how difficult will it be to visit shangi and not speak mandarin?

Question

i want to study abroad there but dnt kno the language

Answer 1

One of my tenant does not understand Mandarin at all, she seem to enjoy her stay in Shanghai.



You know, simple body and sign language can get you pretty much anyway. There is also a pretty large contingent of foreigners in Shanghai.



Restaurant got picture menu, shop owner have calculator to bargain with you if 10 fingers is not enough, flash a name card and the taxi driver will get you to where you want.....



First thing you want to do though, know someone who speak your language as well as Mandarin, ask for his / her no, have a mobile handy, if you are stuck, call.

Answer 2

It's not that difficult if you understand English and speak English fluently and clearly. There are programs in China specifically designed for those who do not understand Chinese but wish to study in China. Just dig around and you'll eventually come up with one. I recommend taking a basic Chinese course before going there, assuming that your high school or college has one. If there is one, then ask the professor/teacher if there is an exchange program. Otherwise, try finding a tutor or a online Chinese course before heading off to China. It will make your life easier in the long run. Shanghai is a tourist city, and as they are preparing for the 2010 expo and as they are a tourist/business city, many people understand at least the most basic of English. One more thing: Maybe you should try going there as a traveler first to decide whether or not you would like to stay there and study.

Answer 3

Standard Mandarin, or Standard Chinese, is the official modern Chinese spoken language used in mainland China and Taiwan, and is one of the four official languages of Singapore.



The phonology of Standard Mandarin is based on the Beijing dialect of Mandarin, a large and diverse group of Chinese dialects spoken across northern and southwestern China. The vocabulary is largely drawn from this group of dialects. The grammar is standardized to the body of modern literary works written in Vernacular Chinese, which in practice follows the same tradition of the Mandarin dialects with some notable exceptions. As a result, Standard Mandarin itself is usually just called "Mandarin" in non-academic, everyday usage. However, linguists use "Mandarin" to refer to the entire language. This convention will be adopted in the rest of this article.





English isn't common at all there. In most countries, the people servicing the tourism industry (ie hotel clerks, etc) can all speak English. It isn't common even in that industry in China.



BTW, the other poster is completely wrong. While there is an awful lot of outsourcing of manufacturing jobs to China, there are virtually no telemarketing jobs there. I think he is confusing China and India -- where quite a few call centers are located.



India was a British colony until 1947 so quite a few people learned to speak English and it is still commonly taught and spoken there.



China isolated itself from the outside world until the 1970s so there was little reason for schoolchildren to learn English.



Also I'd note that unlike French or Spanish, Mandarin Chinese contains no common ancestry with English. You don't find words that remind you of similar English words like biblioteca and bibliography. They don't even share an alphabet.



Shanghai is an international cosmopolitan city...so it would be a lot easier than the rest of China, but China is one of the most difficult places for an English speaker to adjust to.



# Shanghai: 10 Things to Do in 24 Hours

# Shanghai: 5 Places to Stay

# Shanghai: Finding the Perfect Souvenir

# Shanghai: Shooting it Like a Pro

# Shanghai: Side Trips

# Shanghai: Need to Know

# 36 Hours in Shanghai



http://www.visitchn.com/travel

Answer 4

Well, since you will be studying abroad you are going to China to learn.



A good idea is to start learning Chinese now. Most everyone on Shanghai understands Mandarin, but their form of Mandarin is far from standard. Shanghai has their own dialect, plus it attracts workers from all over China, so lingua franca most times is Mandarin.



You can get by with knowing limited Chinese, but expect to be frustrated in not getting exactly what you want and hand gestures.



Since you know you are going, start studying now as much as you can. You will thank yourself and have much easier time and more fun!

Answer 5

Having lived and traveled in China extensively, I would say, expect it to be challenging but rewarding. There is no place like China and it is an awesome place to visit. While it is true, that many people do speak some English, most taxi drivers and common people do not. Additionally, when you ask for directions Chinese people will point or give you directions even if they do NOT know what you are talking about. This is cultural, and they will not admit they don't know due to the fear of losing face. Do your research ahead of time. Figure out where you want to go and then use Google maps to figure out how to get around. Buy a map at your hotel or possibly on line before you go, and study it copiously! Use the English-speaking hotel staff to get directions ahead of time. Tour guides are not that expensive, so you may want to seriously consider hiring one. Always, always, get a card with the name of your hotel in English and Chinese ( practice with a Chinese person saying it, so you can do it well enough to be understood) as soon as you arrive, and make sure you have your destination written down in Chinese before you go out to tour. Keep the card handy so you can get back to your hotel. There is NOTHING more terrifying than being dumped off somewhere in the dark, in the middle of no where, in a foreign country! ( Been there, done that myself!) Carry you passport and documents with u as u often need to show these when you register at the hotel etc. Keep a photocopy elsewhere in case of them getting lost/stolen. Crime is very mild in China, but pickpockets are VERY common. Foreigners are easy targets, so get a money belt that u wear under your clothing. You can have a wonderful trip, but you must do your homework ahead of time. Also, memorize the numbers 1-10 in Chinese before hand, so you can understand and pay for your fares etc. Know that you are expected to bargain, and that you should do this. ( for example, if they ask for 70 yuan offer 45 and then you can go up by 3-5 dollar increments until u strike a bargain,

( 7 yuan is is about 1 U.S. dollar, but do check the exchange rate before hand). Bargaining is fun too, once u get the hang of it! People will try to take advantage of you if you do not seem to know what u are doing. Try ur best to have correct change (carry smaller bills and get change before u leave your hotel) when taking taxis, as this is the easiest way that you can end up getting ripped off with counterfeit money. Most of all, go and have a good time. Be open minded and willing to try different things. Chinese people are very warm and friendly and generally, are very curious about foreigners. Students will love to meet you, so that they can practice their English. Expect to be treated somewhat like a celebrity, as people will want your attention, ur autograph or photo, and will point and stare at you. Hope this helps some. Have a great trip and enjoy yourself!

Answer 6

If you dont speak any chinese you can come around well. The only problem will be that it will be more expensive.



taxis will rip you off

You have to go in bigger more expensive hotels (smaller cheaper hotels dont speak english)

have to eat in more expensive places that have a english menu.



and so on.



Shanghai can be PRETTY expensive if you dont speak an chinese. So be prepared to spend more then u think u will. i calculate about



~5000-10000 Rmb a month

Answer 7

shanghai? well in china, very few people speak english. the signs are all in chinglish. It would be best if you try to learn to speak some basic mandarin. whenever you travel to a foreign country, you should always try to learn basic phrases of the language.

Answer 8

It is quite ok, Shanghai is a tourist place. Some know english, trust me, it's not that bad, been there :P

Answer 9

well everywhere you go there will be english practically.

and actually shanghai people dont speak mandarin as their common tongue they speak their own dialect known as shanghaiese.



go go go you'll love it!!!

Answer 10

many people speak wu

Answer 11

absolutely easy...

toursists are always welcome here...