This changing weather, protect your family with big discounts! Use code: FIRST10This changing weather, protect your family with big discounts! Use code: FIRST10

ADDED TO CART SUCCESSFULLY GO TO CART

Track your parenting journey

When Do Babies and Toddlers Start Talking? Age, First Words and Signs to Watch (2026)

Milestones

Written by - Mylo BabyLast updated: Sep 30, 2026

When Do Babies and Toddlers Start Talking? Age, First Words and Signs to Watch (2026)

3 Likes|

15 min

Quick Answer

Most babies say their first word around 12 months, usually "mama", "papa" or "dada". By 18 months, most say at least a few more words. By 2 years, they join 2 words like "more milk". By 3, they talk in short sentences. See a doctor if your child has no words by 16 months or isn't joining words by 2.

Talking Timeline at a Glance

Age	What Most Children Do	Talk to a Doctor If
2 to 4 months	Coos and makes happy sounds	No sounds or response to voices
6 to 9 months	Babbles ("ba-ba", "da-da")	No babbling by 9 months
12 months	First words ("mama", "papa"), waves bye-bye	No babbling or gestures
15 months	1 to 2 words besides "mama" or "papa", points to ask	No pointing
18 months	3 or more words besides "mama" or "papa"	Fewer than 3 words
2 years	Joins 2 words ("more milk"), often about 50 words	No 2-word phrases
30 months	About 50 words, uses "I" and "me"	Far fewer than 50 words
3 years	Short sentences, asks "why", has conversations	No sentences, very hard to understand

Sources: ASHA, official AAP and CDC milestone checklists (CDC).

Key Facts Every Parent Should Know

Around 12 months: When most babies say their first real word
About 50 words and 2-word phrases by 2 years (ASHA)
Short sentences by 3 years (ASHA)
Understanding comes first: Babies understand many words before they can say them
Gestures count: Pointing and waving are early forms of talking
Two languages don't cause delay: Bilingual children talk on a similar timeline (ASHA research)

When Do Babies Start Talking?

Short answer: Most babies say their first real word around 12 months. Some start as early as 9 to 10 months, and others a little after their first birthday. Before first words, babies "talk" through cooing, babbling, pointing and waving.

Stage	Typical Age	Examples
Cooing	2 to 4 months	"Ooh", "aah"
Babbling	6 to 9 months	"Ba-ba-ba", "da-da-da"
Talk-like babbling	9 to 12 months	Babbling with ups and downs, like real talk
First words	Around 12 months	"Mama", "papa", "dada", "nana"
Word explosion	18 to 24 months	New words almost every day
2-word phrases	Around 2 years	"More milk", "Papa go"
Short sentences	Around 3 years	"I want water", "Where is Dadi?"

What counts as a word? Any sound your baby uses consistently for the same thing, like "ba" for ball or "mum-mum" for food.

What Are Common First Words for Indian Babies?

Short answer: First words are usually names of important people, favourite things and everyday actions. In Indian homes, these are often "mama", "papa", "dada", "nana", "baba", "ta-ta" and words for food or water in the family's language.

Category	Common First Words
People	Mama, papa, dada, dadi, nana, nani, bhaiya, didi
Food and drink	Mum-mum (food), paani, doodh, "nana" for banana
Greetings	Ta-ta, bye-bye, hi
Animals and sounds	Bow-bow, meow, moo
Actions and words	No, more, up, go
Things	Ball, car, shoe

When Do Toddlers Start Talking in Sentences?

Short answer: Most toddlers join 2 words together by 2 years ("more milk", "go outside"), use 2 or more words with an action word by 30 months ("doggie run"), and speak in short sentences of 3 or more words by 3 years (ASHA).

Age	Sentence Stage	Example
18 to 24 months	Single words, some 2-word phrases	"Milk", "More milk"
2 years	2-word phrases	"Daddy go", "Big car"
30 months	2 or more words with an action word	"Doggie run", "Baby sleep"
3 years	Short sentences	"I want juice", "Where is Mumma?"

