. We learn in small groups. The learning materials are very diverse and effective. There is also wide range of exercises and Ginny is a great teacher: energetic, patient enthusiastic and fun. Like Andrew I look forward to the second term.
Alex Irving
09:39 08 Nov 16
I have been a student at Practical Mandarin for two terms now and am about to sign up for my third. The school has an entrepreneurial feel, teachers are motivated and enthusiastic, and the materials are helpful. Infinitely better than courses offered by Universities that I previously tried (bored teachers, dated materials). Highly recommended.
Andrew M
20:18 06 Nov 16
Learning Mandarin at Practical Mandarin has been an enjoyable experience.Ginny's class has been really fun! I feel that I have made great progress in a short amount of time. I look forward to continuing to the next level!
Hannah de Haan
08:45 17 Jan 17
I just completed the entry level beginner's mandarin course. I found the course to be good value for money, as well as a fun & interactive way to start to learn Mandarin. The classed are small and the atmosphere relaxed - I will certainly be booking for the next term!
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Google Rating
4.9
Based on 238 reviews
Practical Mandarin
4.9
Will Hanneman
08:09 16 Oct 25
Would definitely recommend. Good size classes (4-8 ppl), well structured, and excellent teachers - Jasmine is very patient, personable, explains things clearly, and makes the classes enjoyable too.
fabio crispino
21:51 28 May 24
I’ve joined this courses almost 1 year ago and I found it super. Teacher Eva is very patient on teaching us mandarin. Can’t wait for the next course starts. Highly recommend it.
JC Sar
15:13 28 May 24
Lovely to study with Eva in small groups following an easy course structure and format.
Ross Wareing
07:41 28 May 24
I’ve just completed my first course and have been using my new language skills in China. The class sizes are perfect and the venue also very pleasant and easily accessed. My teacher, Sia, is very personable and patient. I can honestly say I look forward to my lessons and to starting my next course. Great job Practical Mandarin ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lewis Fogden
22:24 21 May 24
I have now been attending evening classes with Practical Mandarin for around 14 months, and have been high impressed with each of my teacher's enthusiasm and dedication to teach their students. The classes are located in a modern, spacious, and conveniently located building just by Aldgate East station, and class sizes are small enough to get everyone involved but large enough to feel like you are learning as a group and to motivate one another.
Alex Rees
19:45 09 May 24
I have been learning at Practical Mandarin for several years now. The classes are good value for money, with responsive and supportive teachers and a convivial atmosphere. At higher levels there is also the opportunity to shape the direction of the classes in a way that suits your needs, something that's not always common in other providers but is good for the adult professional learner.
Stefan Heimersheim
22:27 18 Feb 24
I'm doing the Mandarin beginner lessons, just finished beginner 1.0. I enjoy the classes and the materials seem great!
Anna Hearn
16:45 07 Jan 24
I could not be happier with my experience learning Chinese with Practical Mandarin! The teachers are very friendly and professional, and the whole team is very helpful and responding very quickly to any queries! I am signing up for the third term and cannot wait to start the lessons! Highly recommend Practical Mandarin if you want to start learning or need to brush up your Chinese!
Lor
14:46 05 Jan 24
Loved the classes, the teachers and the methods and materials used, very engaging and supportive. Classes are well structured with plenty of practice and exercises for all students in the class with classes kept small (c. 8 people) for max engagement in each session. I feel I have made good progress already at level 1 and looking forward to continuing in the future. My classmates were really great too and we helped each other throughout the course making it a really fun experience.
Thomas Corker
21:09 03 Jan 24
Good Mandarin classes! Small class sizes, friendly and knowledgeable teachers. Highly recommend!
monikaskirewska
20:15 01 Jan 24
Great school to learn Mandarin. The classes are very interactive, the book are great and the teachers are very enthusiastic and competent. The school provides books and additional teaching materials such as podcasts, and Hanzi and Pinyin coursebooks. I truly recommend it to everyone!
Robert Eagleton
13:41 29 Dec 23
Practical Mandarin is a fantastic learning centre.I have always struggled learning languages (e.g. French/German at high school) but Practical Mandarin has made learning Mandarin enjoyable and productive.The resources they provide (e.g. the textbooks and review podcasts) are amazing and the teachers are really well-qualified and patient.The class sizes are small - offering great value for money - and you really bond with the people you are studying with.Practical Mandarin 很最好 😇
Cora
14:36 16 Dec 23
I’ve taken the first course for Mandarin and absolutely loved it! The teachers are all so nice and knowledgeable, groups are small which makes the learning personalised, and the whole of PM is very accomodating if we miss lessons, we can follow online instead. I’m looking forward to the second course!
Ciaran Walsh
12:16 15 Nov 23
Wonderful learning experience. The teaching has been second to none and the administration alongside has also been really efficient.
