As you’re probably learning, there are many important milestones babies hit in their first years of life. One of the most exciting is their first words. While it can happen earlier or later, babies typically say their first word around 10 or 11 months of age. But you’ll likely notice their speech and language developing well before that.
Here, we cover when you can expect your baby’s first words, milestones that come before and after them, and what you can do to help your baby’s language development. Remember, it’s common to be concerned that your baby’s speech and language skills aren’t where they should be, and there are things you can do to help them continue to develop.
First words by age: Baby speech milestones to watch for
Even though they can’t hold a conversation with you yet, talking to your baby is an important part of their speech and language development. Chatting with them about even the most ordinary parts of your day can help set your baby up for success. They’ll begin learning how to ask for what they want, start recognizing your voice and eventually, they’ll learn that the physical act of speaking leads to language, giving them the ability to communicate with the world around them.
Every child’s speech and language development is different, but there’s a natural progression most babies follow from birth to 12 months of age and beyond. From cooing to two- or three-word combinations, here’s what you may be able to expect.
Babies usually start cooing between birth and 3 months old
The first few months of your baby’s life are defined by reaction and the beginnings of recognition. From birth, baby will see your mouth form words and sounds when you talk to them, and they’ll start hitting speech milestones before you know it. The first thing babies typically learn is that crying gets their needs addressed, and you can see that idea used as a building block as they grow.
| From birth to 3 months, they begin: |
|---|
| Cooing and making happy sounds, like mmm, ooo and ahh |
| Crying for different needs, like if they’re hungry or tired |
| Making different noises based on their mood |
| Reacting or startling to loud sounds |
| Recognizing your voice |
| Smiling when spoken to |
| Turning or looking toward noises like a dog barking or people talking |
4 to 6 months old is when babies start putting speech patterns together
Those early one-sided conversations with your baby are crucial. Sometime between 4-6 months, you’ll see your baby’s relationship with sound and language expand and become increasingly complex. They’ll start copying speech patterns with sounds, facial expressions and reactions to all the different noises in their little world.
| From 4 to 6 months, they may begin: |
|---|
| Mimicking speech patterns, using different sounds that typically begin with b, m or p |
| Laughing |
| Making gurgling sounds when playing |
| Noticing toys that make sounds |
| Paying attention to music |
| Responding to different tones of voice |
Babies start babbling around 7 to 12 months of age
At 7-12 months old, your baby is learning that the noises they make get attention, and they’ll begin to understand that the words you use mean something. This is also the age where they not only react, but interact with people, pets, objects and everything else in their field of vision.
| At 7 to 12 months, they will likely start: |
|---|
| Babbling to get your attention, using both short and long groups of sounds |
| Communicating using gestures, like waving |
| Imitating different sounds of speech |
| Listening when you speak to them |
| Playing games like peek-a-boo |
| Responding to requests or commands, like no |
| Saying one or two short words like mama, hi or dog |
| Turning and looking toward different sounds |
| Understanding words for common objects, like bottle or milk |
Between 13 to 24 months, say hello to your baby’s growing vocabulary
Thanks to a solid first year of language and speech development, once the words start, they’ll probably never stop. And that’s a good thing! As your baby gets closer to their second birthday, you’ll notice their speech and language skills growing quickly.
| At or around 13 months, you can expect your baby to begin: |
|---|
| Following simple commands |
| Knowing some body parts and pointing to them when asked |
| Learning and using new words regularly |
| Understanding simple questions |
| Using more consonant sounds when talking |
| By 24 months, your baby should be: |
|---|
| Asking one- or two-word questions such as, “Where doggy?” |
| Saying 50-100 words |
| Naming objects that they see |
| Speaking in a way that’s understandable to those around them half of the time |
| Using two- or three-word phrases, especially to ask for things |
| Using words with consonants that were previously a bit too complex |
Beyond baby’s first words: When babies start talking in sentences
It may feel like a long time away, but soon enough your baby will be able to clearly voice their wants and needs, hold a conversation with you and more.
| Around 3 to 4 years of age, your child should be: |
|---|
| Asking and answering simple questions |
| Hearing words and sentences, as well as listening and reacting to them |
| Speaking easily without having to repeat themselves |
| Talking about their day |
| Using sentences with four or more words |
Questions about your baby’s development? Talk with their doctor.
It’s important to keep in mind that while these speech milestones are typical, babies grow at different rates. However, if your baby isn’t meeting many common milestones, speak to their family doctor or pediatrician. Their doctor is an expert in child development and can help assess where your baby is on their own track, offer advice and strategies for you to try at home, and refer your child to a speech-language pathologist if needed.
