Entry Beginner Courses

Most popular Mandarin Chinese courses for beginners in London.

Booking Options
Booking Options
About the course
what’s in our class
what’s in our class
What students say
Common F.A.Q
Common F.A.Q

  • Designed for students with zero or little Mandarin learning

  • Small group class of 4-10 students, fun and friendly

  • Choose weekday evenings, weekends or daytime

  • Choose regular once a week or intensive two lessons a week

  • Two central London venues or online classroom

  • Extra benefits: free review podcasts after each lesson, two free make up lessons, free phone app flashcards

BOOK A COURSE

COURSE TIME DATE VENUE PRICE BOOK
Entry Beginner Tuesday Sep #2609 Tuesday 6:30-8:00pm Sep 22 – Noc 10, 2026 Aldgate £270 for 10 weeks
BOOK*
Entry Beginner Saturday Intensive Sep #2611 Saturday 11:00am-12:30pm; 1:30-3:00pm Sep 26 – Oct 17, 2026 Aldgate £270 for 4 weeks
BOOK*
Entry Beginner Thursday Sep ONLINE #2610 Thursday 6:30-8:00pm Sep 16 – Nov 18, 2026 ONLINE £270 for 8 weeks
BOOK*
Entry Beginner Wednesday Oct #2619 Wednesdays 6:30-8:00pm Oct 14 – Dec 2, 2026 Aldgate £270 for 8 weeks
BOOK*
Entry Beginner Saturday Intensive Oct #2620 Saturday 11:00am-12:30pm; 1:30-3:00pm Oct 17 – Nov 7, 2026 Aldgate £270 for 4 weeks
BOOK*
Entry Beginner Monday Nov #2621 Mondays 6:30-8:00pm Nov 2 – Dec 21, 2026 Aldgate £270 for 8 weeks
BOOK*
Entry Beginner Saturday Intensive Nov #2622 Saturday 11:00am-12:30pm; 1:30-3:00pm Nov 14 – Dec 5, 2026 Aldgate £270 for 4 weeks
BOOK*


COURSE TIME DATE VENUE PRICE BOOK
Entry Beginner Monday Jun #2613 Mondays 6:30-8:00pm Jun 8 – Aug 10, 2026 Aldgate £280 for 10 weeks
FULLY BOOKED*
Entry Beginner Saturday intensive #2614 Saturday 11:00am-12:30pm; 1:30-3:00pm Jun 13 – Aug 10, 2026 Aldgate £280 for 5 weeks
BOOK*
Entry Beginner Saturday Intensive Jul #2616 Saturdays 11:00am-12:30pm; 1:30-3:00pm Jul 11 – Aug 1, 2026 Aldgate E1 £270 for 4 weeks
BOOK*
Entry Beginner Wednesday Jul #2615 Wednesdays 6:30-8:00pm Jul 22 – Sep 9, 2026 Aldgate E1 £270 for 8 weeks
BOOK*
Entry Beginner Tuesday ONLINE Jul #2610 Tuesdays 6:30-8:00pm Jul 21 – Sep 8, 2026 Zoom online £270 for 8 weeks
BOOK*
Entry Beginner Thursday Aug #2618 Thursdays 6:30-8:00pm Aug 20 – Oct 8, 2026 Aldgate E1 £270 for 8 weeks
FULLY BOOKED*
Entry Beginner Saturday Intensive Aug #2617 Saturday 11:00am-12:30pm; 1:30-3:00pm Aug 15 – Sep 5, 2026 Aldgate E1 £270 for 4 weeks
BOOK*

*We are part of Dear Asia London, same team bigger school. You might be re-directed to book courses and events on the Dear Asia website. 

ABOUT THE COURSE

Designed for

This Mandarin course is designed for beginners with zero or little learning experience in Mandarin Chinese, who would like to take up learning this new language in their spare time, ie weekday evenings or weekends, and who would like to understand and experience Chinese history and culture for more connections and inspirations.

Designed with

This course is designed with a focus to help students achieve perfect pronunciation and confident self introduction in the early stage of learning. The right balance of tutorials, assessment games and conversational practising in our classes will offer students a manageable and enjoyable learning process. Students are also encouraged to join our monthly cultural events to experience different aspect of Chinese culture. We are very confident that this beginner learning experience of 0 to 1 is the most rewarding for a lot of people.

Designed and taught by

This course is designed by PM academic team, the original course since 2009 has been modified and improved over time and practise, it’s now a tested and trusted training course for beginners. This course will also only be taught by PM teachers, who are all native speakers with a master to PHD degree in education or linguistics.

