Would You Like to Learn Mandarin?

  • Do you know how many people speak Mandarin in the world?
  • Do you know China is one of America's largest trading partners?
  • Would you like a better understanding of Chinese art and culture? 
  • Do you want to be able to communicate with your Chinese friends, business partners, spouses or others?

Please Join Us!

  • Mandarin is easy, fun and interesting
  • Chinese characters are unique forms of art
  • Mandarin is the first spoken language in the world
  • More than 1.4 billion people speak Mandarin
  • Learning Mandarin can help your career

written characters

Already Know Some Mandarin?

You may be eligible to skip certain lower-level courses. This is called "clearing" a prerequisite.

Certificates of Achievement

We offer certificate programs that are designed to offer students expanded opportunities in their careers, family and social lives, and other spheres.

Many Bay Area companies and employers do business in China, Taiwan, Singapore and other Asian countries. The tech industry is especially interested in employing people who know Mandarin. It's also a valuable skill in other fields, including law and government.

Studying the Mandarin language can also be valuable in other ways.  California has a rich diversity of cultures and traditions, including those brought by Mandarin-speaking immigrants. In addition to satisfying a foreign-language requirement, learning Mandarin can help promote multicultural understanding and spur both personal and intellectual growth.

Plan Your Progress!

We provide first-year and second-year language courses, each spanning a quarter, dedicated to developing practical Mandarin communication skills. Classes coverg reading, writing, listening, speaking as well as cultural components. These courses lead to the attainment of a Certificate of Achievement and an Advanced Certificate of Achievement in Mandarin Language and Culture.

Additionally, we offer quarter-long courses leading to a Certificate of Achievement in Mandarin Translation and Interpretation, for students with experience in Mandarin and English. These specialized courses are designed to equip students with the practical skills pursuing careers as interpreters and translators in diverse fields, including business, law, healthcare, national security, K-12 education settings and beyond.

Offered in Fall Quarter Offered in Winter Quarter Offered in Spring Quarter
MAND 1: Elementary Mandarin I MAND 1: Elementary Mandarin I MAND 1: Elementary Mandarin I
MAND 3: Elementary Mandarin III MAND 2: Elementary Madarin II MAND 2: Elementary Madarin II
MAND 4: Intermediate Mandarin I MAND 5: Intermediate Mandarin II MAND 3: Elementary Mandarin III
MAND 51: Introduction to Translation and Interpreting MAND 52: Mandarin Grammar and Composition MAND 6: Intermediate Mandarin III
MAND 53: Mandarin/English Linguistics Analysis   MAND 54: Sight Translation

Summer classes: We offer MAND 1 or MAND 2 during summer session. The schedule is subject to change based on class enrollment.


Understanding Prerequisites

Each course in Mandarin is designed to prepare you for the next one: Most students should take MAND 1 before MAND 2, and MAND 2 before MAND 3. These are called prerequisites.

If you already speak some Mandarin, or studied Mandarin in high school or another college, you may be eligible to skip one or more classes in the sequence. This is called clearing a prerequisite. You must follow the clearance process so that we can accurately assess your ability – and support your success!

In general:

  • One year of high school language instruction is equivalent to one quarter at De Anza. For example, if you took Mandarin 1 in high school, you may be eligible to start with Mandarin 2 at De Anza.
  • If you skip one or more levels at De Anza, you will not receive college credit on your transcript for the courses you skipped.

Visit the World Languages Prerequsite Clearance webpage for detailed instructions and a link to the required form for requesting a prerequisite clearance.

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