Dialects Archives - Fluency Corp

Spanish Dialects: The Different Varieties of Spanish

If you are thinking about taking Spanish classes, it’s important to keep in mind the variety of Spanish you want to learn. Most people think of Spanish as a single language. However, Spanish actually has a number of different dialects.

As an English speaker, you know that there are differences in vocabulary and pronunciation in the different countries where English is spoken — and even among different regions of the United States.

Spanish is the same way. While all Spanish dialects share a common origin, each one has its own unique features. You’ll get the most out of your language-learning time if you focus on the dialect of Spanish you’ll be using. For example, are you learning Spanish because you plan to be a digital nomad in Spain? Or do you want to be able to speak Spanish because you want to converse more with your co-workers from Mexico? Knowing which dialect of Spanish you want to learn will help you select the best language-training program for you.

Today we want to introduce you to some of the more widely spoken Spanish dialects.

Castilian Spanish

This form of Spanish is the official language of Spain. It is the dialect that is most commonly taught in schools and used in formal settings such as news broadcasts and government speeches. Castilian Spanish is characterized by its clear pronunciation and use of formalized verb tenses.

In Spain, they use the vosotros form of the verb to talk to a group of more than one person: “You all (you guys) are doing a great job today.”

In Spain they would use the subject and verb agreement for vosotros, but in all Spanish-speaking countries south of the U.S., they would use ustedes to express you plural.

For example – “Do you (all) want to come?”
In Spain: ¿Vosotros queréis venir?
In Mexico/Central and South America: ¿Ustedes quieren venir?

Latin American Spanish

Latin American Spanish is spoken in Mexico, Central America, and South America. It is characterized by its use of informal verb tenses and more relaxed pronunciation. Latin American Spanish often borrows words from indigenous languages such as Nahuatl and Quechua.

Of course, there are also variations in Spanish among all of these countries. For example, in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Nicaragua and Guatemala, Vos refers to the TÚ (informal you). TÚ is typically used in all other Spanish-speaking countries. Also, special to Argentina, sos means you are. Most other Spanish-speaking countries would use eres.

Andalusian Spanish

Andalusian Spanish is spoken in the southern region of Spain. This dialect started diverging from Castilian Spanish centuries ago. Because of immigration, Andalusian Spanish influenced Latin American Spanish.

Peninsular Catalan

Peninsular Catalan is the Spanish dialect spoken in the Catalonia region of Spain. It shares many similarities with both Castilian Spanish and Andalusian Spanish but also has its own unique features, such as the use of double negatives.

How to Choose the Right Spanish Class for You

You’ll get the most out of your Spanish classes if your instructor is a native speaker of the same Spanish dialect you want to master. For example, if you are studying Spanish because you work with clients in Mexico, choose an instructor from Mexico.nnAt Fluency Corp, our Spanish classes are tailored to your unique needs. You can zero in both the dialect you want to master as well as the specific vocabulary you need for work and other activities. Set up a free consultation by contacting us at getfluent@fluencycorp.com or (800) 401-3159.

British English Language Dialects

Group Of Happy Multi Ethnic Students Standing In Front Of Uk Flag Showing Thumb Up

When you think of English, you might think of the vocabulary and accent of the English-speaking region you grew up in. Or you might think of the English you learned at school. The truth is English is the official language of many countries around the world. That means there are many different accents and variations depending on the country.

Now imagine the many variations of English that exist within just one country! Oh yeah, it’s true, in just one country you can find different English dialects. England is the perfect example of that.

Of course all British can understand each other, because after all they speak the same language. Nonetheless, there are still some differences in vocabulary and accent from region to region.

On this blog we’re going to show you some of the different language dialects from England along with some British accents in general. This guide will be useful for when you have to travel to England. But especially, to pick the type of British English you’d like to learn.

Cockney

This is one of the most popular British accents out there and it belongs in London. It goes back to the 1840s. Its name refers to the cockneys of London’s East End, as they used this accent. That’s why cockney dialect still refers to the working class of that part of London. Market traders used to use this accent, and some still do till this day.

With this dialect came along the “rhyming slang”. An example of this rhyming slang would be: “Bees and money” for “honey”.

