It's nothing new under the sun. We often want to learn a new language but find sticking to a particular schedule challenging. Time and money are the most significant constraints in learning a new language. So, the only rational course of action is learning it independently. You have access to a wide range of resources, including the all-knowing internet. Since Superprof offers Cantonese language lessons, we will give you a step-by-step manual for learning the language independently.
Is Cantonese Easy to Learn?
English speakers can learn any language with much dedication and effort, although some are harder to master than others. A "super-hard" language, according to the US Foreign Service Institute, is Cantonese.
English speakers are accustomed to speaking with emphasis ("I didn't eat your sandwich!") and inflection, such as raising tones to ask a question, so Cantonese can be difficult to learn. Even speakers of other Chinese dialects proficient in Cantonese may find it challenging due to its tonal structure. Cantonese contains six tones compared to Mandarin's four, with pitch and contour determining the meaning of each syllable.
Cantonese's logographic (pictorial) writing system has hundreds of characters. Since a Cantonese reader cannot sound out syllables in a text as we do with phonetic alphabets, this presents a unique challenge for language learners. They need to be able to name each character and recollect it. It is a fallacy that all Chinese languages have a common logographic form, even though Cantonese and Mandarin have numerous similarities in their writing systems and Cantonese speakers frequently utilize the Mandarin writing system.
Can You Learn Cantonese on Your Own?
Committing to the process allows you to learn to speak and write in any language. There are many ways to learn Cantonese, as well as numerous resources to aid your learning process. Learning Cantonese on your own could be stressful at first, but you can achieve fluency even without support from anyone if you are disciplined.
Without excessive textbooks, school bells, or tests, you may study Cantonese at your own pace in Hong Kong on your timetable. Even though the language has no connection to the English language family, you can speak it quickly.
How Long Does it Take to Learn Cantonese?
Most people are aware of the difficulties associated with learning Cantonese. After all, Cantonese has a writing system based on hundreds of Chinese characters and is a tonal language.
Would you like to learn Cantonese but are unsure how long it will take? Or you've moved past the basic stage and want to know how your development stacks up against your peers? Read about where to practice Cantonese.
- Timing
There is no specific timeframe for learning Cantonese at the beginner, intermediate, or advanced levels. However, there are several considerations before you can determine the overall time it takes to learn the language from beginner to advanced stages. The various considerations are:
- How much time does it take to reach a beginner level?
- What time frame is needed to reach an intermediate level?
- How much time is needed to reach an advanced level?
- Tools to make your language learning process easier
Therefore, the time it takes varies based on several factors and how long you learn each day. Here are more factors that could affect your Cantonese language learning when you take the self-study route.
- Languages you are familiar with against Cantonese
The majority of languages differ significantly from Cantonese. One reason is that it uses pitches rather than tones to discriminate between words. Additionally, it employs a different writing system than English. There are thousands of characters in Cantonese, and each one has a sound and a meaning. These characters are made up of pieces representing tangible items or abstract concepts.
You will learn Cantonese considerably more quickly if you are familiar with Mandarin, another tonal language that employs characters.
- Motivation
How much time and effort you're willing to put in makes a big difference. For example, are you studying Cantonese as a result of your relationship? Or are Cantonese movies your favorite genre? You'll be more motivated to work toward achievement and get beyond any obstacles if you have a clear objective or compelling cause!
What Are the Mistakes to Avoid While Learning Cantonese?
Cantonese is highly different from English, and it can be challenging to overcome some primary barriers when learning the language for the first time. However, if you are prepared, the journey will be much smoother, and you will be able to avoid frequent mistakes that cause many students to lose interest.
- Mispronouncing the Z and C consonants
The Cantonese C is similar to Z with a strong DZ sound, unless you don’t have to pronounce them like a burst of air. It could help if you try to pronounce them quickly instead of slowly during a conversation. If you hire a Cantonese tutor, they will gladly help you mispronouncing consonants and other words or phrases in Cantonese.
- Ignoring the Tones
Tones are the biggest roadblock you may encounter. For native English speakers, the idea that altering the pitch alters the word's meaning is first highly abstract. Many people try to memorize words by focusing solely on the tones of individual words. This is a rather drawn-out and ineffective approach. When first starting, you should tune your ears to the sounds of Cantonese and get accustomed to the various tonal sounds.
The easiest method to do this is to read the Jyutping while repeatedly listening to Cantonese dialogues, paying close attention to the tone indicators.
- Failing to recall sounds as much as you can
Recalling the many pitches and sounds in Cantonese will take some time. Due to this, it is crucial to emphasize the importance of listening from the first day of learning. Nevertheless, it is far more challenging to differentiate tones in a rapidly moving discourse. However, the more words you know, the easier it will be because you can deduce a word's meaning from its context.
- Conflating Written Chinese and Spoken Cantonese
Written Chinese and spoken Chinese aren’t the same. But many learners make the mistake of conflating both at the basic stage of learning Cantonese. It would help if you were careful with this. However, many learners usually find it easier to differentiate both when they use a chart for learning and take not of the differences on a notepad.
When first starting, use an app or an online dictionary to look up words that are synonyms in the Cantonese language. But if you do this, selecting the written form over the spoken one is easy. And subsequently, you may not make that mistake anymore as you learn.
Avoiding word lists and learning through context and dialogues shouldn't be problems of you hire a Cantonese tutor to help you while learning. These experts could help you identify common mistakes most beginner learners make and the best ways to avoid them. This problem's alternative answer leads us to the following potential hazard.
- Speaking too slowly after waiting too long
Determining which terms are genuinely used in everyday Cantonese might be challenging due to the gap between spoken and written Cantonese.
Because of this, I strongly advise locating a teacher or a suitable language exchange partner on Superprof as soon as possible. By doing so, you can practice speaking new words while having a native speaker available to correct you if you accidentally use the written version instead of the spoken one.
Speaking from a young age also aids in your ability to distinguish between the various Cantonese tones. You'll be able to distinguish the changes between the tones more quickly if you practice saying them yourself rather than just listening.
Additionally, it will enable you to spot areas that need improvement and guarantee that you study pertinent terms. Being reluctant to talk is simple, but learning Cantonese involves making mistakes.
Can You Learn Cantonese from Anywhere?
On Superprof, you can learn Cantonese from anywhere. Many Cantonese learners leverage online Cantonese lessons to learn the language at their convenience effectively. However, learning Cantonese could be more fun if you hire a language coach who understands your needs and the best approach to help you achieve fluency without stress.
There are hundreds of Cantonese tutors available for hire on Superprof. So irrespective of your learning needs and goals, you have a Cantonese tutor ready to take you through this wonderful language-learning journey. This is why the platform remains one of the best places to find a tutor for Cantonese lessons.
Final Thought
Learning any language on your own is possible, but the process may be tedious and time-consuming. However, many Cantonese learners succeed with this language study route within two years.
With proper time management and using the right resources, you, too, may become fluent in the language in no time. But if you desire to learn Cantonese fast and more effectively than teaching yourself and learning rigorously from your mistakes, you may hire a Cantonese tutor to help. It takes only a few minutes to hire a Cantonese tutor on Superprof.
Still, trying to learn Cantonese? These resources could help!
Did you like this article? Leave a rating!
Loading...
