# Learn Chinese Essentials — user reviews > 61 indexed App Store user reviews of Learn Chinese Essentials by Renkara Media Group, Inc., rated 4.00/5 from 2 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-chinese-essentials/id309485455/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-chinese-essentials/id309485455.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 1 · 4★ 0 · 3★ 1 · 2★ 0 · 1★ 0 ## Newest reviews (15 of 61) ### 2/5 — Even paid version has poor coverage *2016-02-16, version 3.0.0* This is a reasonably well designed all and has potential. What most interested me was the ability to create your own lists for exams and tests. I therefore paid £7.99 for the full version only to find that critical verbs were missing. E.g. "To eat" or even "to be." These are covered in the common entrance ISEB level 1 test which is what I wanted it for. Unfortunately, without even this basic coverage it was not useful. Interestingly, as Apple provided a refund and I no longer own the full version I couldn't review that. I didn't realise before that this bias exists in reviews. ### 2/5 — Not worth downloading *2013-10-17, version 2.6.0* Not easy to navigate and not particularly useful. There are much better apps out there. ### 4/5 — Great App *2013-09-12, version 2.6.0* Need the expanded library now... ### 3/5 — Some mistakes *2012-10-13, version 2.3.0* There are a few mistakes. There are other apps that are better. ### 3/5 — ok *2012-10-03, version 2.3.0* sort of workmanlike, not veyr inspiring ### 3/5 — I love it *2012-08-23, version 2.3.0* You can take quiz and you just keep in learning chines ### 3/5 — I agree with previous review. *2012-06-20, version 2.2.0* Which Chinese is it? People need to know these things. ### 2/5 — Xie Xie ńi *2012-04-28, version 2.2.0* Xi xi ńi :/ not good enough ### 4/5 — It's good. *2011-09-22, version 2.0.1* This is a good app. If you are trying to learn characters it's not that good. All the the kanji is traditional not simplified. Almost everything in China is simplified (I lived in China). The words and tones are the same. I would give this a five if the kanji was up to date. The pinyin is accurate so it's not a total loss. It's defiantly worth the free download! ### 2/5 — Gracias *2011-09-05, version 2.0.1* Having basic words in the free trial would help get us into a pattern of use. Hello, goodbye, please, thank you etc. would allow us to enjoy the software and want more. ### 3/5 — Very good (free App) *2011-09-04, version 2.0.1* This App is very good, the only recommendation I have are short sentence examples of how words are used in context ### 3/5 — Alright for beginners *2011-07-13, version 2.0.1* I am a sophomore in high school (non native speaker) and have been taking Chinese since 4th grade. This app is very simple and basic for the most part but then there are some very diffucult characters that are unnesesary and out of place in this beginner app. In future apps I would like to see the writing of characters taughtbecause that is the most difficylt part in learning chinese. It would be good practice for veterens because stroke order and the memorization is very tough. Overall, pretty good app for beginners but some characters are out of place. You cant really LEARN how to speak chinese from this app but you can learn words. Speaking is way different ( tones and accents etc. ) so I would reccomend a tutor or class. ### 4/5 — It's good *2011-06-30, version 2.0.1* Aughhh it's mandarin not Cantonese but still good but they should make a Cantonese ### 3/5 — Mandarin *2011-03-06, version 1.9.0* This app is mandarin for those that want to know. I was looking for Cantonese though. ### 3/5 — Only ok *2011-02-20, version 1.9.0* I thought there would be a more extensive audio dictionary / translator. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Counter-intuitive *2012-06-09, version 2.2.0* Either not working correctly or nearly impossible to use. Don't waste your time! ### 1/5 — Which Chinese? *2012-05-08, version 2.2.0* Not explaining more specific dialects is fine, but labeling whether or not it's Cantonese or Mandarin would be a huge help to people looking at it. ### 1/5 — Bring back original *2011-11-29, version 2.1.0* Bring back the feature where you can get Chinese test messages and translate to English and you can do the reverse. That was a useful feature for communicating. ### 1/5 — garbage *2011-08-27, version 2.0.1* totally stinks even google translate is better ### 1/5 — Random vocal *2011-08-06, version 2.0.1* There are no verbs in this set, and the remaining study sets have random vocab. The pronouns, for example are missing I, you, you plural and we.....but have words like nothing. I sent the company an email about it thinking that something went wrong with the download. They shot back an abrupt email telling me that the vocab had been selected by experts, and have not responded to