London Mandarin Learners

4.9•831 ratings

About us

This is a group for anyone wishing to learn Mandarin. We aim to provide a friendly community for anyone learning or wishing to learn Mandarin Chinese. We welcome people of all levels from beginner to native speaker. Founded, October 2009.

Joining the meetup group
To be a member of this group, you need to have a profile photo in which you are recognizable as yourself. This helps people recognize each other at meetups. This is required for all members joining after January 2022. For all members of the group, please do not use AI generated photos and photos of other people. Also, please join the group with your actual name and in your personal capacity, not as a company or organization.

Member information
As from June 2024, regular Meetup members (without an organizer subscription)

Can view the information on the home page and event pages of public meetup groups.
Can view names but not profile pictures on attendee lists for events.
Cannot view the full members list.
Can view the list of organizers.

March 2026 Reading Text
Stories of the Sahara - Ch. 16 - Hitchhikers
撒哈拉的故事 - 16 - 搭车客（节录）
作者：三毛

The Three Body Problem - Ch. 17 - Three Body: Newton, Von Neumann, the First Emperor, and Tri-Solar Syzygy
三体 - 17 - 三体、牛顿、冯·诺依曼、秦始皇、三日连珠（节录）
作者：刘慈欣

Links to all reading text files
Chinese text with pinyin and selected vocabulary and explanations provided in Google Sheets. Best viewed on Chrome or Firefox browsers.

March 2026 Topics
Mar 4 - All Mandarin Online Conversation Meetup - Advanced Learners
你有什么特别的才能？你最欣赏的才能是什么？
What special talents do you have? What talent do you admire most?
(suggested by Angela)

Mar 7 - Mandarin English Conversation Practice - Saturday Afternoon Online
你有什么特别的才能？你最欣赏的才能是什么？
What special talents do you have? What talent do you admire most?
(suggested by Angela)

Mar 11 - All Mandarin Online Conversation Meetup - Advanced Learners
你们日常会不会想自我提升还是会顺其自然？
Do you generally think about self-improvement or just let things take their natural course?
(suggested by Blanche)

Mar 18 - All Mandarin Online Conversation Meetup - Advanced Learners
引诱
Temptation(s)
e.g. chocolate - 巧克力
(suggested by Jan)

Mar 18 - Late Night Event - Learning Mandarin Online through Song Sharing
Songs about being a certain age.
有关具体年龄的歌曲
(from Audrey)

Mar 21 - Mandarin English Conversation Practice - Saturday Afternoon Online
不爱汽车爱什么？
If you don't love cars, what do you love?
(suggested by Angela)

Mandarin Language Groups
We run small groups for beginners and intermediate learners so they can build up their Mandarin language skills in a friendly, constructive environment. Advanced learners can practice with each other and help beginners. Once or twice a month we will have social and reading meetups for learners of all levels, held online on Zoom, or offline in a venue likely to be in London. We will also try to organize outdoor language exchange events for the group.

Zoom meetings
Please note that in our Zoom meetings, participants are encouraged to use the Zoom chat window to write down words and expressions to help each other learn. No participant has the right to restrict how and when another participant uses the chat window. The host has overall responsibility for how the meetup is conducted. Where there is anti-social behaviour, such should be reported to the host.

Event Cancellation
Some groups cancel events at the last minute because there are too few signups. We will not do this. If an event is announced, it will be held. Unless there is inclement weather, a natural disaster or a serious transport strike, there will not be a cancellation.
If an event can only be held if a certain number of members sign up, this will be stated on the event page when the event is announced.

No-Flake, Zero No-show group
Group events often involve reservations at restaurants and hiring of venues. Organizers have to put in a lot of effort to set up the event. Members might change work schedules and travel far to meet other members. It is inconsiderate to the group and its members to sign up for in-person events and then send in a last-minute cancellation or do a no-show.

No-shows and flake outs undermine the relationship between organizers and members, and destroy the community spirit of meetups. The attendance record has a large role to play in deciding how we host future events, and in the extreme case, if we can even have events.

We should try to make our group a no-flake, zero no-show group. Let's make a commitment to respect each other, and support group events by showing up.

‘People feel they don’t owe anyone anything’: the rise in ‘flaking’ out of social plans - The Guardian

No-shows:
If you sign up for an event, please show up. If you have a schedule change and can't make it, please change your RSVP to "Not going". All no-shows in all meetups from 2022 onwards have been marked as such, so the attendee lists all reflect actual attendance. For in-person meetups, no-shows will be recorded when and where it is practical to do so.

Group Links:
London Mandarin Learners Pages (Google Sheets)
Screenshots of all LML Pages (Google Docs)
Event Notes - 2022
Group Message Board - Archive - feature removed by Meetup in July 2024
Group Mailing List - Archive - feature removed by Meetup in July 2024
List of links to Reading Text - 2022
List of Chinese English Language Exchange and Learning meetup groups in the UK and North America