40-minute one-to-one lessons with a teacher trained in teaching Chinese as a foreign language. $39 a lesson, $140 for four — weekday evenings and weekends, Beijing time.
We check your level, hear you speak, and ask what you actually need — a trip next month, a job in Shanghai, or ordering lunch without pointing at the menu.
What we will cover, in what order, and what you practise between lessons. Written down, so you always know where you are.
You speak most of the time. Pronunciation is corrected in the moment, and words you will actually use come first.
Notes after each lesson, plus 10 minutes a day of homework with feedback — enough to keep it moving without eating your week.
All times below are Beijing time. Tell us your city in the form and we will offer slots that fit your day.
| Our slots (Beijing) | Europe | US Eastern |
|---|---|---|
| Weekdays 19:00–23:00 | 13:00–17:00 (afternoon) | 07:00–11:00 (early morning) |
| Weekends, daytime | early morning | Friday & Saturday evening — the best window for US students |
Lessons run on Zoom or WeChat video — whichever you already have. If you need a different time, ask: we keep a few flexible slots each week.
Payment is by PayPal. Once it clears, we email you within 24 hours to lock in your slots.
One 40-minute lesson, a written two-week plan, and notes afterwards. Come with one real situation you want to handle — ordering, a taxi, a hotel desk, a work call — and we work on that.
One lesson at a time. We do not sell blocks of lessons before we have worked together. If you want to keep going after your first lesson, we will suggest the honest number of sessions — not a package.
Questions before paying? Book the free 30-minute diagnostic instead — no payment needed.
Absolute beginners who want to survive their first week in China · people who can read pinyin but freeze when they speak · anyone arriving in China in the next one to three months (a trip, a posting, a family move) · learners who want the words for real situations, not textbook dialogues.
If your goal is a written exam several months away, the self-study courses are better value — you can work through them at your own speed and book lessons later when you want speaking practice. And if you want a fixed weekly class at a fixed hour, ask us: we only open a few recurring slots.
No. Lessons stand on their own. That said, students who also work through the video courses between lessons tend to move faster — and if you buy the course, tell us and we will match the lessons to it.
No — beginners are the most common student. The first lesson starts with pinyin and the sounds English speakers get wrong, then moves straight to phrases you can use.
A phone or laptop, Zoom or WeChat installed, and a quiet corner. Nothing else to buy.
Tell us at least 24 hours before the lesson and we will move it at no cost. For refunds and cancellations, see our Refund Policy.
Two free slots a week. Tell us a little about you and we will reply within 24 hours (usually much faster). Nothing to pay, nothing to install.