These Little Corners

2 November 2018 |  Veronica If you haven’t yet, check out Part 1: 8 Reasons Why You Should Learn Cantonese and Part 2: Where to Learn Cantonese in Hong Kong ! Here are some Cantonese-specific tips, apps, and resources to help you learn Cantonese! For general language learning suggestions, I recommend you check out these commonmistakes language learners make and how to fix them. 1. Be prepared to jump between different Romanization systems Unfortunately the limited Cantonese resources out there don’t share a standard Romanization system, so in order to use it all you will need to jump between systems. The most common are Yale (i.e. Hēung Góng   and Jyutping (i.e. hoeng1 gong2). Being comfortable in multiple systems will help you out – at least, until you learn to read Chinese! 2. Pleco Pleco is an amazing app that will allow you to customize the Romanization you want to use. The app has an excellent dictionary (can type in the sounds you hear in Cantone...

1 November 2018 |  Veronica Aren’t sure yet that you should learn Cantonese? Check out part 1 on 8 Reasons Why You Should Learn Cantonese ! Fast, Good, Cheap. Pick two. When it comes to Cantonese classes in Hong Kong, you’ll end up compromising on something. I’ve written this guide based on personal experience and reviews from colleagues with the goal of helping you find the school that best matches your needs. Do you want a crash course for short, daily interactions around the city within weeks? Or do you dream of being able to watch Wong Kar-Wai films without needing subtitles? Read on to find the best Cantonese schools in Hong Kong! *Note: This guide has been written for non-Chinese speakers. Check out the school pages directly for Cantonese courses for Chinese speakers! Language Schools 1.  VTC Recommended for: Quickly learning the basics with once a week classes. At the end you will be able to have short, daily interactions. Hours: 20 hours, on...

31 October 2018 | Veronica Thinking about studying Cantonese? Check out these 8 reasons why you should learn Cantonese. 1. Investing in a foreign language is always beneficial Have you ever heard someone say they regret learning a language? On the other hand, there are numerous benefits . Language skills open up connections and opportunities, save you from paying tourist prices, and set you apart when applying for a new job. 2. It's the local language. Although English is an official language in Hong Kong, and it is possible to survive with only English, your experience in the city will be entirely different and a whole lot friendlier with a bit of survival Cantonese. While Mandarin is beneficial for business purposes, going into local neighborhoods and speaking Mandarin would be a bit like going to a Spanish-speaking country and speaking Portuguese. Don’t be that guy! 3. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of the culture Language shapes the way we inte...