The taster course starts with the words you need first in China: nǐ hǎo, zàijiàn, xièxie and the apology duìbùqǐ. Then come the phrases for introducing yourself and the two questions that come up most often in daily life: the time and the price.
What makes Chinese special are the tones: the same syllable means something different depending on its pitch. That is why the tone is always part of the image in these lessons. A trampoline means: down and back up again. Something pointed or sharp-edged means: falling. A cable car means: rising. The horizon means: level. And anything soft is spoken softly.
That way you memorise not only how a word sounds but also how it is pitched – which is exactly where most beginners come unstuck.