Mandarin Chinese 3 (Intermediate)

Who is this course for?

This course is for those who have completed our Mandarin Chinese 2 (Post-Beginners) course or have equivalent knowledge. You should be comfortable with basic conversations and recognize approximately 150-200 characters.

If you are unsure whether this is a suitable course for you, please contact us for a free language level check.

Course overview

This course aims to further strengthen your communication skills, with a focus on practical conversation, greater grammatical complexity, and a broader range of vocabulary.

You will build confidence in using Mandarin to navigate a wider variety of everyday situations—both spoken and written—such as making arrangements, expressing opinions, giving explanations, and handling basic transactions. Sessions will also include work with authentic materials, such as dialogues, short texts, and audio recordings, which will deepen your understanding of Chinese language and culture in real-life contexts.

More advanced grammatical structures will be introduced gradually to support your growing fluency, with regular opportunities to practise new forms in conversation and guided writing tasks. Cultural exploration remains an integral part of the course, allowing you to appreciate the social and linguistic nuances of contemporary Chinese life.

The pace and content of the course will be adapted to the group’s needs and learning goals, ensuring a supportive and responsive learning environment. By the end of the course, you will be better equipped to use Mandarin with accuracy and confidence in a range of everyday and semi-formal settings.

The tutor will recommend appropriate learning materials during the first session.

Term dates

•  Autumn Term: week beginning 13 October 2025 until week ending 12 December 2025

•  Spring Term: week beginning 5 January 2026 until week ending 20 March 2026

Any questions?

If not a complete beginner in the language please seek level advice. For this and any questions pre-enrolment about the content of this course please contact the Mandarin Chinese Coordinator, Dr Ruth Herd at ruth.herd@imperial.ac.uk

For general programme and enrolment questions please contact the Imperial after:hours Administrator, Christian Jacobi at c.jacobi@imperial.ac.uk

Class recordings

These classes are not recorded.

Imperial certificates

There are no examinations or assessments for this course. However, attendance can lead to the award of an Imperial attendance certificate (T&Cs apply).