You can have all the podcasts, books, Apps, YouTube channels in the world, but at some point you need a real person, a proper teacher, to correct poor pronunciation, answer grammar questions, and the 'how do I use this character?' questions. My experience with Mandarin Monkey makes me believe that it is the most complete and best Chinese learning resource available. Free podcasts and YouTube videos, plus brilliantly enthusiastic and helpful teachers. I finish every lesson feeling happier with my comprehension, more confident in how to use the language and excited for the next lesson

I’ve really enjoyed taking lessons with Mandarin Monkey. The approach is really practical, rather than just drilling vocab and grammar, the lessons focus on real conversations, which makes it much easier to actually use what you’re learning. The teachers are patient and make sure you understand things properly without feeling overwhelmed. There’s a good mix of English and Mandarin, so you don’t feel completely lost, but they also encourage you to push yourself. It’s a really relaxed and enjoyable way to learn, and I’ve definitely noticed an improvement in my confidence when speaking. If you’re looking for structured but natural Mandarin lessons, I’d definitely recommend giving it a go.

I started learning Mandarin as a complete beginner, and these lessons have made a huge difference. The teachers are great at explaining things in a way that actually makes sense, and they’re really patient, which helps a lot when you’re trying to get your head around tones and sentence structure. What I like most is that it’s not just about memorising words—you actually get to use the language in conversations, which makes learning feel much more natural. The mix of English and Mandarin is really helpful too, especially at the start. I’ve tried other courses before, but this is the first time I’ve actually stuck with it and felt like I was making progress. Definitely recommend if you want a more relaxed but effective way to learn Mandarin.

I found them through the podcast, had a free lesson, then fell in love with Mandarin all over again. Studied many years ago at college. Picked it up again, and haven't put it down.