Chinese Language Learning

Chinese Language Courses

Registration for our April - June 2024 classes is now open.

Please enrol now as places are limited.

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All classes will take place in person on the main Gilmorehill campus.

Classes will run for eight weeks, with the timings as follows:

Tuesdays 6.00pm - 8.00pm
Thursdays 6.00pm - 8.00pm
Saturdays 10.00am - 12.00pm

The total course cost is £135, which is a total of sixteen hours of tuition and includes a free set of textbooks (textbook, exercise workbook and character book) for the Beginner levels. 

We will also be running a free Chinese language corner at 12.15pm - 1.15pm on Saturdays after the classes. All levels are welcome to attend these sessions to practice their language skills.

We are now opening registration for the following classes:

Beginner 1
Beginner 2 
Beginner 3
Intermediate 1
Intermediate 2
Intermediate 3
Upper Intermediate 1
Upper Intermediate 2
Upper Intermediate 3
Advanced 1
Advanced 2

Please see further information on our class levels and content below. To complete enrolment, you can use the class payment links found below or contact confucius-enquiries@glasgow.ac.uk for more information.

Please note that you must be aged 16 and over to attend our group classes. For students aged under 16, please contact confucius-enquiries@glasgow.ac.uk for more information on alternatives available.

Beginner 1

This Chinese beginners’ course is designed for those with no previous knowledge of Chinese. The course will introduce students to the basic features of the Chinese language including: basic pronunciation; the different components of Chinese characters; and basic sentence structures. By the end of this beginners’ course, students will be able to communicate in simple Chinese and read several dozen characters.

You will study Units 0-2 from Contemporary Chinese 1.

Course Content:

• The correct use of four tones
• The basic strokes of Chinese characters
• Writing personal names in Chinese
• Introduction, greetings and other courtesies
• Personal information, family, interest, work
• Numbers: dealing with dates, time, money
• Enquiring information (The use of general questions with particle ma, and the special questions with 'wh' words - what, when, who etc.)
• Asking for directions
• Ordering food and drinks
• Understanding simple directions

Beginner 2

This course is designed for students who have studied Chinese up to at least Beginner 1 level in class. At the end of this course, students should have a command of 150 commonly used words as well as basic grammatical structures.

You will study Units 3-5 from Contemporary Chinese 1.

Course Content

• Introduction (greetings and saying goodbye)
• Personal information (such as name, age, places of living, family, interest and ability)
• Expressions of quantity
• Simple descriptions of weather, location, size, amount, etc
• Asking and answering simple questions (relating to shopping, etc.)
• Expressing simple requests or demands
• Expressing emotions

Beginner 3

This course is designed for students who have studied Chinese up to at least Beginners 2 level in class. This course will continue the content learned in Beginner 1 and 2, adding more commonly used words and grammatical structures.

You will study Units 6-8 from Contemporary Chinese 1.

Course Content

• Expressions of thanks and apologies
• Expressions of time (such as minutes, hours, dates, weeks, day, month, year
• Simple descriptions of weather, location, size, amount, etc
• Asking and answering simple questions (relating to transportation, etc.)
• Expressing emotions
• Expressing simple requests or demands

Intermediate 1

This course is designed for students who have studied Chinese up to at least Beginners 2 level in class. At the end of this course, students should have a command of 300 commonly used words and basic grammatical structures.

You will study Units 1-4 from Contemporary Chinese 2.

Course Content

• Greetings.
• Personal information (name, age, places of living, family, interest, ability, etc.)
• Expressions of thanks, apologies and hospitality
• Numbers to indicate quantity and order
• Expressions of time (minutes, hours, dates, weeks, day, month, year, past, present and future, etc.)
• Simple descriptions of weather, location, size, amount, mood and colour, etc
• Asking and answering simple questions (shopping, transportation, seeing the doctor, sports, amusement, etc.)
• Expressing and understanding simple requests or demands
• Expressing emotions and opinions
• Asking other’s opinions
• Giving suggestions
• Making comparisons
• Explaining the reasons

Intermediate 2

This course is designed for students who have studied Chinese up to at least Intermediate 1 level in class. At the end of this course, students should have a command of 600 commonly used words and related grammar patterns.    

You will study Units 5-8 from Contemporary Chinese 2. 

Course Content:

• The weather, seasons, climate
• Expressing comparisons
• Expressing direction and location
• Discussing rural and urban areas
• Expressing time duration
• Compliments and Criticisms
• Learning another language
• Expressing actions

Intermediate 3

This course is designed for students who have studied Chinese up to at least Intermediate 2 level in class. This course continues to expand and consolidate students’ knowledge and ability of Chinese.

You will study Units 9-12 from Contemporary Chinese 2.

Course Content:

• Moving house
• Contracts; expressing unhappiness
• Expressing Actions and behaviours
• Discussing recreational activities
• Chinese Dramas
• Describing stories
• Losing objects
• Describing bad experiences
• Expressing sympathy

Upper Intermediate 1

This course is designed for students who have studied Chinese for at least 100 hours. At the end of this course, students should and have a command of 2500 commonly used words and related grammar patterns.

Course Content:

• Discussing seasons and nature
• Chinese expressions of love
• Discussion of parties and other social activities
• Chinese Cultural understanding
• Discussion of multicultural issues
• Chinese dialects
• Discussion of sports and hobbies

Upper Intermediate 2

This course is designed for students who have studied Chinese for at least 120 hours. At the end of this course, students should and have a command of 5000 commonly used words and related grammar patterns.

Course Content:

• Discussion of travel
• Understanding of Chinese cities
• Comparing country and city life
• Writing a letter in Chinese
• Chinese names and their meanings
• Chinese legends
• Chinese customs

Upper Intermediate 3

This course is designed for students who have studied Chinese for at least 140 hours. At the end of this course, students should and have a command of 5000 commonly used words and related grammar patterns.

Course Content:

• Discussion of family
• Understanding of Chinese allegorical sayings
• Discussion of intentions
• Chinese festivals

Advanced 1

Our Advanced 1 course is for people who have completed Upper Intermediate 2 / 3, are working towards HSK level 6, or are simply seeking to improve their existing skills.

This is a textbook-based class. We also offer classes in reading material from the Chinese-language media (Advanced 2). 

Advanced 2: Newpapers and Other Media

This group class is for those who have completed Advanced 1 or equivalent. There are no set textbooks; teaching material includes texts from Chinese media and current literature.