When Do Toddlers Talk Clearly?

Short answer: Toddlers aren't expected to talk perfectly. A common guide says strangers should understand about 50% of speech at 2 years, 75% at 3 years and nearly all by 4 years (Expressable). Sounds like "r", "s", "sh" and "th" often come later, up to 5 to 7 years.

Age	How Much Strangers Understand (Approximate)
2 years	About 50%
3 years	About 75%
4 years	Nearly 100%

Do Boys Talk Later Than Girls?

Short answer: On average, girls may start talking a little earlier, but the difference is small and many boys talk early too. Being a boy is not a reason to "wait and watch." Any child missing talking milestones should be checked.

Belief	Reality
"Boys always talk late"	Many boys talk on time; any delay should be checked
"His father talked late too"	Family history is worth mentioning to the doctor, but doesn't replace a check-up
"He'll catch up on his own"	Many late talkers do, but some need help, and early help works best

Do Two Languages Delay Talking?

Short answer: No. Children learning two or more languages talk on a similar timeline to other children (ASHA research). They may mix words from both languages, which is normal. Count words in all languages together.

Example: A toddler who says "paani", "milk" and "ball" has 3 words.

Speaking your home language (Hindi, Tamil, Bengali or any other) is great for your child. Read our guide on early English as a second language.

When Should I Worry if My Toddler Isn't Talking?

Short answer: Talk to your doctor if your child doesn't babble by 9 months, doesn't point or use gestures by 12 to 15 months, has no words by 16 months, has fewer than 3 words by 18 months, isn't joining 2 words by 2 years, or loses words they had. Always ask for a hearing test.

Age	Red Flag
Any age	Loses words or skills they had (see a doctor right away)
9 months	No babbling
12 to 15 months	No pointing, waving or other gestures; doesn't respond to name
16 months	No words at all
18 months	Fewer than 3 words, doesn't follow simple directions
2 years	No 2-word phrases, only copies words without using them to communicate
3 years	No short sentences, very hard to understand, doesn't ask questions

Understanding matters too. A toddler who understands well and points is usually doing better than one who does neither, even if both say few words.

For the full age-by-age chart, see our Speech and Language Milestones 1 to 3 Years guide.

Free Government Support in India

Free speech and hearing screening is available at District Early Intervention Centres (DEIC) under Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK). Ask your pediatrician, ASHA or Anganwadi worker.

How Can I Help My Baby Start Talking?

Short answer: Talk, read and sing with your baby every day, respond to their sounds, name things they point at, add one word to what they say and limit screens. Real conversation is the best way to build words.

Tip	Example
Talk through your day	"Now we're washing your hands!"
Respond to babbles	Baby: "Ba-ba!" You: "Ba-ba! Yes, you're talking!"
Name what they point at	"That's a bird. Bird!"
Add one word	Child: "Ball." You: "Big ball!"
Read every day	Point to pictures and name them
Sing rhymes with actions	"Machli Jal Ki Rani Hai", "Twinkle Twinkle"
Pause and wait	Give them time to respond
Limit screens	Talk and play instead

For 20 detailed ideas, read amazing ways to help your toddler talk.

Does Screen Time Delay Talking?

Short answer: Too much screen time, especially background TV and phones during meals, can reduce the back-and-forth talking babies need to learn words. Avoid screens other than video calls before 18 months, and keep to about 1 hour a day of good-quality content, watched together, from 2 to 5 years.

What Should Indian Parents Keep in Mind?

Short answer: Don't wait and watch if you're worried, speak your home language freely, limit screens and ask for a hearing test if talking is delayed.