A particular sound of this type of British accent is that they replace the “th” sound for an “f”. They also tend to drop the “t” that are in the middle or at the end of words. Another thing is that they also tend to drop the “h” sound.

Yorkshire

Yorkshire is known to be England’s largest county, which is also called “God’s Own Country” by its people. The Yorkshire accent is also called “Broad Yorkshire” or “tyke”.

The Yorkshire dialect replaces the classic “the” sound for the glottal stop, so it’s more like “t”.

A very particular thing about this dialect is how they say “anything” as “owt”. As well as how they say “nothing” as “nowt”. And “summat” for “something”. So if you ever go to this beautiful county, beware of these words, so you don’t get confused.

They also use “thee”, “thou” and “ye” to refer to someone as “you”.

If you visit Yorkshire and someone says “nah then” or “eyup” to you, they’re basically saying “hi”. And if they ask “ow do”, they’re asking how you are.

If you want to say “thanks” in tyke, say it like them “ta”. Yes, they do have a lot of these particular words in their vocabulary that might be difficult for you at first. But that makes them unique.

Northern Irish

Here’s a British accent from somewhere else that’s not England. We’ve arrived in Northern Ireland. To be completely honest, Northern Ireland has different accents, as it’s composed of different regions. But there are some common characteristics.

In general, this specific accent, while beautiful, can be difficult for some. Because people “skip” many letters when speaking.

A particularity of it is the sound “ou”/“ow”, which you could feel like they don’t pronounce in its totality. They make a shorter “ow” sound. So, for example, the word “sound” would sound differently in a Northern Ireland accent as you normally hear it. The same with the word “cow”, and others.

Glaswegian

Scottish accents are also diverse, as it changes as the region does. Glaswegian is one type of Scottish dialect and it’s quite difficult to understand, sometimes even for other British people.

One thing about it is that they speak with the glottal stop. They drop the “tt” that’s in the middle of words. For example: The word “glottal” wouldn’t sound as it usually does, but it’d be more like “glo’al”. Same with the word “butter”, which with the glottal stop it’s more like “bu’er”.

They also have some interesting, unique slang words. One example of that is “Weegie”, which means “Glaswegian”. “Swally” is another example, which means “an alcoholic drink”. Or if someone tells you to “Shut yer geggy”, they’re telling you to shut up your mouth.

Geordie

The Geordie accent descends from the Angles, who were North Germanic people. Maybe that’s why some find it difficult to understand? Nowadays, you’ll find this dialect in Newcastle and its surroundings.

A distinctive trait of it is that Geordie people pronounce the words that end with “er” with an “ah” sound instead. You might also hear they pronounce words with “al” letters with a long “ah” sound, like

They also have their own slang, such as “aye” which means “yes”. Or “mortal” which in Geordie is “drunk”, or “toon” which is “town”. “Why aye man” is “yes, of course”.

Received Pronunciation (RP)

Received pronunciation accent, also known as RP accent, is used in different parts of England. It doesn’t necessarily belong to just one region, but it is common to hear it in London and in southeastern England. You do have to know, though, that this type of dialect was called “public school pronunciation” at first, as it was learned and spoken in public schools.

RP accent can vary depending on who is speaking. This is because some consider that the RP spoken by older people is old fashioned, despite this being considered the accent of the upper class. Younger people speak more of a modern RP.

Besides differences that you can find through the years, RP is considered the standard British accent. That’s why till this day, this is the dialect that’s taught in foreign language schools. So, if you’re attending a British English language school, you’re most likely going to speak with the RP accent.

This dialect is also the one spoken in the media. So, it wouldn’t be a surprise if you’ve heard it before in things like tv shows. In fact, it’s also called “the Queen’s accent”, as it is the dialect spoken by the queen and royalty in general.

Thanks to all those factors, maybe you already know this British accent very well; you just didn’t know it was RP.

After showing you many accents cataloged as difficult by many people, here’s one that’s one of the easiest British accents to understand, if not the easiest. This is due to how clear it is. One example of this is how RP speakers do pronounce the “h” at the beginning of the words, unlike other dialects.

