chinesetocfl ain 113 days
From your first 你好 to life in Taipei: 1238 words of TOCFL Band A in traditional characters, in bites of one to three minutes.
- free, no sign-up
- follows TOCFL Band A
- traditional · audio · exams
- 0 xp
- 0 day streak
- 0 / 1238 words met
- 0 cards due
- 0 / 113 dots
at a glance
TOCFL Band A (levels 1–2, CEFR A1–A2). About 20 minutes a day, in bites of one to three minutes.
- 113days
- 15units
- 1,238words
- 150grammar points
- 39writing & speaking tasks
- 2practice exams
pick your pace
People who decide when and how much stick with it far more often. Pick one: you can change it any time.
No pace picked yet. Steady is a great start.
your path
113 dots in 15 units. Every lesson is open, so jump anywhere. The pink dot is your next one.
unit 1 · hello & me
unit 2 · time & my day
unit 3 · food & money
unit 4 · around town
unit 5 · class, body & weather
unit 6 · people, feelings & seasons
unit 7 · work & study
unit 8 · home & free time
unit 9 · getting around & shopping
unit 10 · family & feelings
unit 11 · school & work
unit 12 · home, nature & daily life
unit 13 · free time & friends
unit 14 · travel & health
unit 15 · shopping, food & the exam
free tools
- all 1238 words
Search, filter by unit, hear every word.
- card play
Flip cards that come back just before you forget, a memory match and a speed round.
- writing studio
Every new character with animated stroke order: watch, trace, write from memory.
- tone trainer
Hear a syllable, pick its tone. Real recordings, endless rounds.
- practice exams
Two practice exams in the TOCFL Band A layout: listening and reading, 50 questions each.
print & share
Branded PDFs to print, stick on the fridge or send to a friend who wants to learn with you.
questions & answers
Is it free?
Yes. Every lesson, the audio and both practice exams are free, with no sign-up and no ads.
How long does it take?
113 days of about 20 minutes: 96 learning days, 15 mission days that bring each unit back in one story, and 2 practice exams. Go lighter or faster whenever you like.
Does it match the TOCFL Band A exam?
It teaches the vocabulary of TOCFL Band A (Novice 1 and 2, Level 1 and Level 2 of the 2024 word list: 1229 words, plus 9 everyday extras like 你好, 好吃 and 便利商店), the grammar of the basic tier of Taiwan’s TBCL standard, and practice exams in the Band A layout: listening and reading, 50 questions each. It is our own course, not official TOCFL material.
Why traditional characters?
Taiwan writes traditional characters (學, 臺灣, 說), and so does the TOCFL. You learn them from day 1. Each word also knows its simplified form, so mainland texts will not be a mystery later.
Taiwan Mandarin or mainland Mandarin?
Taiwan Mandarin: Taiwan words (捷運, 計程車, 機車, 腳踏車) and Taiwan readings (星期 xīngqí, 垃圾 lèsè). Both are the same language and understand each other easily; we point out the differences as they come up.
Pinyin or zhuyin?
Pinyin (Hanyu Pinyin), which Taiwan also uses on signs and in the TOCFL word list. We do not teach zhuyin (bopomofo), the phonetic alphabet Taiwanese children learn; you will see it in Taiwan, and it is a nice next step.
Can I practise writing?
Yes, the characters of the first 300 words or so. Our stroke animations follow the mainland standard shapes: a few traditional characters are drawn a little differently in Taiwan, so check a Taiwan stroke-order dictionary if you want the exact Taiwan form.
Where is my progress saved?
Only in this browser, on this device. Nothing is sent to us, and clearing your browser data resets it.
after this course
Carry on with Chinese TOCFL B in 220 days: it builds on everything you learn here.
back up my progress
Your progress lives in this browser. Copy the code to move it to another phone or computer, then paste it there.