When do babies start talking?

When do babies start talking?

Your baby will probably be able to talk – using a few simple words to express meaning – around their first birthday.

But learning to talk is a complex process that starts at birth and continues for years. Long before your baby says their first word, they're learning the rules of language and how adults use it to communicate.

Your baby will begin by using their tongue, lips, palate, and any emerging teeth to make sounds (cries at first, then coos in the first few months, and babbling around 4 months). As your baby babbles more expertly, around 6 months old, you may hear word-like sounds such as "ma-ma," "ba-ba," and "da-da." This doesn't count as real talking, though, because your baby doesn't yet understand the meaning of these words.

By around 8 to 12 months old, your baby will begin to attach meaning to words. They'll keep gaining words, and sometime around age 2, they'll begin to form two-word sentences. As your baby makes mental, emotional, and behavioral leaps, they're increasingly able to use words to describe what they see, hear, feel, think, and want.

If you're ever concerned about your baby's language progress, talk with their pediatrician right away. "It's important to identify speech delays as early as possible so a child can receive timely, appropriate testing and treatment," says Liz Donner, M.D.Opens a new window, a pediatric hospitalist in Orlando, FL and member of the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board. "They may benefit from various resources, such as speech therapy. The sooner we address delays, the sooner your child will have the opportunity to catch up and get back on track."

When do babies say their first word?

Around their first birthday, babies will say one or two simple words like "hi," "dog," "dada," "mama," "cup," "ball," "bye bye," or "uh-oh." The sounds may not be completely clear, but they'll be understandable. At the same time, your baby will also:

• Try to say words you say
• Respond to simple spoken requests like "come here"
• Imitate different speech sounds
• Use gestures like shaking their head no or waving bye
• Understand words for common items and people

   

But keep in mind that your baby communicates in other ways before they can say words – through cooing, crying, smiling, and babbling.

"Your child starts communicating with you long before they say their first word," says the American Speech-Language-Hearing AssociationOpens a new window (ASHA). ASHA's charts outline the communication skills a child will master at each age range, from birth to 1 yearOpens a new window, 1 to 2 yearsOpens a new window, and beyond.

How babies learn to talk

Here's how you can expect your baby's talking to progress. Note: If they're being raised in a bilingual environment, language milestones usually occur at about the same time in both languages. And keep in mind that, on average, boys lag a bit behind girls in language development, though by age 3 they catch up.

In utero

Many researchers believe the work of understanding language begins while a baby is still in utero. Just as your unborn baby gets used to the steady beat of your heart, they listen to the sound of your voice and can discern yours among others.

Learn more about when your baby can hear you.

Birth to 3 months

Crying is your baby's first form of communication. And one cry doesn't fit all: A piercing scream may mean they're hungry, while a whimpering, staccato cry may signal that they need a diaper change.

When your baby's happy, they'll make adorable cooing sounds. You may hear a delightful repertoire of gurgles, sighs, and coos.

As for their ability to understand language, your baby is starting to recognize what words sound like and how sentences are structured as they listen to those around them.

4 to 6 months

Your baby will start to babble, combining consonants and vowels (such as "ba-ba" or "ya-ya"). They'll make sounds like "oooo" and "aahhh," and respond to their name. They may "blow raspberries" (sticking out their tongue and blowing), make squealing noises, and take turns making sounds with you.

You may hear the first "ma-ma" or "da-da" now and then too. Though this might melt your heart, your baby doesn't equate those words with you quite yet. That comes later, when they're around a year old.

Your baby may respond to changes in the tone of your voice and use their own voice to show what they like and don't like. They'll notice music and toys that make sounds.

Your baby's attempts at talking will sound like stream-of-consciousness monologues in another language with endless words strung together. Vocalization is a game to your baby, who's experimenting with using their tongue, teeth, palate, and vocal cords to make all sorts of funny noises.

At this stage, babbling sounds the same, whether you speak English, French, or Japanese in your home. You may notice your child favoring certain sounds (like "ka" or "da"), repeating them over and over because they like the way they sound and how their mouth feels when they say them.

7 to 12 months

When your baby babbles and vocalizes now, they may sound as if they're making sense. That's because they're trying out tones and patterns similar to the ones you use.

Your baby is making a lot of different sounds now and is starting to attach meaning to the words they hear every day. They begin to link words to actions when they hear you say things like "let's start your bath," or "time to get in your car seat."

