The book is designed to assist learners at the A1 level of Mandarin Chinese. It contains 250 phrases and sentences, each numbered for easy reference. The first are short and gradually get longer. (It should be noted that CEFR level A1 is approximately equivalent to HSK levels 1 and 2.)

Each sentence appears in simplified Chinese characters (as used in China), followed by its pinyin romanization, traditional Chinese characters (as used outside of China), and finally, an English translation.

The corresponding track number and time stamp are provided for each sentence, allowing you to easily match the audio with the text.

The sentences in this book are randomly selected and do not cover all vocabulary for the A1 level, but the repetition of similar structures and vocabulary is intentional to aid in fluency and vocabulary building.

Random Mandarin Chinese is not just a book to read and listen to, but also a tool to actively practice and improve your language skills. As you work through the sentences, try making variations by changing the persons, places, and objects in each sentence. Practice making negative sentences and try to adapt them to be true for yourself. This book is designed to be interactive and to be used in a way that works best for you. So don’t be afraid to experiment and make the sentences your own. The more you practice, the more you’ll find your fluency and vocabulary growing.