Is RTM for me? Your questions answered
And try RTM content for free!
Hello!
Last week we relaunched our paid membership, RTM.
Here’s a reminder of what it is:
RTM helps “advanced but rusty” Mandarin learners efficiently improve their language skills and stay informed about China every week with newsletters, podcasts, and resources based on real news—so they can communicate with confidence.
**You can access RTM membership for just $180/year until 7 March. After that it’s going up to $220/year. **
Over the last few days we’ve had a number of questions about the membership.
I’ll be answering them in a virtual tour of RTM on Monday 3 March at 7pm UK time.
I’ll also be sharing more info about RTM in the next few days.
But first, here are answers to the top three questions so far.
Q1: Is RTM suited to my level? Can I try it out first?
RTM is an ideal resource for you if you describe your Mandarin level as “advanced”, followed by “but….”, and then “rusty” or something similar.
You’ve studied Mandarin on-and-off for at least 10 years. You used to live in China but don’t anymore, and your Chinese is slipping while your China knowledge feels out of date.
Your listening and reading are stronger than your speaking—you catch 60-70% of what people say. When you speak, you can “get by” and make yourself understood, but there are gaps, and you can’t express yourself as clearly—or as gāojí—as you’d like.
You’ve tried plenty of other resources—some were helpful. But at your level, you need something structured, but also engaging and relevant.
Look no further than RTM!
RTM will help you improve efficiently and break through your learning plateau with:
Four weekly podcasts tailored to different levels, from intermediate to native-level content.
Regular live webinars to deepen your understanding and keep you engaged.
But the easiest way to see if RTM is for you, is to try it out for yourself!
So, we’ve unlocked today’s RTM Intermediate post for you to try.
This will be great for “advanced but rusty”, “intermediate”, or “HSK5-ish” learners.
(Not interested in this topic? Just hit reply to this email, and let me know which one post you’re most interested in from the archive and I’ll give you free access for a day.)
**You can access RTM membership for just $180/year until 7 March. After that it’s going up to $220/year. **
Q2: I don’t have time for another resource—won’t this just add to my workload?
RTM saves you time by eliminating the hardest part of learning at an intermediate-to-advanced level—finding the right native content.
Instead of spending hours searching for material that’s interesting, not too easy, but not too hard, RTM delivers carefully selected real-world content with key context explained, and challenging phrases translated, in multiple formats (newsletters, podcasts, transcripts, and app integrations). This makes native content more accessible while cutting out wasted effort.
We help you make the most of your time by offering structured approaches to fit different schedules.
During onboarding, we recommend choosing one of these approaches based on your time constraints:
The Daily Dash—10-20 minutes per day
The Weekly Walk—1-2 hours per week
The Monthly Marathon—2+ hours twice per month
Even if your schedule varies, many members find that a small weekly commitment makes a big difference in their confidence and comprehension.
And if you miss a week, that’s no problem either. Just pick it back up the next week!
We offer 1:1 onboarding support to fine-tune your schedule and keep you accountable:
When you join you get an optional 1:1 onboarding call to help you integrate RTM into your routine, and a check-in after one month to ensure you're on track. RTM members say this really helps them start and stick to a learning habit when then join.
With RTM, you’re not just adding another resource—you’re making your learning time more efficient and effective.
Q3: If I decide it’s not for me, can I get a refund?
Yes!
We offer a 30-day money-back guarantee—if RTM isn’t the right fit, just let us know within your first month for a full refund.
No questions asked.
So no risk to you!
**You can access RTM membership for just $180/year until Friday 7 March. After that it’s going up to $220/year. **
Still not sure? Join us for a virtual tour of the new RTM membership
You’re invited to a live webinar on Monday 3 March at 7pm UK time.
We’ll take you on a virtual tour of RTM membership resources, explain how it can address your biggest Mandarin learning challenges, and help you break through your learning plateaux.
We’ll also answer more questions you have about the membership.
See you on the other side!
Andrew
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Ps - Any more questions? Just hit reply to this email and ask!
Pps - Here’s what other members of the RTM community are saying about their experience 👇
After retiring I needed a time-efficient way to maintain my language abilities. RTM+ is an excellent way of keeping my Chinese in touch with current events and popular idioms. (Neill C.)
RTM+ is great. I’ve been a member for over two years and my Chinese has markedly improved. The variety of topics discussed and the depth of the vocabulary, as well as the accompanying audio, are excellent. It’s become an invaluable resource. I can’t imagine being without it. (Connie M.)
I’ve been a member of the RTM+ community for 2 years now. It is hard to describe how beneficial it is other than to say I recommend it to anyone I can. I think language learners and lovers will get get that. Frankly, it’s the level of learning that you can’t get in school or in passive learning. Andrew and Zoe make the content super accessible and engaging. (Kate P.)
RealTime Mandarin is a great way to hear what China is talking about and learn not just about language and vocabulary but also about Chinese culture and current affairs. The content is always up to date, relevant and interesting. I love the way Andrew and Zoe find the way to make it all about language learning, no matter what the topic is I always find out something interesting and often funny about how Chinese language expresses things. (Kristina T)
RTM+ has helped me bridge the gap from textbooks to mainstream Chinese literature and access to a supportive community that are role models for learning Chinese. (Cassandra H.)