it was a lot easier learning it growing up.
i know all the basics, i can communicate fairly well with other mandarin-speakers, but i find it’s hard for me to understand some more specific words and figures of speech.
and my grammar is just plain horrendous.
i think if i’d concentrated more on it while i was a kid, it wouldn’t be so hard to talk to more advanced (native) speakers.
i speak it at home, but i speak chinglish, and fill in words that i don’t know with english.
and i can’t write it.
i know my name and like 12 more words.
i should have paid more attention when i was younger.
if you’re learning it now, it’s definitely worth it.
it’s a fun language, but you really have to concentrate on getting your pronunciation right.
you can’t keep your voice monotone, or neglect to roll your tounge when it’s called for.
i’m taiwanese, and we tend to be more casual on our pronunciation, so i can’t understand chinese people well.