ChinesePod

So what do you like to do in the evening? If your answer is something that does not involve going online, then you're weird, and we're not going to help you. If, however, you like going online for your entertainment, we've got just the Chinese lesson for you!

If you're a newbie to China, then you've definitely got to make a trip to Beijing. This Chinese lesson for total beginners will help you to make sure you've got those train tickets... and maybe even help you be all bossy and make someone else go buy them.

You are about to experience the saga of Miss Wang and handsome John, and their fabulous lives in Nanjing. Don't worry; it's a short saga, composed of short, Newbie-level sentences. It's a saga for learning Chinese.

If you're planning on spending a night in a Chinese hotel, as a foreigner, you better have your passport ready. In this lesson, learn those magic Chinese phrases that will land you in a hotel room.

Business cards. In China they’re handed out for any and every reason… but what do you say when you get one? “Thanks” might seem a little bland, but then again, “WOW! You’ve such fine taste in paper!” might be a bit over the top. So then what? Better find out; you’ll be doing it about 12 times a day. In this podcast, learn to do the ol’ card exchange, in Mandarin Chinese.

Cliché as it may be, a good “long time no see” does wonders for reconnecting with old friends. In this podcast, we’re going to make you sound more like a local by sharing these tidbits, as well as a cooler way of saying “how are you." And how are you? In this Chinese lesson, you'll learn that in Shanghai there's only one correct answer...

In August 7, 2010, there was a terrible mudslide in Gansu Province. In this lesson we hear not only a newscast related to the natural disaster, but also the reactions of some average Chinese people with relatives in Gansu.

OK, you made it to the pharmacy and you managed to explain your symptoms to the pharmacist. You even have some funky-looking over-the-counter pills that promise to make you feel better. Now you have to figure out how often to take the pills... Learn the basic language to understand the dosage instructions. You wouldn't want to risk taking the wrong amount, would you?

It's a nightmare situation: someone has an accident and needs immediate medical help, and you're the only person around to help. In today's ChinesePod lesson, learn how to call for help in Chinese. Who knows - with some of this vocabulary, you might just save a life one day.

You eat lunch at your office every day. Five meals a week, nearly fifty weeks a year. It might seem like there are a lot of options at first, but after a few months (or years) on the job, the options really start to bore. Discover a very familiar office conversation in today's lesson on lunch options.

If you take random peeks at your Chinese co-workers' computer screens throughout the day, you'll be sure to find quite a few of them raising farm animals and growing crops on Kaixin Wang. Kaixin Wang is China's answer to Facebook, and it's super popular. Listen to today's Mandarin lesson to find out more.

Everyone likes free money, right? But is there really such a thing as free money? Join us at ChinesePod today as we go shopping - and receive some vouchers that are tempting... too tempting!

We're in for a treat today - foot massages! But not just any foot massages... these will be medicinal foot soaks. Learn all about how the foot relates to other parts of the body - and how taking care of your feet might even help your stomach (huh)?

Today's podcast explores a common situation, albeit one that's more likely to occur in dreams than real life. You've guessed it - it's the nightmare scenario in which everyone is staring at you, and for a very good reason! Check out today's lesson to find out why this person has everyone else's attention.

Got plans with friends that you've got to rearrange? Looking for a way to explain why you can't attend an appointment? Check out this ChinesePod lesson to learn the language you'll need to cancel plans.

Sending a package can be a bit intimidating in any language. The post office employee will ask you a number of questions about the contents of your package, the way you want to send it, and the options you have for its arrival. Check out today's ChinesePod lesson to prepare yourself for the next time you need to send a package and communicate these important details in Chinese!

It's the new year and that means traveling home to see friends and family. In today's lesson learn how to make plans to see old friends. Hopefully you're able to fit it all into a week-long visit!

One thing is true about the weather these days: it's really unpredictable! People generally try to stay on top of the weather news in China, but despite an effort to stay informed, one of the characters in today's lesson will most definitely be feeling the chill tomorrow. Tune in to find out why!

Some people are minimalists, others are pack-rats. When it comes to moving house, you'd better hope your the former and not the latter! Join us today as we call up a moving company to find out just how to get stuff out of one apartment and into another!

Ever found yourself running late, navigating an unknown place, trying to find the address you had scribbled down in front of you? Well today we're in this very situation, and our directions are all off! Learn how to ask for directions (and to criticize someone for completely messing up the directions)!

Now that it's cold out, sitting around a boiling pot of broth for hours on end doesn't seem like such a bad idea. On the contrary! It is a very appealing style of eating (which also accounts for the long lines at hot pot restaurants all over town right now). Learn how to talk hot pot in today's delicious ChinesePod lesson!

As children we're told not to judge a book by its cover. That being said, if you spend hours, days, perhaps even weeks finding just the right Christmas gift for someone, do you want to give up at the home-stretch and wrap it in a brown paper bag? Of course not! Listen to this ChinesePod lesson to make sure you know how to get the perfect wrapping paper suitable for your perfect gift!

What better way to spend an hour on Saturday than soaking your fingers, getting your hands massaged, and coming home with beautifully manicured nails? And did you know - manicures aren't just for women! Check out today's lesson to arm yourself to confidently walk into a Chinese nail salon and get a lovely French manicure.

It's intimidating enough meeting your spouse's family... today we're meeting the whole extended family, titles, relationships and all. After studying this lesson, you'll have the tools you need to feel comfortable in any Chinese family gathering!

If you've been to China, you will have noticed the lack of fire detectors in homes and office buildings. We won't be solving this problem with today's ChinesePod lesson, but we will be providing you with the language tools to alert others if there is a fire. You'll also be learning how to ask for a fire extinguisher!

