Mandarin Monkey Podcast

Chinese New Year is here… but we’re not just talking about red envelopes and dumplings.In this episode:Who should give red envelopes (and when it stops)The weird firework pranks from childhoodWhy we chose not to vlog our kidsAnd… our idea for a 48-hour Mandarin-only retreatCould you survive two full days speaking only Chinese?No English. No safety net. Just immersion.Let us know if you’d actually come.🎧 Listen on Spotify📩 Join our community🧧 Happy New Year

This week’s mailbag:a learner understands his mother-in-law at the worst moment,a tone mistake turns into a workplace disaster,and a four-year-old becomes the teacher.Plus: how to ask to camp in Taiwan without sounding like a tourist.

What does real bilingual development actually look like?In this episode of Mandarin Monkey, we talk about one of the biggest concerns parents have when raising bilingual children:“My child understands Mandarin… but won’t speak it. Is that normal?”We explore:• What children usually understand first• Why mixing languages is a sign of competence• Whether silence means failure• How long it realistically takes to become conversational• Why input matters more than early outputUla shares personal stories of growing up with Taiwanese and Mandarin, and we reflect on our own children’s bilingual journey.If you’re raising a child in a mixed-language household, this conversation will reassure you.Mandarin Monkey is a bilingual podcast where Mandarin and English are used naturally, just like in real families.

This episode started as a simple idea:list 100 very specific things to do before you die.We didn’t get to 100.We talked about sharks, Lapland, Route 66, Disney parks, cherry blossoms, tequila in Mexico, collecting memories, and why “someday” is a dangerous word.Mandarin and English.Travel, goals, family, and that quiet feeling of wanting more life in your life.If this episode sparks an idea for you, tell us what you’d add to the list.Mandarin Monkey is a bilingual podcast in Mandarin and English.We speak naturally. No scripts. No lessons. Just real conversation.Support the show or join the hangouts:mandarinmonkey.compatreon.com/mandarinmonkey

Learning Mandarin isn’t just about vocabulary or grammar.Sometimes it’s about confidence, fear, and not feeling “good enough”.In episode 444 of the Mandarin Monkey Podcast, we talk honestly about:– Why language “levels” can actually hurt learners– Speaking Mandarin without destroying your confidence– Trial lessons that start way too basic– Learning through conversation, not correction– Why progress feels invisible even when it’s real– Being scared to speak, even after years of learning– How creativity, experience, and repetition change everythingThis episode drifts between English and Mandarin, just like real life does.Because that’s how language is actually learned.If you’ve ever felt stuck, nervous, or frustrated with Mandarin…this one’s for you.🎧 Listen, relax, and remember: you’re not bad at languages.You’re just still learning.📩 Got a question for our Friday mailbag?Email: chat@mandarinmonkey.com

This is a mailbag episode of the Mandarin Monkey Podcast.We answer listener questions about a deceptively common Mandarin mistake:why you can’t use “ask” the way you do in English.Ula explains why 問 is for asking questions, but doesn’t work when you’re asking someone to do you a favour, and why 請 is often the natural choice, even though it doesn’t translate cleanly into English.We also respond to listener emails about:learning Mandarin without a clear end goalwhy grammar turns people off languagespatience, time, and long-term progresshow hangouts and lessons help people stick with itUla speaks Mandarin pretty much throughout.Tom speaks English pretty much throughout.🎧 Lessons, hangouts, and more:mandarinmonkey.com

This episode is a fully bilingual English–Mandarin conversation. Tom speaks in English. Ula responds entirely in Mandarin.We talk about:Extreme risk and a climber scaling Taipei 101Whether dangerous stunts should be streamed liveTravel plans including Lapland, skiing holidays, the Maldives, and the USFear, animals, parenting, and how perspective changes over timeThis is not a scripted lesson.It’s how Mandarin is used naturally in real life.If you’re learning Mandarin and want:Real listening practiceNatural speed and phrasingMandarin used in context, not explained to deathThis episode is for you.

Why does Mandarin feel easy when you’re listening…but impossible the moment a real person speaks?In this mailbag episode, we answer real listener questions about learning Mandarin in the real world.Textbooks vs real speech. Tones. Confidence. Speaking to in-laws. And why your brain sometimes just shuts down.We talk about:Why textbooks teach words nobody actually saysWhether tones really matter (and why)Freezing when speaking to native speakersSpeaking Mandarin with your partner’s parentsWhy some days you feel fluent and others you forget everythingMainland Chinese vs Taiwanese MandarinIf you’ve ever thought, “Is it just me?”…it isn’t.00:00 Welcome & what this episode is03:10 Why textbooks don’t sound like real people11:45 Speaking Mandarin with your partner’s parents23:40 “I understand podcasts but not real people”33:10 Do tones really matter?41:45 Why some days Mandarin feels impossible52:30 Mainland Chinese vs Taiwanese Mandarin59:10 Final thoughts & how to keep improving01:02:30 How to support Mandarin Monkey🎧 Support the podcast: https://patreon.com/mandarinmonkey📚 Book lessons: https://mandarinmonkey.com👥 Join Mandarin Monkey Hangouts on Patreon

We’re back. We both got hit with a nasty illness for a few weeks and lost our voices, so this one is low-energy and coughy. We talk about why we disappeared, why this Christmas felt “off”, a New Year’s Eve living-room campout with the kids, and how fast sickness can wipe you out. Then we look back at some 2025 goals, set fresh 2026 goals, and Tom admits he’s convinced Premium Bonds will make him a millionaire every month. We also share why Disney matters to us, plus a quick reminder: if you’ve been listening for ages and thinking about lessons, now’s a good time to start.0:00 Welcome back and why we disappeared0:40 Three weeks ill, lost voices, low energy3:00 Christmas felt quiet this year6:00 New Year’s Eve with kids and getting sick10:30 Moving house, 2025 drama, hoping 2026 improves17:00 Premium Bonds and the monthly million fantasy20:30 2025 goals review, exercise, habits, tracking26:00 Journaling, Finch app, wanting better insights27:30 Disney plans and giving kids real memories34:00 Hobbies, dates, books, piano, creative projects40:00 2026 goals, family time, couple time47:00 Where we might live next, avoiding tourist traps50:30 Dog debate, Halloumi, dog sitting reality54:30 Lessons, teachers, Patreon, wrap-up