Hi everyone! I am Steve Kaufmann.
Hi everyone! I am Steve Kaufmann.

Today I am going to discuss an issue in Chinese with all of you.
Today I am going to discuss an issue in Chinese with all of you.

The discussion is about learning Chinese language.
The discussion is about learning Chinese language.

That is to say,
That is to say,

is learning Chinese easy or not?
is learning Chinese easy or not?

Or put it this way, is learning Chinese difficult or not?
Or put it this way, is learning Chinese difficult or not?

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Alright.
Alright.

So, today somebody discusses this topic:
So, today somebody discusses this topic:

which language is easy to learn,
which language is easy to learn,

and which language difficult to learn?
and which language difficult to learn?

More than half of the people
More than half of the people

especially Westerners would say Chinese language
especially Westerners would say Chinese language

is rather difficult to learn.
is rather difficult to learn.

And I am going to mention some
And I am going to mention some

factors that may play a role in this discussion.
factors that may play a role in this discussion.

That is to say, how these factors may influence
That is to say, how these factors may influence

the discussion on whether Chinese is easy or difficult to learn.
the discussion on whether Chinese is easy or difficult to learn.

I believe there are subjective factors
I believe there are subjective factors

as well as objective ones.
as well as objective ones.

As to subjective factors,
As to subjective factors,

your attitude is one of them.
your attitude is one of them.

I think attitude is of utmost importance in language learning.
I think attitude is of utmost importance in language learning.

And therefore if you are particularly willing to study Chinese,
And therefore if you are particularly willing to study Chinese,

the so-called difficulty of learning Chinese
the so-called difficulty of learning Chinese

is no problem at all.
is no problem at all.

The same rule applies to any languages.
The same rule applies to any languages.

As long as you are very motivated to study the language,
As long as you are very motivated to study the language,

there will not be any problem at all.
there will not be any problem at all.

There is nothing
There is nothing

that can impede you.
that can impede you.

So your willingness to learn,
So your willingness to learn,

in my opinion, is a very important subjective factor.
in my opinion, is a very important subjective factor.

It's also important that you're confident in your capability to learn this foreign language.
It's also important that you're confident in your capability to learn this foreign language.

For example, if you believe... and I have seen
For example, if you believe... and I have seen

some Canadians and Westerners who think that
some Canadians and Westerners who think that

Chinese language is too difficult.
Chinese language is too difficult.

In fact, there are many
In fact, there are many

foreigners, who are not Chinese people.
foreigners, who are not Chinese people.

And they succeeded
And they succeeded

in learning Chinese and they are able to speak Chinese fluently.
in learning Chinese and they are able to speak Chinese fluently.

So I think this kind of confidence, or self-confidence,
So I think this kind of confidence, or self-confidence,

is also a very important subjective factor.
is also a very important subjective factor.

Moreover, passion is very important.
Moreover, passion is very important.

For example, in my case,
For example, in my case,

I often went to bookstores to look for new materials, when I was studying Chinese.
I often went to bookstores to look for new materials, when I was studying Chinese.

That was fifty years ago.
That was fifty years ago.

Back then there was no Internet.
Back then there was no Internet.

Language learning materials were not in abundance.
Language learning materials were not in abundance.

So I often went to bookstores to look for these materials.
So I often went to bookstores to look for these materials.

For me, I looked for
For me, I looked for

learning materials suitable for my interests and language level.
learning materials suitable for my interests and language level.

I was passionate.
I was passionate.

Of course, passionate in various aspects.
Of course, passionate in various aspects.

If you wait for your teachers to teach you the language,
If you wait for your teachers to teach you the language,

then it is more difficult to learn Chinese language.
then it is more difficult to learn Chinese language.

But if you are willing to learn,
But if you are willing to learn,

confidence in yourself and passionate,
confidence in yourself and passionate,

I think it would not present much of a problem.
I think it would not present much of a problem.

On the other hand,
On the other hand,

I think that there is objective difficulty
I think that there is objective difficulty

in learning Chinese
in learning Chinese

because I intensively studied the language.
because I intensively studied the language.

When I was studying Chinese, everyday I
When I was studying Chinese, everyday I

spent six or seven hours on the language.
spent six or seven hours on the language.

I was either reading, practicing my writing,
I was either reading, practicing my writing,

or talking with my teachers,
or talking with my teachers,

or listening to cassettes.
or listening to cassettes.

Basically, I spent six or seven hours everyday
Basically, I spent six or seven hours everyday

very intensively learning the language.
very intensively learning the language.

I would say intensive learning is better.
I would say intensive learning is better.

This applies to all languages.
This applies to all languages.