my follow up email. Check out Byki instead. ### 1/5 — Décevant *2011-08-05, version 2.0.1* Très brouillon comme appli! Effectivement seul le menu est en français! les cartes sont en anglais... De plus, le vocabulaire est assez mal choisi pour des débutants : beaucoup des mots inutiles alors que l'essentiel est oublié! Dommage car les fonctionnalités sont plutôt intéressantes! ### 1/5 — Stupid! *2011-06-24, version 2.0.0* It dosen't even load... ### 1/5 — Not good *2011-03-20, version 1.9.0* This app messed up my sound. I had to dock my I pad and restore. Very disappointed Fs ### 1/5 — Pour ceux qui parlent anglais *2010-01-19, version 0* Du grand n'importe quoi, il est indiqué plusieurs languagues, mais il parlent seulement du menu, le reste est en anglais, alors je me pose la question pourquoi un menu francais alors que seulement ceux qui maitrisent bien l'anglais peuvent l'utiliser. enfin bref à éviter. ### 1/5 — Weak application just like the others *2009-06-25, version 0* No simplified character option. Context of the words is almost totally absent. Even the characters on the flashcards are sometimes incorrect. On the whole, a weak program. Still waiting for a good Chinese app... ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Great introductory Chinese app *2014-02-06, version 2.6.0* I used this app to get me started on Chinese vocab. Then I moved to the full app. It's intuitive, fun to use, and very effective in teaching Chinese words. Tips for use: in settings, switch to viewing pinyin; in my focus, only go one category at a time. Mostly use the spaced repetition learning method. ### 5/5 — Very useful! *2011-12-18, version 2.1.0* I am learning Chinese from the ground up and have found this to be a very useful app: essential for guiding me through the process. It is well-written, works flawlessly, and has an excellent flash card capability that lets you create customized lists of words you find useful, difficult, etc. I like it so much I am buying the expanded version (contains more words) and expect to use it daily. This is a highly refined app and I cannot recommend it more strongly! ### 5/5 — I love it!!! *2011-09-20, version 2.0.1* I would recommend the army to use this tactic!!!! And the designers should make a whole line of apps!!! I luv! it! ### 5/5 — GREAT *2011-08-06, version 2.0.1* Simple, easy, perfect for beginners like me. This app has taught me so much. This will come in handy when I go to China. Highly recommended. ### 5/5 — Awesome *2011-07-05, version 2.0.1* I'm learning Chinese and it's great. BUY THIS APP and the full version too. ### 5/5 — In love with this app *2011-04-06, version 1.9.0* I'm learning chinese and this app is so helpful I will also get the full version ### 5/5 — Great! *2011-03-22, version 1.9.0* Other than jumping off the application sometimes when it is in use, the application is fantastic. I've already learned the colors, how to say them and recognize them, and the symbols for the numbers and I just got it yesterday. It can be annoying that it will show the English word and you have to say it in Chinese, but with all the options of voice quizzes, picture quizzes, selecting the categories you want to study, and the flashcards, learning is easy. It would be nice if they could teach you how to write the symbols, but for a free app, it is fantastic and I recommend it to anyone serious about learning the language. It's also very fun. Good luck! ### 5/5 — Very good sample *2010-08-01, version 0* I like it for 2 reasons. One; because it shows what I can expect from the full version it doesn't show just the good stuff which though it seems to have a lot of. Second; standing on it's on for free it still is a good app and you can learn a good bit from it. I hope the full version has more about the alphabet and each individual letters sound or sounds for example Japanese letters have mainly or only one spoken sound. ### 5/5 — Very Solid App *2010-03-16, version 0* Very nice app. Works well, and is a great flashcard program. It includes all the options I need, including being able to switch between simplified, traditional, and pinyin. The only thing I am missing is the audio quiz should have chinese audio, and english or character choices. Right now it has english audio, which doesn't make much sense because I already know english. It would also be cool if the audio quiz would test tones. e.g. I listen to a phrase and I pick the correct pinyin. Thanks for the great app. ### 5/5 — excited *2010-03-07, version 0* I don know what to say, first off I just got it and it seems useful. only one kid IN MY SCHOOL speaks chineese so I would be albe to talk to him privately with this if I happen to learn chineese off of this.... so if this works thanks in advance, I've read some feedback and maby you guys should have a wider vocabulary with verbs... --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-07-08.*