When do babies start talking? How to get that motormouth running

There are some milestones that strike like a lightning bolt in early childhood. As a parent, you remember the first smile, the first step, and the first word.

But talking, really talking – it sneaks up on you. One day you're slowly pronouncing "mama," and the next, they're telling you all about the vegetables they won't eat. How did their language explode like that?

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. Here are some general speech development milestones you can expect in your baby's first year:

• From birth to 3 months, babies develop distinct cries based on their needs and may start cooing.
• By 4 to 7 months, babies will babble and make "ooh" and "aah" sounds.
• By 8 to 12 months, babies can blow raspberries, take turns "speaking," and identify caregivers with easy names like "mama."
• By 13 to 18 months, toddlers start to speak words other than their caregivers' names.
• By 19 to 24 months, toddlers can use two words to form a sentence and speak up to 50 words.

When do babies say their first word?

Around 12 months old, 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.

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.

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, Florida, 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."

How babies learn to talk

Here's how you can expect your baby's talking to progress. A couple things to keep in mind:

• If you're raising your baby in a bilingual environment, language milestones usually occur at about the same time in both languages.
• On average, boys lag a bit behind girls in language development, though by age 3 they catch up.

In utero: Listening

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.

Babies learn to speak by first listening to the sounds and words around them, and by interacting with others through smiling, pointing, and gesturing.

- Jeannette Reiff, associate director of Clinical Issues in Speech-Language Pathology at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

Birth to 3 months: Crying and cooing

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: Babbling

Your baby will start to babble, combining consonants and vowels (such as "ba-ba" or "ya-ya"). They'll make sounds like "oooh" and "ahhh," 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: First words and comprehension

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: Saying words

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."

"Besides Mama and Dada, she recently started saying 'no, no, no!' – especially when I have to put her in her car seat," says BabyCenter Community member leiiyahh.

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: Language 'explosion'

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!

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) saysOpens a new window 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, put two words together in simple sentences (like "no bed" or "more milk"), ask short questions ("who that?"), and name pictures in books.

"Once it clicks for them, it seems like their language takes off. My little one is 25 months and talking a ton," says BabyCenter Community member Triedathousandtimes. "I can't remember exactly when he started using sentences. But I do remember that progress felt slow from 20 up to 50 words. Once he hit that and started to say things like 'light on/off,' I totally lost track. It felt like all of a sudden he was just trying to say any new word he heard and making all sorts of demands."

How to help your baby learn to talk

"Learning to talk is a dynamic process for a baby," says Jeannette Reiff, M.S., associate director of Clinical Issues in Speech-Language Pathology at the American Speech-Language-Hearing AssociationOpens a new window.

"Babies learn to speak by first listening to the sounds and words around them, and by interacting with others through smiling, pointing, and gesturing," Reiff explains. "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.

Once it clicks for them, it seems like their language takes off. ... It felt like all of a sudden he was just trying to say any new word he heard and making all sorts of demands.

- BabyCenter Community member Triedathousandtimes

Here are the most important things to do:

Talk to your baby

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 together

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.

Don't just read the words on the pages; ask your child questions about the pictures and let them show you what they like.

Be a good listener

When your child talks to you, truly listen to them – 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.

Sing a song (or several)

Nursery rhymes are great for getting babies in the swing of speaking, even if they're just bopping along with the beat. Try simple songs like "The Wheels on the Bus" or "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" to see if they'll do the gestures with you.

Make a playdate

If you're dealing with a toddler, one of the best ways to encourage talking is by allowing them to spend supervised time with new friends.

They'll be forced to communicate in a way they don't need to when they're with you, because you know what they need with a grunt and a gesture. Their new friend won't, and they'll need to communicate to figure it out.

Consider educational screen time

We know, screen time is a controversial subject. Experts say a limited amount for toddlers from 18 to 24 months isn't harmful, so if you're open to it, there are YouTube channels that specialize in encouraging speech.

Ms. Rachel has a master's degree in music education and is hugely popular among the toddler sect, and Super Simple Songs can be fun to watch as a family.

Have fun with it

Teach your baby animal sounds, imitate your baby's expressions, and laugh when they laugh. Use sounds when you play, like making a toy car say "rrrr" or making popping sounds for bubbles in the tub.

What to do if your baby isn't talking

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 developmental delay or hearing problem.

"Delays in language are the most common types of developmental delays," says the AAP. "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."

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

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.

"My son turned 2 and still wasn't saying two-word sentences. They wanted us to do speech therapy and literally on the way home from the pediatrician that day, he started making a 'g' sound for the first time," says BabyCenter Community member Katieszc. "I decided to just let him figure it out on his own. It was a slow ride, but by 2 1/2 he was speaking around 50 words. And by 3, speaking in two- to four-word sentences."

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.