Choose the Perfect English Dialect for You

Do you know which kind of English you want to learn? And do you know which English dialect you’d like to learn? These are two important questions you have to ask yourself when you’re about to start English language classes.

First, you must choose the type of English you want. Maybe you’re moving to the U.S., so you want to learn American English. But maybe your partner’s family lives in London, so you want to learn British English.

But then you may want to ask yourself which dialect that’s part of the type of English you’re about to learn, you would like to speak. Now that you know that one country can have many dialects, here are some tips for you to choose the best one for you:

Current personal life
Did you just move to Yorkshire County and are planning to stay there for a long time and build your life there? There’s your answer; it’s better if you speak how Yorkshire people do, right? That way you’ll completely understand your neighbors, your kids’ teachers, your new friends, and will fit just fine.

Or do you have many coworkers, business partners, and clients from Newcastle? Then you might prefer to learn the Geordie dialect.
Think of the way you live, what you do and the people you surround the most with. That way, you’ll totally be in tune with them.

Lifelong goals
Now that you’ve thought of your current life, you might want to think of your goals for the future. Especially those that you truly want to stick with for a long time. That way, you’ll be sure the dialect you learn will be the best for you forever and it’ll be truly useful.

Of course, anything could happen in the future, you might change your mind. Nonetheless, the goals you have now for your future self are still a good way to choose. Plus, who knows? If in some years you change your mind about your goals, maybe your dialect will still apply for your new plans.

For example: Did you just graduate journalism and communication school and are planning to work in the media? Then maybe RP accent is your way to go. Maybe your first job will be as a broadcaster. But hey, if in fifteen years you decide you want now to be a tv host, your RP accent will still work for that!

Dialect popularity
Okay, we know oftentimes, you shouldn’t base your decisions on popularity and other people. You have individuality and so you should choose based on your likes. But basing your British accent learning decision on which dialect is the most spoken it’s honestly not a bad idea.

Maybe you want to be understood by the most people possible, natives and foreigners alike. Maybe you’re traveling to England, and you want people from different regions to understand you and be able to talk to you. And so choosing the most popular accent in that country would be a great solution for that.

Likeability
If you’re not really studying English for a super serious personal decision, like business. And you’re doing it more because you just love the language and a certain country, like England. It’s all pure fun for you.

Then you might want to choose just based on which dialect you like the most. So, for example, if you love the sound of a cockney accent and think it’s super cool and unique, learn that one.

And you know what? It’s also fine to choose just based on what you like the most and it’s more pleasant to you. Go for it!

With Fluency Corp You’ll Speak Your Dialect of Choice Like a Native

Now that you have more idea of the different dialects from England, it’s time to start your language journey. But how and where? And who could possibly help you learn that specific English accent you need? Now those are other important questions! Don’t worry, we have the answers.

Fluency Corp is the perfect place to study and acquire the language and accent that you want. We have native teachers ready to share all their knowledge with you. That means everything you’ll learn will be completely useful.

Oh and our classes are customized to your language goals and needs, as well as to the job you do. So if what you need is accent training on a specific dialect, just tell us! We’ll make a plan for you.

We base all lessons in our Bellieu Method, which aims to make you achieve language fluency. All by encouraging you to speak right away using all you’ve learned so far. We know speaking is essential for a language and want you to thrive in it.

The best of all is that our classes aren’t just for you, but for your coworkers or employees as well. So, if you have some employees that need corporate language or accent training don’t hesitate to invest in classes for them. It’s not wasted money, because their improved language skills will help your company grow.

Contact us for a free consultation. We’ll be happy to help you thrive in your dialect of choice.

French Dialects

French is a language that’s spoken in various countries. That leads to the existence of different French dialects out there, just like it happens with many other languages. So you have to think of which one you’d like to learn and speak based on your needs, lifestyle and goals.

Is your company relocating you to a French-speaking country? Do you want to expand your business to French-speaking markets? Did you just finish college and want to look up for opportunities in the city of love? Do you travel every now and then for business to Québec? Or are you moving there with all the family just for the fun of it?

