Question 1

How do I choose the right Chinese programme?

Accepted Answer

Two main entry points at Linguaphone. Our remote lessons are the most flexible format to reactivate and develop your speaking and comprehension skills at a pace that suits you. For fully tailor-made support around a specific block, a new role or a targeted goal, go for individual coaching with a dedicated trainer. Your Linguaphone advisor helps you pick the right format based on your starting level and your goal.

Question 2

Mandarin or Cantonese?

Accepted Answer

Mandarin is the official language of mainland China and Taiwan, the language of business and the vast majority of professional exchanges: it's the variant we work on by default, and the one that matches most corporate needs. If your context is specifically geared toward southern China or Hong Kong, speak to your advisor so we can look at the best option together. We assign you a native or bilingual trainer suited to your context.

Question 3

What level do I need to start a Chinese course?

Accepted Answer

No prerequisite. We train from complete beginners to advanced learners. Before you start, we run a free placement test, written and oral, to pinpoint your level, identify your strengths and gaps, and calibrate the pathway accordingly. Whether you're refreshing prior knowledge or starting from scratch, your trainer adapts every session to your real progression (speaking, writing, characters, tones).

Question 4

How is the Chinese course adapted to my profession?

Accepted Answer

Every Linguaphone pathway is tailor-made. We start from your real situations and priorities, and your native or bilingual trainer shapes practice sessions around your area of expertise (international trade, industry, luxury, finance, negotiation, client relations, etc.). You work on your own documents and real exchanges with your Chinese counterparts to become operational fast.

Question 5

Can I start at any time of the year?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Our Chinese courses run on rolling enrolment: you start as soon as your level has been tested and your pathway built, without waiting for a fixed intake or a group. You train remotely, at a pace that fits your schedule, with a trainer who knows the corporate environment.

Question 6

Are Chinese courses eligible for CPF funding?

Accepted Answer

CPF eligibility for a Chinese course depends on whether the training is paired with a recognised certification suited to your goal: your Linguaphone advisor will review feasibility with you based on your project. Since the decree of 26 February 2026, CPF funding for language training is capped at €1,500 with a mandatory personal contribution of €150. In most cases, funding will rather go through your OPCO, your company's skills development plan, FNE-Formation, AGEFICE or FIF-PL depending on your situation. Our team handles the funding application with you.

Question 7

How do your in-company Chinese training programmes work?

Accepted Answer

For in-company training, we send a native or bilingual trainer to your site, in Paris, Mulhouse, Dijon, Strasbourg, or directly to your office and industrial locations (or remotely for multi-site setups). Sessions are scheduled around your teams' working hours, in one-to-one format or small groups of matched levels (up to 6 learners), with attendance, progression and satisfaction tracking centralised for your training department. It's a format particularly suited to mid-cap groups and large accounts active in the Chinese market (sourcing, engineering, luxury, automotive, R&D), as well as French subsidiaries of Chinese groups based in France.

Question 8

What's the difference between one-to-one and group Chinese classes?

Accepted Answer

One-to-one classes are 100% personalised: a dedicated trainer and a programme calibrated to your specific challenges, ideal for breaking through a sticking point, preparing for a posting in Beijing, Shanghai or Shenzhen, or moving fast on a precise objective. Group classes bring together 2 to 6 learners of matched level: they prioritise team cohesion, interactive dynamics and a shared hourly cost, which fits particularly well within a corporate skills development plan.

Question 9

How long does it take to reach an operational Mandarin level?

Accepted Answer

The Council of Europe estimates an average of 200 hours of training to move up one CEFR level in European languages, but Mandarin belongs to a linguistic family very far from French. The tonal system (4 tones plus a neutral tone), Chinese characters and the absence of cognates require a larger investment, generally estimated at 2.5 to 3 times the duration of Romance languages. Our flipped-classroom method, which combines pinyin, speaking, comprehension and high-frequency characters, helps you gain efficiency. In practice, we calibrate the duration to your goal: reactivating prior knowledge, reaching an operational everyday level, or aiming for a professional level with HSK certification.

Question 10

Do you teach simplified or traditional characters?

Accepted Answer

Simplified characters are used in mainland China and Singapore; traditional characters in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao. For the vast majority of professional contexts (mainland China = leading market), we work with simplified characters and pinyin (the official Latin transcription). If your context is specifically geared toward Taiwan or Hong Kong, we adapt the materials to the traditional system and assign you a trainer from the relevant region.

Our Chinese courses

Language training built for professionals

Improve your spoken skills

Remote lessons

Individual coaching

Immersion stay

Our method

1. We assess

2. We build

3. You progress

4. We certify

Frequently asked questions

Need a custom program?