WHAT’S IN OUR CLASS

The Whole PM Experience2020-05-12T19:48:41+01:00

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WHAT’S IN OUR CLASS

Alfie’s Story2020-05-12T15:30:12+01:00
Entry Beginner Image 12020-05-12T18:03:38+01:00
Practical Mandarin group class, learn Mandarin London
Beginner Class Image 32020-05-12T10:56:12+01:00
Practical Mandarin group class, learn Mandarin London
Beginner Class Image Copy2022-06-13T10:54:14+01:00
Practical Mandarin group class, learn Mandarin London
Chopsticks Challenge2022-06-13T10:54:32+01:00
Beginner class image 22020-05-12T12:17:40+01:00
chinese teacher with one student beginner lessons at practical mandarin london school
Deanna’s story!2020-05-12T18:57:30+01:00
The Whole PM Experience2020-05-12T19:48:41+01:00

Follow us on Instagram for more!

WHAT STUDENTS SAY

Excellent
4.9
Will H.
10 months ago
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 C.
2 years ago
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.
Response from the owner:That's amazing Fabio! Thank you so much for your kind words. We are happy you have enjoyed our Mandarin course and made good progress. See you soon!
JC S.
2 years ago
Lovely to study with Eva in small groups following an easy course structure and format.
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for your 5 stars review Jean! We are thrilled to hear you found our mandarin course useful and easy to follow. See you soon!
Ross W.
2 years ago
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 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Response from the owner:That's impressive Ross! We are glad you are making good use of your new found mandarin skills in China. Keep it up. See you soon!
Lewis F.
2 years ago
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.
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for such a positive review. We always make sure to provide the best learning environment and mandarin course to our students. See you soon!
Alex R.
2 years ago
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.
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for your long term support Alex. We are grateful to have many students like you learning with us for years from beginner levels. See you in your next course.
Matthew W.
2 years ago
我在这里学中文学了八个月，觉得非常好的中文课。Louise老师也好有耐心的老师！
Response from the owner:感谢您马修!我们很高兴看到您在普通话方面的进步。Thank you so much for your 5 stars review. See you in your next Mandarin class!
Stefan H.
3 years ago
I'm doing the Mandarin beginner lessons, just finished beginner 1.0. I enjoy the classes and the materials seem great!
Response from the owner:We're delighted to read your glowing review Stefan. It's been a pleasure having you as a student at our language school. We are happy you are making good progress in our Mandarin classes. See you!
Anna H.
3 years ago
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!
Response from the owner:That's amazing! Thank you so much for your 5 stars review Anna. It means a lot to us. See you in the new year term!
Lor
3 years ago
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.
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for your lovely feedback Lorenzo! It Our classes are well designed for beginner like you. Happy to know you are enjoying the class with your classmates. See you in new year term!
Thomas C.
3 years ago
Good Mandarin classes! Small class sizes, friendly and knowledgeable teachers. Highly recommend!
Response from the owner:That's great to hear Thomas! Thank you so much for such lovely review.
monikaskirewska
3 years ago
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!
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for taking the time to write us. We try our best to make the class fun and engaging. See you in the new year term!
Robert E.
3 years ago
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 😇
Response from the owner:谢谢Robert! It's nice to hear you make good progress with us. See you soon in class!
Cora
3 years ago
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!
Response from the owner:谢谢Cora! It's great to hear you have such positive learning experience with us. See you soon.
Ciaran W.
3 years ago
Wonderful learning experience. The teaching has been second to none and the administration alongside has also been really efficient.
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for your encouraging feedback! It means a lot to us. 加油加油！
Ivan L.
3 years ago
A good place for beginners to start the journey of learning Mandarin! Interactive classes, attentive teachers and quick progression.
Response from the owner:We are so happy to hear you have good progress! Thank you so much for taking the time to write us.
Christelle
3 years ago
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!
Response from the owner:Thank you very much for your review Christelle! We are glad you have fun learning with us.
Tim -.
3 years ago
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.
Response from the owner:Thank you very much for your feedback. It's amazing to hear you have learnt so much in a short period of time. We have set our class limit to 10 people or less which we believe is the good size based on years of experiences. You will have more chances to interact and practise with different students. See you soon in class!
Megan C.
3 years ago
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
Response from the owner:Hi Megan, thank you very much for this lovely review. Happy to know you have made some new friends while learning with us. We always encourage people to study in person classes as it is more interactive and fun. See you soon!
Sadaat C.
3 years ago
Fun, immersive and very effective learning environment and approach in small size group classes
Response from the owner:Thank you for taking the time to write us a 5 stars review. Happy to hear you have a great time learning with us. See you!
Ilyas
3 years ago
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 :((
Response from the owner:How nice to hear your lovely Ilyas! Thank you so much. It means a lot to us and the teacher. Glad to know how much you love learning with us.
KK Y.
3 years ago
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!
Response from the owner:Hi Kay thank you very much for joining us from beginner level. We are here to help and support you in your learning journey.
Gavin D.
3 years ago
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
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for such great feedback! We are really happy you learn a lot and have fun in the class too.
Nick
3 years ago
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!
Response from the owner:That's nice to hear your Chinese has improved a lot Nick! We really appreciate your 5 stars review.
Prashant L.
3 years ago
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!
Response from the owner:Amazing Prashant! Our classes are well-designed for complete beginner like you. We try to make each class as engaging as possible. See you at beginner 2 class!