There are thousands of important reasons why you might be looking to learn French. That’s great! Learning a second language will bring tons of benefits for both your personal and professional life. But have you sat down to think about which type of French you want to learn? Now, that’s a good question!

Québécois Dialect

A lot of people know Canada as an English-speaking country. But you must know that French is also an official language in some parts of Canada. Québec is one of them. The French dialect from Québec is called Québécois, though people that aren’t from Canada also know it as Canadian French.

The Québécois dialect has more vowel sounds, more specifically 15, that the French spoken in France. This leads to them having more diphthongs. This makes some words sound very differently than those of other types of French.

As expected, the French spoken in Québec also has a lot of influence from the English language. This means they have many words that come from English. For example: “joke” or “canceler” that comes from “cancel”. This is highly important for you to remember, as some vocabulary can change when you’re speaking Québécois.

If you want to have a Québécois accent, we recommend you open your mouth more. Because it’s not a close pronunciation, quite the opposite, actually.

Metropolitan French

This is also known as the Standard French, which means it’s the one you most likely learned or will learn at school. So, if you’re planning on learning this type of French, you’ll probably have an easier time finding a school or teacher that teaches you this dialect.

It’s also the type of French spoken in Paris, and other parts of France. That’s why it’s also known as Paris French. This gives you an advantage when you travel there. You’ll find many people that speak with this accent, so maybe you can practice it with them. After all, the more people speak a specific dialect, the more opportunities you have to practice.

As it happens with many languages, Metropolitan French has changed through the years. People call the old type of Parisian French “le titi parisien”. But even though you can hear it in some old movies, nowadays it’s no longer used. It’s evolved to what we know now as Parisian or Metropolitan French.

Now, what you must know about this accent is that many of the sounds of the words become short sounds. This is due to people speaking fast. This could make it a bit hard for your ear to understand everything clearly, at least in the beginning. With hard work, you’ll get accustomed.

You can notice this in the vowels. There are fewer vowel sounds or diphthongs than in the Québécois dialect. In the Parisian French, they’re more closed.

You’ll also notice it in the “r” sound, which is a bit tight or closed.

Marseillais

This is the French that’s spoken in Marseille, which is in the south of France.

One of the differences with other types of French, especially the Parisian French, relies on the letter “e” at the end of words. This means that people that speak Marseillais pronounce and accentuate the “e” at the end of the words. Meanwhile in other French dialects this doesn’t happen.

On that same line, they also put emphasize on the “ing” sound. For the words that have “in”, they pronounce them like “ing”. For example: “machin” is “maching”.

They also use a particular “tch” sound. For example: “Ticket” sounds like “Tchiket”.

But a very special thing about this dialect is the rhythm. It’s very unique and people that speak the Marseillais dialect tend to do it very fast.

Algerian French

The official languages of Algeria are Arabic and Berber. But there are some people who speak French, though it’s not that common for Algerians to speak it all the time.

Algeria French is common in the media. There are many tv shows that are in French.

Plus, this language is also part of their school lives, as it’s taught there as a second language. They start learning it in elementary school. Some universities even teach some careers in complete French. So even if somebody doesn’t like to speak the whole time in French, they might still know the language.

One of the most particular traits of Algerian French is the “r”, which is rolled, so it sounds stronger.

Swiss French

In Switzerland some regions of the country speak German and some others speak French. Not one is better than the other; they’re equally important. Swiss French has its own words and expressions that sometimes not even native French speakers from other countries understand.

For example: “Faire la pote”, which is used when you’re in a bad mood. “Faire un clopet” means to take a nap. “Natel” is the way they called the cellphones. “Services” is cutlery in Switzerland. This is why if you ever move or visit the part of Switzerland where they speak French, you want to know Swiss French.

There are also some French words that mean something different than in other French-speaking countries. So that could lead to confusion. For example: In Switzerland they call it “déjeuner” for breakfast, while in France this is lunch.

Due to German being another official language of Switzerland, it’s not a surprise that there is some influence of Swiss German words in Swiss French. Like “Poutzer”, which is to clean. Or “action”, which means sale.

