Learn Hardcore Chinese: duì wǒ láishuō, xué zhōngwén hěn yǒuyìsi. - For me, learning Chinese is very interesting.

对我 by itself usually means “to me / toward me” in a physical or relational sense:
- 他对我很好。= “He is nice to me.”
- 这对我有帮助。= “This is helpful to me.”

If you want to say “for me / in my opinion”, the normal pattern is:

对我来说
(or very similarly) 对我来讲, 对我而言

So:
✗ 对我，学中文很有意思。 (unnatural)
✓ 对我来说，学中文很有意思。

Is 对我来说 required, or can I just say 学中文很有意思?

You can absolutely say 学中文很有意思。

学中文很有意思。
→ “Learning Chinese is very interesting.”

This is a general statement.
Adding 对我来说 makes it explicitly subjective:

对我来说，学中文很有意思。
→ “For me / Personally, learning Chinese is very interesting (even if it might not be for others).”

So 对我来说 is optional; it just adds the “from my perspective” nuance.

Why is there no 是 (“to be”) in the sentence? Why not 学中文是很有意思?

In Chinese, adjectives like 有意思 often act as a verb-like predicate on their own. You don’t need 是:

学中文很有意思。
literally: “Learning Chinese very interesting.”

是 is usually used to link two nouns (or noun-like phrases):

他是老师。= “He is a teacher.”
这是一本书。= “This is a book.”

You can say 学中文是很有意思, but then 是 is used more for emphasis or contrast, for example:

学中文是很有意思，但是也很难。
“Learning Chinese is very interesting, but it’s also hard.”

In neutral statements without contrast, 学中文很有意思 is more natural.

What is the difference between 学 and 学习 here? Could I say 学习中文很有意思?

Yes, you can say 学习中文很有意思。 It’s correct and natural.

Differences:

学 is shorter, more informal, and very common in speech.
学习 sounds a bit more formal or “serious,” often used in written or academic contexts.

In this sentence both work:

学中文很有意思。 (neutral, everyday)
学习中文很有意思。 (slightly more formal / bookish)

Why is it 中文 and not 汉语? Are they the same?

Both can mean “Chinese (language)”, but there are nuances:

中文 (zhōngwén)
- literally “Chinese written/language”
- can mean the Chinese language in general, including both spoken and written
- also used for Chinese text, e.g. “this is in Chinese”
汉语 (hànyǔ)
- literally “Han language”
- more specifically refers to the spoken language of the Han ethnic group
- tends to be a bit more formal / linguistic-sounding

In everyday speech, 中文 is extremely common for “Chinese” as a language.

So:

我在学中文。 – very natural
我在学汉语。 – also correct, a bit more textbook-style

What does 有意思 mean exactly? Is it the same as 有趣 or 好玩?

有意思 (yǒuyìsi) literally means “has meaning,” but in everyday speech it usually means:

interesting, fun, engaging, sometimes meaningful.

Compare:

有意思 – interesting / engaging / enjoyable
有趣 (yǒuqù) – interesting (often a bit more “intellectually” interesting)
好玩 (hǎowán) – fun to do / amusing / playful

In this sentence:

学中文很有意思。
→ “Learning Chinese is very interesting / enjoyable.”

You could also hear:

学中文很有趣。 – “Learning Chinese is very interesting.”
学中文很好玩。 – “Learning Chinese is a lot of fun.” (more playful tone)

Why is 很 (very) there? Do I really have to say 很有意思 and not just 有意思?

In many adjective sentences, Chinese uses words like 很, 真, 非常 etc. partly as a “link” between the subject and the adjective, not always as a strong “very”.

So:

学中文很有意思。

often just means:

“Learning Chinese is interesting.” (not necessarily “VERY interesting”)

If you say:

学中文有意思。

it is grammatically possible, but in many contexts it sounds a bit bare or emphatic (like a contrast: “It is interesting, you know”), or like written style.

For beginner and intermediate usage, it’s safe and natural to include 很 in such sentences:

天气很冷。= “The weather is cold.”
她很忙。= “She is busy.”
中文很有意思。= “Chinese is interesting.”

Why is it 学中文很有意思 and not 学中文是有意思的?

You can say:

学中文是有意思的。

This form (是…的) often:

Adds emphasis:
- 学中文是有意思的！(It really is interesting!)
Sounds a bit more formal or rhetorical, common in speeches, writing, or when stressing a point.

In normal, conversational speech, the simple structure:

学中文很有意思。

is more natural and neutral. The 是…的 version feels a bit heavier, like you’re asserting a fact or making a point.

In English we say “Learning Chinese” with -ing. How does 学中文 work like that in Chinese without any ending?

Chinese verbs don’t change form like English verbs do. 学中文 literally is:

学 – to learn / study
中文 – Chinese (language)

Depending on context, 学中文 can correspond to:

“to learn Chinese”
“learning Chinese” (as a general activity)
“(someone) learns Chinese”

Chinese uses word order and context instead of changing verb forms. Here, used as the subject of the sentence:

学中文很有意思。
→ “Learning Chinese is interesting.”

There’s no need for an extra word like “-ing” or “to”; 学中文 covers it.

How do I change the sentence to say “was interesting” or “will be interesting”?

Chinese usually doesn’t change the verb form for tense; it uses time words or aspect markers.

Past (was interesting) – add a time word:
- 以前，学中文很有意思。
  “In the past, learning Chinese was interesting.”
- 去年学中文很有意思。
  “Last year, learning Chinese was interesting.”
Future (will be interesting) – add future time words or expressions:
- 将来，学中文会很有意思。
  “In the future, learning Chinese will be interesting.”
- 明年学中文会很有意思。
  “Next year, learning Chinese will be interesting.”

The adjective 有意思 itself doesn’t change; the time expression and sometimes 会 (“will / would”) show the tense-like meaning.