But there are languages, especially Chinese,
But there are languages, especially Chinese,

which require intensive learning, in my opinion.
which require intensive learning, in my opinion.

So this is another subjective factor.
So this is another subjective factor.

There are quite a lot objective factors too.
There are quite a lot objective factors too.

Let's say. The biggest or most important obstacle to
Let's say. The biggest or most important obstacle to

learning Chinese
learning Chinese

is the Chinese characters.
is the Chinese characters.

That's because learning any languages
That's because learning any languages

if the language you are studying
if the language you are studying

and the language with which you are familiar
and the language with which you are familiar

use Latin alphabet
use Latin alphabet

or a similar alphabet
or a similar alphabet

such as the one used by Russian language,
such as the one used by Russian language,

the Cyrillic alphabet,
the Cyrillic alphabet,

then there will not be any problem.
then there will not be any problem.

But there are a lot
But there are a lot

of Chinese characters to study.
of Chinese characters to study.

That's because reading is a very important method to study language.
That's because reading is a very important method to study language.

Or it is an important activity.
Or it is an important activity.

You have to know
You have to know

two thousand, three thousand or four thousand words in order to be able to read
two thousand, three thousand or four thousand words in order to be able to read

fiction or read newspaper.
fiction or read newspaper.

So alphabet is a rather significant and objective hurdle and difficulty in learning Chinese.
So alphabet is a rather significant and objective hurdle and difficulty in learning Chinese.

But it is also because of this reason intensive learning is necessary.
But it is also because of this reason intensive learning is necessary.

That's because when you study Chinese language
That's because when you study Chinese language

you have to learn three to four thousand Chinese characters.
you have to learn three to four thousand Chinese characters.

And every Chinese character has
And every Chinese character has

from two or three to fifteen strokes.
from two or three to fifteen strokes.

So this is not easy.
So this is not easy.

And in order to know these Chinese words,
And in order to know these Chinese words,

at least when I was learning them,
at least when I was learning them,

I wrote them down with my hands. Now I cannot.
I wrote them down with my hands. Now I cannot.

I cannot write them with my hands,
I cannot write them with my hands,

but I can type them in the computer.
but I can type them in the computer.

But this is the very process
But this is the very process

that takes lots of time.
that takes lots of time.

But that's because of this factor
But that's because of this factor

you have to learn the language intensively.
you have to learn the language intensively.

As no sooner had you learned the Chinese characters than you forgot them.
As no sooner had you learned the Chinese characters than you forgot them.

Of course, this happens when you are learning other languages too.
Of course, this happens when you are learning other languages too.

Regardless of what words you are learning,
Regardless of what words you are learning,

you will definitely forget them.
you will definitely forget them.

You will learn and forget them once again.
You will learn and forget them once again.

This is the learning process.
This is the learning process.

But this process is especially important in learning Chinese.
But this process is especially important in learning Chinese.

Here is the subjective difficulty of learning Chinese.
Here is the subjective difficulty of learning Chinese.

In additional, there are four tones in Chinese languages.
In additional, there are four tones in Chinese languages.

Chinese is not the only language with lots of tones.
Chinese is not the only language with lots of tones.

English is one of the so-called tonal languages too.
English is one of the so-called tonal languages too.

Of course, in English and other languages
Of course, in English and other languages

there are different tones.
there are different tones.

But the word's meaning may not change according to its tone.
But the word's meaning may not change according to its tone.

The tones in a sentence
The tones in a sentence

will not change
will not change

the meaning of a particular word,
the meaning of a particular word,

which is different from the Chinese tones' functions.
which is different from the Chinese tones' functions.

Those unfamiliar with the tonal system in Chinese language may believe that
Those unfamiliar with the tonal system in Chinese language may believe that

the four tones in Chinese language can be a problem: mā má mǎ mà.
the four tones in Chinese language can be a problem: mā má mǎ mà.

But this is also a problem related to habits.
But this is also a problem related to habits.

So you need to listen to Chinese more frequently,
So you need to listen to Chinese more frequently,

and be willing to study the language.
and be willing to study the language.

Another objective factor
Another objective factor

that influences language learning
that influences language learning

is whether or not there are enough interesting learning materials.
is whether or not there are enough interesting learning materials.

In fact, I do not know if there are enough such materials for learning Chinese.
In fact, I do not know if there are enough such materials for learning Chinese.

But I estimate that there are quite a lot now.
But I estimate that there are quite a lot now.

When I was studying Chinese in the past, there was no Internet.
When I was studying Chinese in the past, there was no Internet.