You might also find that numbers are easier in Swiss French. In French, numbers are very difficult to learn, especially after sixty, because it’s like they’re compound numbers: Seventy is “soixante-dix” (sixty-ten). But in the French from Switzerland numbers have their own simple words: Seventy is “septante”, eighty is “huitante”, and so on.

You must also know that Swiss French it’s spoken more slowly than Standard French.

There are also some differences in the sounds of the vowels, which leads to some words sounding differently when spoken in Swiss French. Such as “mettre” and “maître”, which in Standard French they’d sound the same.

Belgian French

Belgium has three official languages: German, Dutch, and French. The French spoken in Belgium is not very different from that of Paris. But, of course, there are still some differences and things by which Belgian French distinguishes itself.

Belgium has its own words and expressions that differ from those of other French-speaking countries. For example: In Belgium people say “faire la file” when someone is waiting in a line. While in France, people say “faire la queue”. The cellphone is called “GSM”.

Just like it happens in Swiss French, in Belgian French they have their own simple words for numbers. Seventy is “septante”, eighty is “octante”, and ninety is “nonante”. They’re easier to learn than those from Standard French.

Another difference relies on the way they say “Brussels”. Instead of saying “bruxelles” like other people do, Belgium people say “Brusselles”; it sounds softer.

How to Choose Your French Dialect

Okay, but with all those types of French accents and dialects, how are we supposed to know which one to learn? Should we pick our favorite one? Should we go to the first French school we find and let it be a surprise which French they teach us?

Relax, we have some tips on how to pick which French dialect to learn. There are no wrong decisions, just the best one for you.

Work

What you must consider here is if you’re learning French for work. That would be no surprise. French is a very popular language, spoken in different countries around the world, both by natives and enthusiasts of languages.

Plus, thanks to globalization, bilingualism is a highly demanded skill in different industries nowadays. So, it’s normal to see job vacancies asking for French as a second language skill. As well as bosses asking their employees to learn some French.

If this is your case, think about the type of job you’ll use your French for. For example: If you have to travel consistently to a certain part of the world, you probably should learn the French they speak there. It’ll make your life easier every time you go there.

Or if you have to deal with French clients from different cities and even countries, maybe the Standard French is your best option. Or if you want to get a job with a boss that’s from Quebec, your best ally will be Québécois.

Place of residency

So… Where do you live? Or where are you planning to move? This is a highly important factor on which type of French you should choose to learn. Because now it not only affects your professional life, but also your personal one.

If you have to move to Quebec, then you should probably learn Québécois. Or let’s say you don’t live in a country where the official language is French, but you do live in a neighborhood with many French people. Then maybe learn the most popular French dialect among your neighbors.

After all, you’ll be surrounded by people that speak it. Whether it’s at the office or at the mall, the park, your kids’ school, and so on. You’ll use that specific type of French every day.

Personal life

Maybe you don’t want to learn French because of work or the place you live in. Maybe there are just some more personal factors that influence that decision.

For example: If you have a French-speaking partner, you might want to learn the French dialect your partner speaks. Especially if your parents-in-law are also French speakers. Maybe you already know some words or phrases your loved one taught you, so that’s an advantage for your learning process.

Or what if your kids are learning French at school. You need to help them with homework and provide them an environment to practice their French at home. In that case, learn the type of French they’re learning.

There are thousands of personal reasons why you might want to learn this language and they’re all valid enough to learn it.

Most famous dialect

What if you have many different reasons why you want to learn French? Like all of the above? It would be more complicated to choose your dialect, right? You can try to choose the most important reason to learn French and base your decision on that. But what if they’re all important to you?

Then you might want to learn the most famous dialect; the one that’s more popular. That way, more people from all areas of your life will understand you. You’ll be able to use your French for work, personal issues, get around your neighborhood, and more. You’ll also be able to communicate with people you don’t know yet.

Natives, speakers of French as a second language, and people that are just learning it will understand you. All because you speak the more popular kind of French, which by the way, we truly believe it’s standard French.

Fluency Corp Helps You Speak Like a Native French Speaker

Now that you know all the options you have to speak French, it’s time to choose! For this step you must choose a school that has a teacher that can truly help you achieve your French goals. This includes learning business French for your professional life. And, if we’re allowed to say it, Fluency Corp does exactly that!

