italki
Best for real conversation
Take one-on-one lessons with Mandarin tutors who can correct your tones, explain mistakes, and help you speak naturally.
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Best apps to learn Mandarin in 2026
No single app covers speaking, looking words up, and daily practice. These three do those jobs well, and they work better together than alone.
5 min read·
A tutor helps you speak. A dictionary helps you understand a word the moment you meet it. A practice app keeps the words and sentences in your memory between lessons. Pick one of each, and you have a simple study setup for 2026.
Trainchinese
Best dictionary for exploring new words
A free and complete dictionary, with thousands of vocabulary lists, example sentences, audio recordings, measure words, and character animations.
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ChineseShifu
Best app for practice
Flashcards help you memorize words. The sentence builder is for grammar practice. Short stories can be read and listened to with native-speaker audio, and you can translate each word or sentence. Keep a list of words and memorize them before a lesson with a tutor, so the lesson is for speaking and correction.
Download on theApp StorePractice what you just learned
ChineseShifu turns words and sentences into daily practice — flashcards, stories, and a sentence builder.
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How to Learn Chinese Tones as a Complete Beginner
The four tones of Mandarin feel impossible at first — but with the right approach, you can train your ear and your voice faster than you think.
10 Chinese Phrases for Everyday Conversation
Skip the textbook openers. These are the phrases real Mandarin speakers use every day.