In any case, even back then there were quite a lot
In any case, even back then there were quite a lot

interesting materials.
interesting materials.

And therefore I think it is probably
And therefore I think it is probably

a positive factor.
a positive factor.

Moreover, when you have learned enough Chinese characters,
Moreover, when you have learned enough Chinese characters,

it becomes easier to enlarge your vocabulary base, comparing with other languages.
it becomes easier to enlarge your vocabulary base, comparing with other languages.

That's because every new word
That's because every new word

and every new expression,
and every new expression,

that is to say,
that is to say,

are usually composed of two or three words.
are usually composed of two or three words.

So when you are a new word,
So when you are a new word,

and there is a familiar word (component) in the new word,
and there is a familiar word (component) in the new word,

you may guess the new word's meaning.
you may guess the new word's meaning.

Or maybe this is a new word for you.
Or maybe this is a new word for you.

We call it "word" in English. You already know two words
We call it "word" in English. You already know two words

which are components of the new word.
which are components of the new word.

In this case, it is comparatively easy for you to memorize the new words' meaning.
In this case, it is comparatively easy for you to memorize the new words' meaning.

That is why I always believe that
That is why I always believe that

the concept of vocabulary in Chinese
the concept of vocabulary in Chinese

is different from our understanding in English language.
is different from our understanding in English language.

It is not similar to the situation where a native Spanish speaker wants to learn Italian.
It is not similar to the situation where a native Spanish speaker wants to learn Italian.

Around 80% or more of the words in these two languages are basically the same.
Around 80% or more of the words in these two languages are basically the same.

There is no such a thing
There is no such a thing

when you are studying Chinese. This may be a problem.
when you are studying Chinese. This may be a problem.

But when you are learning Chinese, and you start to know
But when you are learning Chinese, and you start to know

more and more Chinese characters,
more and more Chinese characters,

then you can guess
then you can guess

or at least it becomes easier for you to memorize
or at least it becomes easier for you to memorize

the meaning of new words. This is a something good about learning Chinese.
the meaning of new words. This is a something good about learning Chinese.

I also want to say that Chinese culture
I also want to say that Chinese culture

is not too complicated.
is not too complicated.

For example, in comparison with Slavic languages,
For example, in comparison with Slavic languages,

such as Russian language, Chinese language is much easier.
such as Russian language, Chinese language is much easier.

When you say: "I will go tomorrow,
When you say: "I will go tomorrow,

I went yesterday."
I went yesterday."

Or, "I am going now. You go. I go. He goes."
Or, "I am going now. You go. I go. He goes."

The word remains unchanged.
The word remains unchanged.

There is no gender in Chinese language. No masculine or feminine form.
There is no gender in Chinese language. No masculine or feminine form.

So Chinese language is rather easy to learn considering this cultural aspect.
So Chinese language is rather easy to learn considering this cultural aspect.

When I was studying Chinese, I entirely
When I was studying Chinese, I entirely

ignored those culturally specific words.
ignored those culturally specific words.

It does not matter. You just have to listen to the language more.
It does not matter. You just have to listen to the language more.

You will gradually get used to the new words.
You will gradually get used to the new words.

So, in cultural aspect,
So, in cultural aspect,

Chinese language is comparatively easy,
Chinese language is comparatively easy,

and easier than the languages which I have learned.
and easier than the languages which I have learned.

In a nutshell,
In a nutshell,

the difficulty in learning Chinese language
the difficulty in learning Chinese language

is composed of both subjective and objective factors.
is composed of both subjective and objective factors.

Regarding the objective factors, if your attitude
Regarding the objective factors, if your attitude

is not persistent enough,
is not persistent enough,

your perception may be influenced by the objective difficulty.
your perception may be influenced by the objective difficulty.

You may be influenced by those factors,
You may be influenced by those factors,

and think that Chinese language is difficult.
and think that Chinese language is difficult.

But if you are sufficiently motivated
But if you are sufficiently motivated

willing and confident enough to learn, and like the language,
willing and confident enough to learn, and like the language,

then the so-called difficulty in learning Chinese
then the so-called difficulty in learning Chinese

cannot stop you.
cannot stop you.

To sum up, I hope that those who have not yet started learning Chinese
To sum up, I hope that those who have not yet started learning Chinese

will feel slightly more motivated and become more willing to learning the language after watching my video.
will feel slightly more motivated and become more willing to learning the language after watching my video.

That's because if you have this kind of attitude
That's because if you have this kind of attitude

Chinese language is definitely not difficult to learn.
Chinese language is definitely not difficult to learn.

Okay. Thank you everybody. Goodbye.
Okay. Thank you everybody. Goodbye.