We offer corporate language classes completely customized to your job and needs. So, if you tell us you need to learn Québécois for your business trips to Quebec, we’ll help you.

Maybe you need to learn how to write a business email in Metropolitan French, we can also do that. Or if you tell us you need a teacher that knows a specific type of French, we’ll make sure to choose the best one for you. Whatever it is you need, we’re here!

The best of all is that we have native tutors! So you’ll learn from people that know the language inside out, from the correct academic grammar to the everyday, casual expressions.

On top of that, our classes aren’t just for you, but for your teamwork as well! If there’s someone at your company that needs French language classes, invest in them. Helping them improve their French skills is helping your business grow.

Choose between our online or onsite classes. Then, contact us for a free consultation. You won’t regret becoming truly fluent with us!

Top 5 Chinese Dialects

Excited African woman learning Chinese language dialect with her female teacher, holding Chinese vocabulary word card reading "Chinese"

China is a very diverse country. It has so many beautiful places and landscapes, just think of the famous Great Wall of China or the Guilin mountains. But that’s not it. The country also has a long history, a wide range of gastronomy, different spirituality beliefs, and many traditions. So, it’s definitely a country you can’t miss on your next world trip.nnBut do you know what else they’re very diverse in? The language! That’s right, even though we know Mandarin Chinese as being the official language, there are many dialects. There are mainly ten languages or dialects in China. So if you go there, you’ll most likely hear more than just one way in which Chinese people express themselves.nnWe bring you our top 5 Chinese dialects for you to get to know more about the linguistic culture. And so you don’t feel so lost next time you’re in China.

Mandarin Dialect

You’ve probably heard of this one. Mandarin is widely known all over the world. It’s the second most spoken language worldwide with over 1 billion speakers! It’s just right after English and before Spanish and Hindi. It’s no surprise why the importance of learning it keeps increasing. It’s also the most spoken dialect in China, as 70% of the population speak it.nnIt’s divided in four geographical categories: Northern, Northwestern, Southwestern, and Southern. See? It really has a presence in all of China. And as we just realized, even in Mandarin Chinese dialect there can be nuances.nnThe so-called Standard Chinese or simply Mandarin that foreigners know is the one that comes from the Mandarin spoken in Beijing. And it’s known by Chinese as Putonghua, the language spoken in Taiwan.nnWhat you must know about Mandarin to speak it properly is that almost all syllables have three parts: initial, final, and tone. In terms of tones, there are four: the first tone (mā), the second tone (má), the third tone (mǎ), and the fourth tone (mà).nnThe Mandarin Blueprint YouTube channel calls them “singing ton”, “unsure ton”, “zombie tone” and “assertive tone”, which is a reference to how they sound. And they name a fifth tone (ma), “contrarian tone”; you must know some people don’t think this is a tone, but some others do.

Cantonese Dialect

This is also a popular one that you might’ve heard of already. It’s spoken in Hong Kong, Macau, the Canton province, the Guangdong province, and Guangxi. As well as in parts of Southeast Asia, like Vietnam.nnCantonese comes from the Yue Chinese dialect. In fact, it simply is a more prestigious form of Yue Chinese.nnIt presents different characteristics from the Ancient Chinese. For example, it still has a lot of the final consonants that you can also find in Ancient Chinese.nnContrary to Mandarin, Cantonese has six tones! High flat tone, mid rising tone, mid flat tone, low falling tone, low rising tone, and low flat tone.nnSome people consider that there are, actually, nine tones. These are named historical tones, because in the past they were for syllables that ended in “p”, “t” and “k”. But for the most part, everyone considers now the six ones above.

Wu Dialect

This is the second most spoken Chinese dialect with a little more than 80 million speakers! So its importance is also very high. Sometimes people call it “Shanghainese”, though that’s not the real name of this language.nnIt’s spoken in Shanghai, the Zhejiang province, part of the Jiangsu province, part of Anhui, and part of Jiangxi.nnWu was the name of one of the kingdoms that emerged at the end stage of the Han Dynasty. So that’s where the name of this dialect comes from.
The Wu language has initial voiced stop sounds, contrary to Standard Chinese.nnThis one has even more tones than Mandarin and Cantonese. This makes it harder to pronounce the sounds of the language correctly if you’re only familiarized with Mandarin.

