It doesn't really matter which you learn first. Just know that Mandarin is useful throughout the entire mainland, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Singapore while Cantonese is useful in basically just Hong Kong. Sure there are parts of Guangdong that speak it, but it functions more as a local dialect.

Is it easier to learn Cantonese or Mandarin first?

Mandarin is easier to learn

Cantonese is seen to be more difficult because it has from 6 to 9 tones, each of which signify different things (while Mandarin only has 4 tones). In addition, because of its greater prevalence, it is easier to find Mandarin study materials than Cantonese study materials.

Which Chinese should I learn Cantonese or Mandarin?

We would recommend you to start learning Mandarin first since it's said to be easier to learn and then build up to Cantonese.

Should I learn Cantonese and Mandarin?

So it seems as though Mandarin is more practical than Cantonese. That's not to say that learning Cantonese is a waste of time, and for some people, it may be the better choice, but for most people wanting to speak "Chinese", Mandarin is the way to go.

Is it worth it to learn Cantonese?

When you speak of the Chinese language, it is very common to think only of two – Mandarin and Cantonese. In essence, Cantonese is the second most spoken Chinese language. ... However, it is still a very important language that is worth learning, especially for business.

Mandarin VS Cantonese: Which one should I learn?

24 related questions found

Is Cantonese a dying language?

According to these experts, Cantonese isn't dying at all. For now. "From a linguistic point of view, it's not endangered at all. It's doing quite well compared to other languages in the China region," said Mr Lau.

Does Babbel teach Cantonese?

Babbel doesn't offer most Asian languages

Cantonese isn't the only language that fails to appear on Babbel. Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Thai also don't have a Babbel course.

Which language is easiest to learn?

10 Easiest Languages for English speakers to learn

1. Afrikaans. Like English, Afrikaans is in the West Germanic language family. ...
2. French. ...
3. Spanish. ...
4. Dutch. ...
5. Norwegian. ...
6. Portuguese. ...
7. Swedish. ...
8. Italian.

Does duolingo teach Mandarin or Cantonese?

At the moment, Duolingo uses the Mandarin Chinese as its Chinese language. The reason why Cantonese doesn't have its own section is probably that many people think that it's too similar to Mandarin.

What is the hardest language to learn?

Mandarin

As mentioned before, Mandarin is unanimously considered the toughest language to master in the world! Spoken by over a billion people in the world, the language can be extremely difficult for people whose native languages use the Latin writing system.

Can Mandarin speakers understand Cantonese?

No, they are completely different languages. Although Cantonese and Mandarin have many similarities, they are not mutually intelligible. This means that, presuming one has no significant exposure or training, a speaker of Mandarin will understand little to nothing of Cantonese and vice-versa.

Will duolingo add Cantonese?

Cantonese is coming :) !!!! Chinese (Cantonese) for Chinese speakers In the Duolingo Incubator.

What is the hardest Chinese dialect to learn?

1. Mandarin Chinese. Interestingly, the hardest language to learn is also the most widely spoken native language in the world. Mandarin Chinese is challenging for a number of reasons.

Is Cantonese the hardest language to learn?

Both Mandarin and Cantonese are Category V languages (the hardest category there is), which require around 2,200 hours of study to achieve the same level of proficiency.

What is the most useful language to learn?

The Most Important Languages To Learn In 2021

1. Mandarin Chinese. With over one billion Mandarin Chinese speakers in the world, of course it tops the list of most important languages to learn in 2021. ...
2. Spanish. ...
3. German. ...
4. French. ...
5. Arabic. ...
6. Russian. ...
7. Portuguese. ...
8. 8. Japanese.

What is hello in Cantonese?

哈囉 is “hello” with a Cantonese pronunciation. We use it to greet people casually, just like you would use “hi” in English. ... 哈囉，你好呀 (haa1 lo3，nei5 hou2 aa3), meaning “hello,” is usually used when you want to greet someone that you aren't close with in a friendly way. It's a more formal Cantonese greeting.

What is the best app for learning Chinese?

Top Mobile Apps To Help You Learn Chinese For Free

• Lingbe (iOS/Android) ...
• Anki (iOS/PC) ...
• Duolingo (iOS/Android) ...
• Memrise (iOS/Android) ...
• Skritter (iOS/Android) ...
• Hello Chinese (iOS/Android) ...
• ChineseSkill (iOS/Android)

Is Duolingo bad for learning Chinese?

Can I learn Chinese on Duolingo? Yes. Duolingo supports many languages, and Mandarin is indeed one of them. ... For beginner to intermediate level there's no doubt Duolingo is one of the better Chinese learning apps there is.

Is Duolingo banned in China?

Duolingo Inc., a Pittsburgh company that makes a popular language-learning app, was removed from some app stores in China, signaling the government's crackdown on for-profit education may be extending beyond the country's shores.

What language is closest to English?

The closest language to English is one called Frisian, which is a Germanic language spoken by a small population of about 480,000 people. There are three separate dialects of the language, and it's only spoken at the southern fringes of the North Sea in the Netherlands and Germany.

What is the top 10 hardest language to learn?

Top 10 Hardest Languages For Translators to Learn

1. Mandarin. Mandarin is a language within the Chinese language group and is actually the most spoken language in the world. ...
2. Arabic. ...
3. 3. Japanese. ...
4. Hungarian. ...
5. Korean. ...
6. Finnish. ...
7. Basque. ...
8. Navajo.

What language should I learn first?

Python is always recommended if you're looking for an easy and even fun programming language to learn first. Rather than having to jump into strict syntax rules, Python reads like English and is simple to understand for someone who's new to programming.

Is Rosetta Stone Chinese Mandarin or Cantonese?

Rosetta Stone incorporates practising Mandarin pronunciations into every lesson with a patented speech recognition engine called TruAccent. TruAccent encourages language learners to repeat words or phrases, comparing your accent to that of native Chinese speakers and providing instantaneous feedback for improvement.

What's the hardest language to learn for non English speakers?

Japanese is ranked by the U.S. Foreign Services Institute as the most difficult language for native English speakers to learn. The institute uses the time it takes to learn a language to determine its difficulty 23-24 weeks for the easiest and 88 weeks for the hardest.

Which language is the most difficult to pronounce?

Hungarian is sometimes described as the most difficult language for an English speaker to learn. It comes from an Uralic route, which is unusual in world languages. Gyógyszertár means 'pharmacy'. It contains 'gy' and 'sz' sounds, both of which can be difficult for non-native speakers.