MandarinOS

A conversation simulator built on ConversationOS

Get To Know People.

Conversations that build relationships.

Try MandarinOSSee how it works →
MandarinOS beta conversation interface showing a guided Mandarin conversation

A different learning philosophy

Nobody serves raw ingredients to guests.

IngredientsCharacters, vocabulary, tones and grammar

DishesComplete conversations

The shared mealUnderstanding, connection and relationships

Use the Mandarin you already know to take part in complete conversations and build warmer relationships.

Two people sitting in an awkward silence after their conversation stalls

What to do next

  • Recover
  • Respond
  • Ask the second question
  • Follow what matters

How MandarinOS works

One thoughtful question opens a life.

  1. 你是哪里人？

    Nǐ shì nǎlǐ rén?

    Where are you from?

  2. 我是西安人。

    Wǒ shì Xī’ān rén.

    I’m from Xi’an.

  3. Many learners stop there.

  4. The night markets. Going after school with my friends.

Two people smiling and continuing an engaged conversation

The Five Staple Conversations

Practise the conversations that help people know one another.

Not hundreds of topics. Five conversations that recur across ordinary life.

  1. Bowl of clear Chinese soup with wontons and greens

    Soup

    Where You Are From

    你是哪里人？

    Nǐ shì nǎlǐ rén?

    A warm and accessible beginning.

  2. Rustic ceramic bowl of steamed white rice

    Rice

    Work

    你做什么工作？

    Nǐ zuò shénme gōngzuò?

    Everyday talk that invites someone to reveal more.

  3. Bowl of hearty Chinese stew with meat and vegetables

    Stew

    Family

    你家里有几口人？

    Nǐ jiālǐ yǒu jǐ kǒu rén?

    The richest and deepest conversation.

  4. Chinese dessert bowl with tangyuan and red beans

    Dessert

    The Story Behind Your Name

    你的名字有什么故事？

    Nǐ de míngzi yǒu shénme gùshi?

    Beyond small talk into identity and personal story.

  5. Bowl of fresh fruit with grapes, strawberries, mango and kiwi

    Fruit

    Hobbies & Travel

    你平时喜欢做什么？

    Nǐ píngshí xǐhuan zuò shénme?

    Shared interests and future possibilities.

Four people enjoying a Chinese meal together

Meet the conversation partners

Not an anonymous chatbot. People you gradually get to know.

Practise repeatedly with recognisable conversation partners who have consistent backgrounds, interests and ways of speaking.

MandarinOS persona selector showing consistent conversation partners
  • 小明Xiǎo Míng
  • 美玲Měi Líng
  • 建国Jiàn Guó
  • 晓云Xiǎo Yún
  • 志远Zhì Yuǎn

Practice feels continuous when the people stay the same.

Common questions

Before you begin

What level of Mandarin do I need?

MandarinOS is best suited to learners around HSK 2–5. You should already know some Mandarin; complete beginners are not the primary audience yet. Perfect tones and advanced grammar are not required—only enough Chinese to begin and a willingness to keep trying.

Is MandarinOS just another chatbot?

No. Generic AI can chat with you, but MandarinOS structures the practice around recurring conversation partners, high-value topics, follow-up questions, recovery support and conversational depth.

How does it fit with tutors or language exchange?

MandarinOS does not replace tutors or real conversations. Tutors are best for correction and explanation. Real people provide authentic interaction. MandarinOS gives you safe, structured and repeatable practice between those experiences.

Does MandarinOS correct pronunciation and tones?

MandarinOS helps you practise speaking and staying in the conversation, but detailed tone correction is still better handled by a skilled teacher or native speaker. Its main purpose is helping you respond, recover, ask follow-up questions and sustain meaningful conversations.

Early tester feedback

What early testers are saying

MandarinOS is still being shaped with early users. Their first reactions help us understand whether it feels less like studying and more like a real conversation.

MandarinOS is still in early testing. Every conversation and piece of feedback is helping us build a better conversation simulator.

Why MandarinOS exists

The conversation simulator I wished I had.

Dr Raymond Young, creator of MandarinOS

I am a New Zealand-born Chinese, I speak some Cantonese, and my wife is Chinese. Yet Mandarin still felt out of reach. I tried courses, vocabulary lists, grammar and tone drills, but the process was often boring and unrewarding. I did not want to keep studying Mandarin. I wanted to use it to talk to people.

What I needed was repeated speaking practice: a way to respond, recover and keep a conversation going. I could not find it, so I built MandarinOS.

Dr Raymond YoungCreator of MandarinOS

The 10-Day Conversation Challenge

Speak more.
Last longer.
Connect more deeply.

10 days

Use MandarinOS for ten days and notice whether you:

  • freeze less often
  • recover more confidently
  • ask more follow-up questions
  • keep conversations going longer
  • learn something meaningful about the other person

No payment needed. We simply want you to try the beta, give us feedback and help us to improve the app. We also take security very seriously and will not share your email or data with anyone.

Start the 10-Day Challenge

Questions, partnerships or beta access?

Get To Know People

Because learning a language isn’t the goal.

Getting to know people is.

Relationships are the outcome.

Begin the conversation