Pronunciation allows learners to compare their own pronunciation to that of a Cantonese native speaker. This interactive multimedia language tool offers learners native pronunciation they can use at any time, and more efficiently than audio or video tape.

Finally, get acquainted with a couple of internet web sites that provide a wealth of information and Chinese-related links that provide opportunities for you to go beyond the information in the lessons and explore the language on your own:

The Cantonese Language Association

BEGINNING CANTONESE is designed to be flexible and to be used in a variety of settings, so the sequence that is best for you depends on your learning goals. However, you might consider the following Suggested Activity List, adapting it to your own needs.

Get acquainted with the main dialogue by going through it in the different modes available (word, sentence, pronunciation and meaning, etc.). Start with the second lesson. Before you check the translation, try to get some general ideas by finding words/phrases you already know. Much of what we read or hear is understood by context rather than by word comprehension. Nobody learns everything there is to know in a language--even in English you probably hear words you are unfamiliar with and have to guess the meaning by context or your knowledge of parts of the word that you do know (for example, do you know what sonoluminescence means?). It is the same with Cantonese.

Memorize a couple lines, paying attention to your pronunciation and fluency, and then compare yourself to the native model by using the pronunciation exercise or the record/playback tools. Try to get as close as you can to the speed and pronunciation of the native model. Remember to pay attention to the tones--they are essential to understanding in Cantonese!

If one of your goals is to learn the writing system, go to the Chinese character version of the Romanized main lesson. You have access to many of the same tools for the character version as you do for the Romanized main version (pronunciation, notes, sentence- and word-level translations, etc.). Alternatively, you may choose to work through a number of lessons focusing on spoken Cantonese, and then come back to the character versions when you are more comfortable with the main lessons. In fact, some research suggests that the latter approach might be more effective.

Be patient! Take it slow and don't get overwhelmed at the amount of information contained in each lesson. Language learning takes time and practice.