We've all been there: you're in the middle of a big project, you're about to save, and... nothing. Your computer is frozen. Nothing to do but shout in anger and beg the tech. department to come over and see what the bigger problem is. A virus? A hardware issue? Tune in today to learn how to describe computer problems and how to ask for help.

Today we're leaving behind the rats, monkeys and tigers of the Chinese zodiac for Leo, Taurus and Saggitarius. Find out how to discuss your own sign, and learn how to ask someone else theirs. Who knows, you might even pick up some flirting tips!

Foreigners everywhere are working hard at learning Chinese. Unfortunately, many of those sincere students find themselves learning from boring, poorly designed material. In this lesson we take a look at this issue from the angle of the school and the teachers, who are asking each other: what can we do to make these Chinese classes more interesting?

What goes on in a Chinese bath house? Maybe not all of it is fit for a family podcast, but in this lesson a husband insists that bath houses are rapidly becoming popular (and legitimate) places to make business deals. Listen in on the debate and learn some useful Mandarin Chinese.

How do you provide healthcare for a population of 1.4 billion? We don't know either, but this lesson takes a look at the more practical side of the issue: just getting a prescription filled. The Chinese process is a bit different from that of the west, so listen in to learn the Chinese way to get those meds.

Ah, taxes... one of the few certainties in life, and the bane of our existence. Unfortunately, learning all the little quirks of the Chinese tax system doesn't make the whole ordeal any more fun in China. Listen in to this lesson, and we can help you out with the Mandarin Chinese side of the equation, at least.

Do you know all the work that goes into maintaining a rice paddy? And can you talk about it in Mandarin Chinese? In this lesson, a visitor to the countryside learns about both the hard labor and the simple pleasures to be found outside of China's urban areas.

Do you know the story of the Frog Prince? Do you know the Chinese chengyu about frogs and wells? In this lesson, hear a children's fairytale infused with Chinese cultural characteristics, and also get a little dose of Middle Kingdom morals.

The days of the "iron rice bowl" are long gone, a daughter reminds her mother in this lesson. Just as in many other parts of the world, modern Chinese young people aren't staying with any one employer for too long. Find out more about this viewpoint on the Chinese job market in this lesson.

Adults that still live with their parents long past the time when they were expected to be financially independent are said to be "gnawing on the old" in Mandarin Chinese. In this lesson, hear how a member of this clan interacts with his parents (who don't particularly enjoy the gnawing).

Crank your amps up to 11; it's time for band practice! In this lesson you'll learn the Chinese to talk about getting ready for the big show, busting out with that sweet guitar solo, and even the possibility of making it big.

The rising cost of food is a social issue that can't be ignored. You'll hear the average Zhou on the street talking about it, and you'll see it on the news. But what happens when you put the two together? What are the Chinese viewer reactions to this kind of news? Tune in to this lesson to find out.

At least for the time being, a lot of things are cheaper in China than in the West. One that might not immediately come to mind is laser eye surgery. But is it safe? How is it viewed and discussed in Chinese society? Listen in to this lesson for a modern Chinese take.

"Second-hand" isn't just one option when buying a bicycle; for many consumers, it's a whole way of life. In this lesson, we cover a range of topics, from broken-down bikes to second-hand philosophy.

Tossing and turning, lack of appetite, moodiness; these are all symptoms of one very common condition: jet lag! But the worst is when you forget to change the time on your phone and you show up somewhere at the wrong time! Find out how to describe this situation in today's ChinesePod lesson on time differences.

"Yep, straight through the light, then pull over to the right - WHAT? No you've passed it!" So you know how to give basic directions in Chinese, but what happens in this situation? In today's lesson we learn how to say "make a u-turn" -- essential taxi survival Mandarin.

When Nintendo came out with this game console a few years ago, video games got a breath of fresh air. People of all walks of life started playing - swinging those little white sticks left and right, jumping up and down, turning the wheels of imaginary race cars... Join ChinesePod today as we break out our Wii!!

So you're in China. You don't need no stinking "maps." You'd rather just walk up to the nearest person on the street and ask where the supermarket is, in Chinese (of course). Tune in to today's lesson and learn how to do just that.

Squeeze your way to the front of the line for this useful Mandarin podcast. Today, we're explaining how to negotiate your way through a crowded Chinese subway car. Whether you take the metro to work, or even if you're just a fan of public transportation, this Chinese lesson will be a great blessing for you.

Have you ever looked for someone, only to find someone else? In today's Mandarin podcast, you'll learn how deal with this common situation. Today, you'll learn how to use Chinese to tell someone: sorry, you're not the one I was looking for.

Halloween is coming, so we're getting making our lessons a bit scarier. Today we'll arm you with the right phrases in Mandarin for dealing with big scary creaky doors that are left ajar and asking if anyone is there. Just be prepared -- you may not like what you discover... *shiver*

In today's Chinese podcast, we're getting out the candles, chopping up the cake, and getting ready to celebrate. Listen and learn how to talk in Mandarin about the anniversary of your birth. Another birthday, another cake, another year closer to the day when you'll shuffle off this mortal coil.

Didn't it rain, children? Today we're going to talk about rain in Chinese. This podcast will discuss things that start and stop, like rainstorms. Bring your umbrella and your MP3 player and you'll learn how to talk about rainy days in Mandarin.

In China, when there's a mouse in your house, don't just sit around and grouse! You put on your favorite blouse and douse him with poison! In today's Chinese podcast, you'll learn how to talk about the vermin in your home, all in Mandarin Chinese.

Do you want to learn to talk about your family in Chinese? Well, you've come to the right podcast. In today's lesson, you'll learn the Chinese you need to talk about the size of your family and the people in it.