COMMON F.A.Q.

Are the regular and intensive course the same?

Yes, the two types of courses have the same curriculum.

Regular course runs one lesson a week for 10 weeks, normally over weekday evenings or day time.

Intensive course runs two lessons a week for 5 weeks, normally on Saturdays, it will suit students who want to gain momentum and make faster progress.

Yes, we do. We are now running day time courses just online, normally between 4:30-6:30pm, suitable for people who have flexible working hours or from a different time zone.

Our weekday evening classes normally run between 6:30-8:30pm, suitable for most people to charge themselves after work, while our Saturdays classes normally run between 10am to 5pm, dependant on if the course is intensive 4 hours (with one hour lunch break) or regular 2 hours.

Monument – this is our main center and where our headoffice is. There are 5 modern and comfortable classrooms along with a lounge and kitchen area for tea or coffee for our students.

Charing X – this is our second center very close to China Town, it suits students working or living in the west side of London. There are 3 modern and comfortable classrooms along with a kitchen area for free drinks

I’m afraid we don’t accept pay-as-you-go. Students are required to subscribe to the whole course to achieve successful learning results.

The total price of this course is £330, of which £300 is the tuition, and £30 is the price of a textbook called “Discover China” for both Entry and Advanced Beginner course. If you already have the book, or would like to buy the book by yourself, you can exclude it from your purchase.

We know sometimes your schedule gets jammed up. So don’t worry, with any group classes that you missed you will be able to attend a FREE mark up lesson with a different group (subject to availability), for up to two make-up lessons per course.

Alternative options would be private make up lessons online or offline with your teacher, or home study with teaching material provided. What’s more, our E Learning platform is open for students with all learning material all in one place.

COMMON F.A.Q.

Are the regular and intensive course the same?

Yes, the two courses have the same curriculum.

Regular runs one lesson a week for 10 weeks, normally over weekday evenings or day time.

Intensive runs two lessons a week for 5 weeks, normally on Saturdays, it will suit students who want to gain momentum and make faster progress.

Yes, we do. We are now running day time courses just online, normally between 4:30-6:30pm, suitable for people who have flexible working hours or from a different time zone.

Our weekday evening classes normally run between 6:30-8:30pm, suitable for most people to charge themselves after work, while our Saturdays classes normally run between 10am to 5pm, dependant on if the course is intensive 4 hours (with one hour lunch break) or regular 2 hours.

Monument – this is our main center and where our headoffice is. There are 5 modern and comfortable classrooms along with a lounge and kitchen area for tea or coffee for our students.

Charing X – this is our second center very close to China Town, it suits students working or living in the west side of London. There are 3 modern and comfortable classrooms along with a kitchen area for free drinks

I’m afraid we don’t accept pay-as-you-go. Students are required to subscribe to the whole course to achieve successful learning results.

The total price of this course is £330, of which £300 is the tuition, and £30 is the price of a textbook called “Discover China” for both Entry and Advanced Beginner course. If you already have the book, or would like to buy the book by yourself, you can exclude it from your purchase.

We know sometimes your schedule gets jammed up. So don’t worry, with any group classes that you missed you will be able to attend a FREE mark up lesson with a different group (subject to availability), for up to two make-up lessons per course.

Alternative options would be private make up lessons online or offline with your teacher, or home study with teaching material provided. What’s more, our E Learning platform is open for students with all learning material all in one place.