Now we get down to the really useful stuff ?¡ìC how to go shopping. Essential if you want to make the most of China??s thousands of markets. Shopper??s heaven!

Ask any language student about the challenges of learning Chinese, and they??ll probably tell you that the four tones bring them out in a cold sweat. It doesn??t have to be that way! The tones are actually pretty straightforward, as this podcast shows. And if you want lots of practice identifying different tones, plus a tongue twister for fun, just dive into the review exercises.

Fancy some Chinese food? Well, in China, it??s not as easy as the take-a-way around the corner. Scared? Don??t be??unless you order the neck of the duck. We??ll make sure you can order noodles and rice??and maybe some meat to go with that.

You??ve ordered correctly, well done! How, how is it? Chances are some of the cuisine might not sit right with you, so perhaps we??ll tell you how to say ???I don??t like it!???

Wow??lesson 13 already? You??ve got your formalities down and can even hold your own ordering dinner. Perhaps you??re even getting a little cocky? Let??s see if you can follow your first story??and if not, feel free to listen again; after all, it is free??

Wei?! Most likely, this is the word that will stick with you??all day??and night??even in your sleep. So what is it exactly? We??re not sure??and neither are the Chinese, but you still need to learn it??as well as phone basics.

Of course you??re going to put your Mandarin to work while traveling around China, but do you really want to plan your holiday when 1.4 billion plan theirs? Then you??d better learn how to ask about holidays??we??ll help, just don??t call us when you can??t find a hotel.

Just because she??s in her 60??s doesn??t mean she won??t take all of your ???yuan??? in a mean game of mahjong, but if you insist, we??d better at least explain numbers. We??ll throw in days and months as well.

You don??t have a name card? You must be joking! Don??t show up in China without one??and use both hands when giving and taking! What are we going to do with you? Here??s the polite way of exchanging those with a client.

If you??re going to speak Chinese, you have to act Chinese??which means you cannot survive without a mobile. So do you want to buy the black one, or the blue one? Blue does match those eyes??and we??ll give you that little magical phrase that means ???to be able/could I? / Go ahead /is this cool???? you??ll thank us, I promise. You??re welcome really??no problem (we??ll teach ya that as well).

Roses are green, violets are red??it wouldn??t make sense back home, nor would it here either, so you??d best familiarize yourself with colors.

You??ve done well??very well, and it??s not that we don??t have faith in you, but it has been 19 lessons and we need to make sure you??ve grasped it??and to reward your effort, we??ll take you shopping??or at least show you how.

Now, you??re doing well with your ???hello???, but it can only take you so far??what??s your name? His? Your address? Shanghai taxi drivers would love for you not to listen to this lesson??

Is it the surname first? Or the given name? And how do you introduce yourself? AGH! No worries, we??ve all been there, Smith John; and we??re going to get through these proper introductions??together.

???Call me at the office when you land,??? your friend says. So you do??in English. Which doesn??t work here. Better know some phone basics, unless you actually envied Tom Hanks in ???The Terminal???.