Ivan L
12:25 13 Nov 23
A good place for beginners to start the journey of learning Mandarin! Interactive classes, attentive teachers and quick progression.
Christelle
16:08 01 Oct 23
I’m doing my third semester at this school. Love the classes, it’s very pedagogical and interactive. All in all it makes the process of learning very interesting and fun!
Tim -
19:26 19 Sep 23
Just finished my third Mandarin course and would definitely recommend studying here. The classes are generally well organised and fun. I’m surprised how much we’ve all learnt over the past 6 months. Our teacher Jinfan is wonderful, she puts a lot of effort into making each class engaging, answering our questions etc. However, I do feel like the class sizes could be a little smaller - our class has ~10 people but I think limiting to 6-8 would be more optimal.
Megan Crane
14:56 18 Sep 23
I have been learning Chinese at Practical Mandarin for 2 years now. I really enjoy the classes - not only have I learnt a lot (both language and culture!) but I also enjoy socialising with other such interesting and friendly students/teachers. I studied online during the pandemic which was also great, but I prefer the in-person classes as the atmosphere and sense of fun is great! Would recommend to everyone wanting to learn Chinese
Sadaat Cheema
11:50 18 Sep 23
Fun, immersive and very effective learning environment and approach in small size group classes
Ilyas
13:56 13 Sep 23
Just finished Beginner 3.0 course. Jinfang 老师 is very nice and creates a pleasant learning environment in class. On top of the class, Jinfang is always happy to answer any questions in our class group chat.Looking forward to Elementary 1.0. Just wish there was no 2 week break between courses :((
KK Yeung
22:11 11 Sep 23
I started learning mandarin as a complete beginner in January and I love coming to the classes every week. Jinfang is a great teacher and my classmates are all so lovely too!
Gavin Duffy
16:15 11 Sep 23
Loving the HSK5 classes, Jiaqi is a great teacher. Lots of fun activities and my chinese improved a lot. I like that the teachers rarely use english as there really is no need at this level
Nick
10:53 10 Sep 23
I've been studying here for 2 classes now and have improved my Chinese so much! The teachers are great and the content is really relevant and fun. I'll be continuing on with PM!
Prashant Lonikar
15:07 05 Sep 23
Loved the entry beginner 1.0 sessions with Joy. Classes are very interactive and the quizzes at the end of class really help. Looking forward to the next ones!
Claire Fowler
15:20 26 Apr 23
I started learning Mandarin as an absolute beginner with this school back in 2021 and have been with them ever since. The lessons are paced well and by organising events and socials they have created a close knit community of Mandarin learners. I highly recommend.
Lukas Fiala
13:22 14 Apr 23
Great experience. I've been to many different language schools, but the courses here are the best I've had so far. Very engaging lessons with motivated teachers!
Brad Tait
21:19 05 Apr 23
My lessons at Practical Mandarin have quickly become one of my favourite times of the week. The lessons are engaging, fun, and teach useful materials. I would highly recommend this organisation.
Flo Reeve
17:52 29 Mar 23
真棒！immersive, fun and great teachers. The group classes are engaging and my chinese level has improved a lot since joining the intermediate classes. The group classes are also good value for money.
Andreas Perikleous
13:00 22 Dec 22
I have started my Practical Mandarin beginner entry course in November 2022 after searching Mandarin schools through the web. I have seen the amazing reviews that PM had and decided to give it a try. I can now say that I loved my learning experience in PM and the way Mandarin is taught; it made me love Mandarin even more. There are no words to express how lucky I feel that I have found PM and I recommend it to those who want to learn and speak Mandarin.
Astrid Gonzalez
15:00 31 Oct 22
Great academy, good environment, teacher Kuhsiang is wonderful and the place is very nice and comfortable, materials are good and easy to follow, just started entry beginner and looking forward for the next levels!
Elliot Nichols
14:56 14 Sep 22
Having an amazing time getting started with my Mandarin journey hereGreat location, great resources and most importantly great teachers!
Aaron T
10:16 09 Sep 22
Our teacher Rui (Ray) was fantastic, class sizes are small too. Just booked my second block of classes, would definitely recommend 🙂
Veronica B
11:23 12 Jul 22
Great teaching method. Small groups. Learning while having a fun experience.
Helena A. V.
21:52 11 Jun 22
I've had a great time these last months on my beginner modules at PM. The materials are easy to use, learning is fun and you can see the progression throughout the weeks.Mostly focused on talking practical Mandarin and updated with the current use of it in the population.
Emily Armstrong
14:48 19 Apr 22
Have had a wonderful experience of learning Mandarin with Practical Mandarin. The teachers are fabulous, especially Vivian - making the classes engaging and tailoring them to the ability levels of the class.
