Chinese · free
How to learn Chinese for free
You do not need to pay to start speaking Chinese. Here is what to combine, what to expect and where free tools run out.
- Free forever plan
- No card needed
- 77 languages
Updated · by the 4ToSpeak team
Chinese · lesson preview
Step 4我想喝茶。
I would like to drink tea.
- Order
- Translate
- Listen
- Speak
Say it out loud. Green landed, yellow was close.
Start freeA free learning stack
- A free speaking app. 4ToSpeak's free plan gives you 25 daily energy, about 3 to 4 lessons a day, with every Chinese sentence ending in you saying it out loud.
- Free audio. Listen to Chinese podcasts, radio, music and video in your free time, even when you only catch a few words.
- A free dictionary and reference. Use them to look up words you meet, not to replace practice.
- A language exchange. Swap time with a native Chinese speaker who wants to practise English. It costs nothing but time.
A free daily plan
- 1
15 minutes: a speaking lesson
Do your daily Chinese lessons and say every sentence aloud.
- 2
5 minutes: review
Repeat yesterday's sentences before learning new ones.
- 3
10 minutes: listening
Listen to something in Chinese. Do not aim for perfect understanding.
- 4
Weekly: one real conversation
Practise with an exchange partner, even for ten minutes.
What free cannot do
Free tools get you a long way. Where paid options help is more daily practice volume, one-to-one correction from a teacher and a structured curriculum. For Chinese, a tutor becomes more valuable once you hit the harder grammar, so consider one later.
Chinese is written in Chinese characters. You learn to read it alongside speaking; you do not have to master it first.
Is there a free app to learn Chinese?
Yes. 4ToSpeak's free plan includes Chinese with no card and no time limit. Paid plans add more daily energy and extras.
Can I become fluent in Chinese for free?
Fluency comes from many hours of practice, not from paying. Free tools can cover a lot of those hours if you are consistent, and a conversation partner covers the speaking you need to apply it.
What does the free plan limit?
Energy. You get 25 a day, about 3 to 4 lessons. It does not limit the four-step loop or the languages.
Where should I start learning Chinese for free?
Start with a few sentences: 你好, 谢谢, 我想喝茶。. Say them out loud, then build from there.
Related guides
More on learning Chinese
Vocabulary
How many words do you need to speak Chinese?
How many Chinese words you need for survival, basic conversation and everyday talk, with a plan for learning the first 1,000 at 5, 10 or 20 words a day.
Read moreSpeaking
Learn to speak Chinese
How to learn to speak Chinese: a week-by-week 30-day plan built on daily sentences you say out loud, plus what to expect and how to keep going.
Read moreDifficulty
Is Chinese hard to learn?
Is Chinese hard to learn for English speakers? Its difficulty band, about 2,200 hours to proficiency, what is easy, what is tricky and how to make it easier.
Read moreBeginners
Learn Chinese for beginners
New to Chinese? Start here: your first words, the sounds to learn, a simple daily routine and the common beginner mistakes to avoid.
Read morePlan it
How long does it take to learn Chinese?
Hours, weeks and a daily plan for English speakers.
Read moreChoose
Best way to learn Chinese speaking
What to look for in an app, and where 4ToSpeak fits.
Read more
Free · no card · 77 languages
Say your first Chinese sentence
Free to start. No card. Pick a sentence and say it.