Common Belief	Better Approach
"Boys talk late, don't worry"	Check if milestones are missed
"Two languages will confuse the child"	Bilingualism doesn't cause delay
"She'll talk once she goes to school"	Early help works best before school
Mobile phone during meals	Talk and eat together
"Tongue tie is always the reason"	Most talking delays aren't caused by tongue tie; see a doctor
Correcting every wrong word	Model the right word gently

Myths vs Facts

Myth	Fact
"All babies talk by 12 months"	First words can come anytime from about 9 to 15 months
"Boys always talk late"	Any child missing milestones should be checked
"Bilingual children talk late"	They talk on a similar timeline (ASHA research)
"Only spoken words count"	Pointing, gestures and understanding are key early skills
"Videos help babies talk"	Babies learn words best from real conversation
"Late talkers always catch up alone"	Many do, but some need help, so check early

FAQs: When Do Babies Start Talking?

When do babies start talking?
Most babies say their first word around 12 months. Some start at 9 to 10 months, others a little after their first birthday.

Bachcha kab bolna shuru karta hai? (Hinglish)
Zyada tar bachche lagbhag 12 mahine mein pehla shabd bolte hain, jaise "mama", "papa" ya "dada". 18 mahine tak kuch aur shabd, 2 saal tak 2 shabd jod kar ("aur doodh") aur 3 saal tak chhote vakya bolne lagte hain.

When do toddlers start talking in sentences?
Most join 2 words by 2 years and speak in short sentences of 3 or more words by 3 years.

How many words should a 1-year-old say?
Usually 1 to 3 words, like "mama" or "papa". Gestures like waving and pointing matter too.

How many words should a 2-year-old say?
Many say about 50 words and join 2 words together.

When do babies talk clearly?
Strangers should understand about half of what a 2-year-old says, about three-quarters at 3 years and nearly all by 4 years.

Do boys talk later than girls?
Girls may talk a little earlier on average, but the difference is small. Any child missing milestones should be checked.

Do two languages cause late talking?
No. Bilingual children talk on a similar timeline. Count words in all languages together.

Mera 2 saal ka bachcha nahi bolta, kya karein? (Hinglish)
Agar bachcha 2 saal tak 2 shabd jod kar nahi bolta, bahut kam shabd bolta hai, ishaara nahi karta ya naam pukarne par nahi dekhta, toh doctor se milein aur hearing test karwayein. Jaldi speech therapy shuru karne se bahut fayda hota hai. Ghar par roz baat karein, kitaab padhein aur mobile kam karein.

When should I worry if my baby isn't talking?
If there's no babbling by 9 months, no pointing by 12 to 15 months, no words by 16 months, fewer than 3 words by 18 months, no 2-word phrases by 2 years, or any loss of words, speak to your doctor.

Does screen time delay talking?
Too much screen time can reduce the conversation babies need to learn words. Talk, read and play together instead.

References

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). "Communication Milestones: Age Ranges." https://www.asha.org/public/developmental-milestones/communication-milestones/
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). "Communication Milestones: 19 to 24 Months." https://www.asha.org/public/developmental-milestones/communication-milestones-19-to-24-months/
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). "Communication Milestones: 2 to 3 Years." https://www.asha.org/public/developmental-milestones/communication-milestones-2-to-3-years/
Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. "Exploring Assumptions of the Bilingual Delay in Children With and Without Developmental Language Disorder" (2023). https://pubs.asha.org/doi/10.1044/2023_JSLHR-23-00117
Expressable. "How Well Should Your Child's Speech Be Understood?" https://www.expressable.com/learning-center/babies-and-toddlers/how-well-should-your-childs-speech-be-understood
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). "CDC's Developmental Milestones." https://www.cdc.gov/act-early/milestones/index.html

Medical Disclaimer

This article is for information only and does not replace professional medical advice. Every child develops at their own pace. If you have concerns about your child's talking, understanding or hearing, please consult your pediatrician or a speech-language pathologist.

“Shop baby diaper from Mylo”

Mylo Baby Diaper Pants Large (L) Size, 9-14 kgs with ADL Technology - 54 Count - 12 Hours Protection

Shop Now