Min Dialect

Here’s another popular Chinese dialect, as it is spoken by 60 million speakers. It’s spoken in Taiwan, in the Fujian province, and in Hainan Island. It’s also spoken in communities of Singapore and Malaysia.nnMin is part of the Sinitic languages, which at the same time is a group of the Sino-Tibetan languages. The Sino-Tibetan languages are formed by Chinese and Tibeto-Burman languages. So, as you can see Min has a wide linguistic history background.nnThere are different variations of Min. It’s mainly divided into Northern and Southern Min. But other people state there’s also an Eastern and a Central Min, and a type of Min called Puxian.nnEven more, others say there are nine types of this dialect. All with nuances and differences from one another. So, there’s a lot of linguistic richness in the Min language.nnOne of the main differences between Northern and Southern Min is that in the first one they have nasal sounds at the end of the words. While Southern Min doesn’t have them.

Hakka Dialect

Hakka people are the ones who speak the Hakka dialect and live in areas where it’s spoken. The Hakka language is mainly in Southern China. It has presence in provinces like Guangdong and Jiangxi and Hainan. As well as in Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. It’s the language of over 47 million speakers!nnMany Hakka people have started to speak Mandarin or Cantonese, because of their proximity and cultural exchange with other regions.nnThis dialect also uses the initial and final consonants that you find in Cantonese. Oh, and it also has six tones.nnBecause of all the regions it’s spoken in there are different versions or types of Hakka. One very characteristic of it is the Meixian dialect, which people from Meizhou speak.

Which Chinese Dialect is the Best for Business?

We could argue that the best Chinese dialect to speak depends on the place you’re doing the business in. Is it in Meizhou? Then Hakka would be the best option. Right? But the truth is that we must go beyond that. Because one day you could be doing business there and the next in another province, city, or part of China.nnWho knows maybe you aren’t even in China but work in a Chinese company in your own country. Or maybe you have coworkers, business partners and investors from different Chinese regions.nnBased on that, we’d argue that a more popular dialect would be a better option. Maybe Mandarin or Cantonese. Even though Cantonese is spoken in a great city for business, like Hong Kong, we think Mandarin is the best option for business.nnLike we said before, Mandarin is spoken all over China. Even if there are slight differences per region, people still know it. So you can do business in the south or in the north and you’ll be alright. Conversations will be fluent. You’ll understand and be understood.nnWe also told you that this is the second most popular language in the world! Not only Chinese people speak it, but so do foreigners of different countries and cultures. This means you can have a multicultural meeting speaking all Mandarin and it’ll be a success, at least in language terms.nnSince Mandarin is very popular now, it also means you can find more classes and resources to learn it and support your studies.nnPlus, in 2023, LinkedIn named Mandarin Chinese as one of the essential languages for international business.

Fluency Corp is Your Key to Succeed at International Business

Want to impress international business partners and achieve new foreign markets? Then you’re more than ready for our Fluency Corp corporate language classes! We have all the tools you need to become bilingual or even polyglot.nnOur native teachers will be happy to customize all the lessons to your job and needs. So, if you need accent training, a specific language dialect, vocabulary for lawyers, or learn how to write a business email in Mandarin, they’ll help you.nnWe also base our lessons in our Bellieu Method. This method consists of making you speak using what you’ve learned in class. So you practice your speaking skills, oftentimes overlook at schools, and achieve language fluency. Imagine yourself impressing everyone during a long business meeting with your effortlessness at talking. That’s possible with us!nnThe best way for a company to reach a global marketplace is by having a prepared work team. That’s why our lessons are not just for you, but for your employees as well. If they have bilingual skills, they’ll help your company grow. So you should also invest in their classes!nnHave you picked a language yet? Is it Mandarin Chinese? Congrats! That’s one of the best languages for business. We can help you learn it. But if you’d like any other language, we can help you too.nnJust choose between our online or onsite classes. Then, contact us for a free consultation to answer all your doubts. Now you’re ready to learn with us!