Toddler Talking: First Words to Short Sentences

What's typical

• Around 12 months: a special name for a parent ("mama", "dada"), waving, understanding "no". Understanding runs well ahead of speaking.
• By 15 months: one or two more words, and pointing to ask for things.
• By 18 months: three or more words, and following simple directions without gestures.
• By 2 years: two words together ("more milk", "daddy go"), many new words a week for some children.
• By 30 months: about 50 words, and short phrases with an action word ("doggie run").
• By 3 years: back-and-forth conversation, "why" questions, and speech strangers understand most of the time. Some children say little and then a lot all at once. Mispronouncing words is normal at this age.

Everyday ways to help

• Talk about what you're doing and what they're looking at, in short, simple sentences.
• Add a little to what they say: if they say "car", you say "Yes, a red car. It's going fast!"
• Pause and wait. Give them time to fill the gap with a sound, a gesture or a word.
• Read together every day; let them turn pages and point. Re-reading favorites is great.
• Sing songs and rhymes with actions.
• Offer choices ("Banana or apple?") so they have a reason to answer.
• Keep screen time low; talking with people teaches language in a way video doesn't.
• Don't make them say a word before they get something; model it and move on.

More than one language

Speaking two or more languages doesn't cause speech delay. Use the language each parent knows best. Mixing languages in a sentence is normal. Count words across all languages when you check milestones.

When to check in

Talk to your child's doctor, and ask for a hearing test, if your child:

• isn't babbling, pointing or waving by about 12 months,
• has no words by about 15 to 16 months, or fewer than three words by 18 months,
• isn't putting two words together by 2 years,
• doesn't seem to understand simple requests, or doesn't respond to their name,
• loses words or skills they had, at any age.

In the US, children under 3 can get a free evaluation through Early Intervention, and you can call them yourself. Speech therapy works best when it starts early, so there's no benefit in waiting to see.