Bon Searle
13:22 21 Mar 22
Beginner 3.0 done and dusted, enjoyed the course a lot (even the homework!). The teachers are all wonderfully friendly and engaging people, they really help make learning a language seem somehow like less work than it is. Big shout out to my teachers over the last few months - Xinrong and Yunzheng 谢谢老师们😃!I'd definitely recommend it to everyone whether learning for business or pleasure. I'm just about to book the first course of the next level - Elementary 1.0 here I come 😁
Sonali Gidwani
12:09 13 Dec 21
I have thoroughly enjoyed learning at PM London - the group classes are well priced and you get dedicated attention from an experienced teacher. I appreciate the extra PM bespoke materials and the motivation to learn the hsk syllabus. I am very grateful to Lily 老师 for being an excellent and supportive teacher and look forward to continuing my studies and sitting my HSK exam!
AST Digital Learning Solutions LTD
22:07 02 Dec 21
I loved learning at Practical Mandarin. The staff were friendly and helpful with everything from enrolling to giving directions. The classes were well organised and I felt really comfortable practising. I was also very impressed with the learning materials.More importantly, Marcus 老师 was supportive and was an amazing teacher. After only three classes my mandarin has improved enough so I can speak complete sentences and answer basic questions. There were also games and such to make the class interactive and fun.I really recommend these courses to everyone!
James Tristram
17:46 30 Nov 21
I studied the Beginner Course 1 with Marcus 老师 and have already signed up to Course 2.For me, the lessons are a perfect blend of grammar, pronunciation and application through puzzles, games and role play. It’s great that there is also often some communal social events taking place before lessons such as mooncake, tea or Chinese wine tasting. This provides a good way to apply some of learning.The course materials are excellent and when coupled with the companion podcasts, the lessons are sticking!Having tried multiple apps etc, in person lessons for me are far better. I’m glad to have discovered Practical Mandarin for this. 谢谢 Practical Mandarin!
L. K.
16:38 29 Dec 21
I took a few online courses over the year and generally found it very good. Some instructors are better/more experienced than others - the course was really fun, engaging and productive with the better ones, not so much with the less experienced ones. PM uses several online tools to make the lessons interactive. I would recommend it.
Formosa
18:52 21 Mar 23
I had Chinese course in practical mandarin with one of the tutors Lily Ruan 乐乐老师. The course was fine but a bit pricey. tutor is Vietnamese and speaks Chinese well but sometimes with grammatical mistakes in the language she is teaching.
Bee
17:09 06 Jul 26
There is a clear gap between the promotional claims and the actual course content. The course feels overpriced for what is delivered, and I did not find it a good use of time or money.
van dang
20:04 03 Sep 22
The testing was bad consequences put me into the wrong level which is too easy for me resulting in wasting time and money. Moreover the consultant is bad with unclear consulting. I asked do I need to pay any money for the next class if I transfer the current credits. She consulted me that only need to pay transfer fees and no need to pay any money. When the date coming, they still send an invoice to charge me, and said already put registered me to the class even though I asked the refund but they are not refunded.
K K
17:37 24 May 22
Most of the comments here are too sided.I was in a group lessons with Lily some months ago. The course was just okay, however, I felt my tutor did not treated me in the nice way as how she treated other native English classmates. I was not so sure if it is related to where I am from (non UK).One day after class, I was leaving the premises and I saw my tutor Lily shouting to the a building cleaner and security very rudely shouting for manager. I didn't know why and what was going on and her behaviour was so different from when she was at class.I think we should all respect people who work for us and we treat others the same way we want to be treated. I don't think I will go back to this centre in the future.
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Facebook Rating
5.0
Based on 4 reviews
Practical Mandarin
5.0
Adrian Bompa
23:43 22 Feb 19
I am taking the beginner intensive course, and I am really happy with my progress so far. The classes are challenging and fun , with many interactive exercises which help us practice and improve.
Virgi Virginia
10:52 12 Feb 19
I had such a lovely time at class! Yujie is a great teacher, I learnt a lot and had lots of fun! If you want to learn mandarin this is the place to go!!! 很好👌👍
Alejandro Felix
10:43 23 May 18
I've taken the Beginner course with Michelle and I couldn't be happier with the results. The courses are well structured and I feel like I have learned a lot after 10 classes. I will certainly take the advanced beginner course with them too.
Nirmal Sandhu
22:10 04 Dec 17
I have just completed a 10-week beginner course. It's been absolutely brilliant with a mix of culture, language, basic character learning, introduction to pinyin and the tones this is a must for anyone wanting to start serious studying Mandarin. I have had a fantastic teacher, Christina, who has even provided us with additional homework after the course finished so that we could revise and challenge our knowledge. Looking forward to taking this to the next level in 2018!
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