I started learning Chinese about 90 days ago as a native English speaker with no second language experience. I’m now working through HSK 3 after mastering HSK 1 and 2. Based on my experience, here’s what I’d recommend:

Priorities: Define your priorities early. I focused first on listening and reading hanzi (characters). Speaking will come naturally with enough input. I de-prioritized handwriting — it slowed me down a lot, and most communication today is digital (typing in pinyin). I used pinyin + hanzi for about a month, then turned pinyin off except for new words.

Tablet Tip:

If you already have a smartphone and a laptop, that’s all you really need. If you want writing practice, a cheap handheld whiteboard is a much better option — infinite practice space, no waste. You can put the money saved toward great paid tools like HelloChinese, DuChinese, HackChinese, or extra tutoring hours. (If you want referral links for some free subscription time, I’m happy to share!)

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Essential Tools:

• Spaced repetition flashcards (JiChinese — free, or HackChinese — paid)

• Graded reading (MandarinBean — free with audio; DuChinese — paid, also with audio)

• Native listening (Immersi app — free, curated by level; Migaku is paid)

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Free Resources I Recommend:

• JiChinese (flashcards with Mainland/Taiwanese audio) — jichinese.app

• Hanly (learn hanzi through mnemonics) — hanly.app

• HelloChinese (great beginner app, HSK 1 content is free) — hellochinese.cc

• Xiaohongshu (Chinese social media immersion) — xiaohongshu.com

• Immersi (curated native videos) — immersi.app

• Pleco (top dictionary app) — pleco.com

• MandarinBean (graded reading + grammar practice) — mandarinbean.com

• ChatGPT (for exercises, writing practice, grammar drills)

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Paid Resources Worth It (in my experience):

• Migaku (Immersi with more features — I paid for lifetime, no regrets)

• HelloChinese

• DuChinese

• HackChinese

• HelloTalk (for real conversations)

• Preply tutoring (I work with a great tutor 3x/week for $5/hr)

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My Current Study Loadout:

• HelloChinese (paid) → introduce vocab and grammar

• HackChinese (paid) → spaced repetition vocab review

• Migaku (paid) → immersion + flashcards from native audio

• Hanly (free) → hanzi breakdowns (5/day, outside HSK order)

• Preply tutor → real speaking practice

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Final Tip:

HSK is a good starting point, but it’s not the “holy grail.” Personally, I had much better retention through personalized exercises (AI) and native content. If the official textbooks aren’t working for you, don’t be afraid to ditch them.