13 to 18 months

Now your child will probably use several words, and know what they mean. They know the names of people and body parts and can say up to 10 words.

They may wave bye-bye and understand the meaning of "no." Your baby will even practice inflection, raising their tone when asking a question by saying "Up-py?" when they want to be carried, for example. They're realizing the importance of language as they tap into the power of communicating their needs.

18 to 24 months

Your child may now know 50 or more words and be able to follow one-step directions, such as "Give me the block." They may ask simple questions and use simple phrases. You may even understand much of what they're saying!

How to help your baby start talking

"Learning to talk is a dynamic process for a baby," says Jeannette Reiff, M.S., associate director, Clinical Issues in Speech-Language Pathology at ASHA.

"Babies learn to speak by first listening to the sounds and words around them," Reiff explains, "and by interacting with others through smiling, pointing, and gesturing. They start making speech-like sounds with cooing and babbling, and then gradually begin to imitate and use simple words they connect to their environment and the people in their lives."

You can help your child's language skills grow by providing a rich and nurturing communication environment. Speech skills are enhanced when a child is exposed to a variety of social experiences and interactions, Reiff says.

Here are the most important things to do:

• Talk. You don't need to chatter nonstop, but speak to your baby whenever you're together. Describe what you're doing, point things out, and ask questions and answer them. ("What do you think she's doing? Oh, she's picking up the cat.") Speak clearly and enunciate your words. As they get older, ask your child questions, and encourage them to join you in conversation.
• Read. Reading to your baby is a great way to show them that everything has a name and to expose them to new vocabulary, the way sentences are put together, and how stories flow. Baby books with rhyming and repetition are especially beneficial.
• Listen. When your child talks to you, be a good listener – look at them and respond, even if you don't understand what they're saying. ("Are you asking for breakfast? I think it's time to eat!") Be patient, and correct them by repeating the word correctly: "That's right, this is a brush!" Give them time to think about what you've said and respond to you. 
• Have fun. Teach your baby animal sounds, sing songs, imitate your baby's expressions, and laugh when they laugh. Use sounds when you play, making a toy car say "rrrr" or making popping sounds for bubbles in the tub.

What to do if your baby doesn't talk

You're the best person to gauge your child's speech development. If they show any of the signs listed below, talk to your child's doctor about the possibility of a development delay or hearing problem.

"Delays in language are the most common types of developmental delays," says the American Academy of PediatricsOpens a new window. "One out of 5 children will learn to talk or use words later than other children their age. Some children will also show behavioral problems because they are frustrated when they can't express what they need or want."  

Sometimes speech delays are temporary, but they may be a sign of a more serious problem, such as hearing loss, another developmental delay, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Your pediatrician may refer your child to a pediatric speech-language pathologist for an evaluation. And ASHA has a searchable directory of certified therapistsOpens a new window.

Alternatively, your doctor's office, daycare provider, or local school might be able to direct you to an early intervention program in your area – usually coordinated through the county or public school system – that provides free screening for language problems.

Some signs to look out for:

• By 2 months old, doesn't respond to loud sounds
• By 4 months old, doesn't coo or make sounds
• By 6 months old, doesn't make vowel sounds like "ah," "eh," "oh"
• By 6 months old, doesn't laugh or make squealing sounds
• By 9 months old, doesn't babble ("mama," "baba," "dada")
• By 9 months old, doesn't respond to own name
• By 12 months old, doesn't say single words like "mama" or "dada"
• By 18 months old, doesn't say at least five words
• By 18 months old, doesn't gain new words
• By 24 months old, isn't making two-word sentences

After your baby starts talking, what's next?

Once your child starts talking, you'll probably hear an explosion of language between ages 1 and 2. The AAP says that between the ages of 1 1/2 and 2 years, most toddlers will learn about one new word per week. So you'll likely hear your little one use a lot of new words, start putting two words together to express themselves (like "no bed" or "more milk"), ask short questions ("who that?"), and start to name pictures in books.

By 2 years old, says the AAP, your toddler will be able to say about 50 to 100 words as well as several two-word phrases, such as "all gone." They may even say a few three-word sentences.

To learn more about what's to come, check out our articles on your child's talking timeline and how toddlers talk and understand words.