<p>Go to the most reliable source -- order the Maryknoll Fathers' set of 3 textbooks with CDs. While it is not exactly comprehensible input in its best form (it's predictible, since it's a book and the order doesn't change), it is the best set of materials currently available, and certainly the most comprehensive. If you have the patience to work through all three volumes, you'll have a very good basic knowledge. (Maryknoll has a really far-reaching knowledge of Taiwanese language...As they told me at their Taipei language center once: "Well, let's get going. When we finish these three books [each one is like an inch thick], we can really start learning the language!")</p>

<p>The Minnan-English and English-Minnan dictionaries of theirs, which is excellent, is available for free download as well: 
<a href="http://www.taiwanesedictionary.org/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.taiwanesedictionary.org/</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-01-19T05:04:03.747Z
That sounds really helpful - I'll go through and have a good look now. Much appreciated.
Ciaocibai
CC BY-SA 4.0
2012-01-19T04:38:10.597Z
2020-01-17T04:59:28.357Z
2020-01-17T04:59:28.357Z
Terry Waltz
<p>XiaMen University publishes a couple books on MinNanHua, they use their own pinyin which will make sense if you have studied some Mandarin but in any case is often clearer than the Peh-oh-je the Taiwanese missions use.
The amazon.cn link is <a href="http://www.amazon.cn/%E9%97%BD%E5%8D%97%E8%AF%9D%E6%95%99%E7%A8%8B-%E6%9E%97%E5%AE%9D%E5%8D%BF/dp/B008QIYR2U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1386652441&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=%E9%97%BD%E5%8D%97%E8%AF%9D" rel="nofollow">here</a> (Not an associate link)</p>

<p>You can also look at these:</p>

<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hokkien_dialect" rel="nofollow">Hokkien</a></p>

<p><a href="http://www.learnhokkien.com/lesson_01.htm" rel="nofollow">Learn Hokkien</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-10T05:27:08.297Z
2013-12-10T05:27:08.297Z
tao
<p>There is a more recent textbook (published after the other answers were written!), called "Southern Hokkien: An Introduction", by Bernhard Fuehrer and Yang Hsiu-fang.  It focuses on Taiwanese Hokkien.  It's in English, makes many comparisons with Mandarin, and is well written.</p>

<p><a href="http://eng.press.ntu.edu.tw/?act=book&amp;refer=ntup_book00760" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://eng.press.ntu.edu.tw/?act=book&amp;refer=ntup_book00760</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-06T11:40:53.860Z
2018-12-06T11:40:53.860Z
eaglebrain
<p>There is an American guy (I think) who teaches people how to speak Taiwanese on Youtube. He even teaches the native Taiwanese people how to speak 闽南语. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL41797BA5E0DBB4FD&amp;feature=plcp" rel="nofollow">You can see the videos here</a>.</p>

<p>EDIT:
Looks like the playlist is dead. This is the guy <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJo2OHi6hgs" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJo2OHi6hgs</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-23T09:27:08.057Z
The link to the playlist is broken! And I was so excited, too! :(
Blakomen
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-24T04:16:30.623Z
See my updated post. Looks like the old link is broken.
StarCub
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-12-14T20:36:30.427Z
That's just the kind of thing I'm looking for - thanks for the link!
Ciaocibai
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-12-14T07:52:15.700Z
2014-07-24T04:15:46.617Z
2014-07-24T04:15:46.617Z
StarCub
<p>My girlfriend is from Fujian and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Min_Nan" rel="noreferrer">speaks 闽南语</a>, so I am trying to learn so I can communicate with her family better. </p>

<p>The struggle is finding any useful resources (even in Chinese), so I'm wondering if anyone has any good suggestions for sites, books, or anything else to improve my skills?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-26T12:19:54.883Z
Totally valid question, but just wanna ask whether you've considered standard Mandarin? Or you already speak Mandarin and find it difficult to communicate with them in Mandarin? As I've understood it most people in Fujian can speak Mandarin? Or at least understand it.
Niklas Berglund
<learning><resources><topolect><taiwanese>
Useful resources for learning Taiwanese?
# Useful resources for learning Taiwanese?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2011-12-14)

My girlfriend is from Fujian and [speaks 闽南语](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Min_Nan), so I am trying to learn so I can communicate with her family better.

The struggle is finding any useful resources (even in Chinese), so I'm wondering if anyone has any good suggestions for sites, books, or anything else to improve my skills?

**Tags:** learning, resources, topolect, taiwanese

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Totally valid question, but just wanna ask whether you've considered standard Mandarin? Or you already speak Mandarin and find it difficult to communicate with them in Mandarin? As I've understood it most people in Fujian can speak Mandarin? Or at least understand it.  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2011-12-14. Score: 11 | Accepted answer

There is an American guy (I think) who teaches people how to speak Taiwanese on Youtube. He even teaches the native Taiwanese people how to speak 闽南语. [You can see the videos here](http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL41797BA5E0DBB4FD&feature=plcp).

EDIT:
Looks like the playlist is dead. This is the guy <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJo2OHi6hgs>

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: That's just the kind of thing I'm looking for - thanks for the link!  
> **username_6**: The link to the playlist is broken! And I was so excited, too! :(  
> **username_5**: See my updated post. Looks like the old link is broken.  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2012-01-19. Score: 9

Go to the most reliable source -- order the Maryknoll Fathers' set of 3 textbooks with CDs. While it is not exactly comprehensible input in its best form (it's predictible, since it's a book and the order doesn't change), it is the best set of materials currently available, and certainly the most comprehensive. If you have the patience to work through all three volumes, you'll have a very good basic knowledge. (Maryknoll has a really far-reaching knowledge of Taiwanese language...As they told me at their Taipei language center once: "Well, let's get going. When we finish these three books [each one is like an inch thick], we can really start learning the language!")

The Minnan-English and English-Minnan dictionaries of theirs, which is excellent, is available for free download as well:
<http://www.taiwanesedictionary.org/>

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: That sounds really helpful - I'll go through and have a good look now. Much appreciated.  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2013-12-10. Score: 3

XiaMen University publishes a couple books on MinNanHua, they use their own pinyin which will make sense if you have studied some Mandarin but in any case is often clearer than the Peh-oh-je the Taiwanese missions use.
The amazon.cn link is [here](http://www.amazon.cn/%E9%97%BD%E5%8D%97%E8%AF%9D%E6%95%99%E7%A8%8B-%E6%9E%97%E5%AE%9D%E5%8D%BF/dp/B008QIYR2U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386652441&sr=8-1&keywords=%E9%97%BD%E5%8D%97%E8%AF%9D) (Not an associate link)

You can also look at these:

[Hokkien](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hokkien_dialect)

[Learn Hokkien](http://www.learnhokkien.com/lesson_01.htm)


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2018-12-06. Score: 2

There is a more recent textbook (published after the other answers were written!), called "Southern Hokkien: An Introduction", by Bernhard Fuehrer and Yang Hsiu-fang. It focuses on Taiwanese Hokkien. It's in English, makes many comparisons with Mandarin, and is well written.

<http://eng.press.ntu.edu.tw/?act=book&refer=ntup_book00760>


---

