What is Shanghainese?

Shanghainese or Shanghai Hua 上海话 is a local dialect spoken by Shanghainese people. Not all locals speak Shanghainese, with Mandarin becoming the prime spoken language, but it is still very much alive with locals, especially of the elder generation.

Are Shanghainese and Mandarin the same?

No they have significant differences to the point where a fluent Mandarin speaker would have problems understanding various elements of spoken Shanghainese.

Is Shanghainese similar to Cantonese?

Shanghainese would sound foreign to someone who spoke Cantonese and vice versa. They're very different from each other!

How do you say hello in Shanghainese?

Hello in Shanghainese is pronounced "nong hoh".

Do you have Shanghainese lessons?

Yes, you can come to LTL Shanghai and learn Chinese. You can also learn Shanghainese Online from the comfort of your own home.

Should I learn Shanghainese?

If you do not live in Shanghai, there is really no need to. If you live in Shanghai, there is no harm in doing so but Mandarin would generally be the most useful. If you wish to learn Shanghainese , LTL provides lessons with local Shanghainese teachers.