Your Baby's First Words

Babies often—but not always—say their first real word at 11–14 months. Some wait until they’re 16 months or more. Girls on average begin to talk a little earlier than boys.

A first word may not be a real word, but simply a sound a baby consistently uses to mean a particular object, person or action. “Mama” and “Dada” are often a baby’s first distinct word, but it could just as easily be “ba” (ball), “do” (dog) or “ca” (car).

Even with a small vocabulary, babies of this age tend to communicate well, indicating their needs and desires with gestures and facial expressions.

See also ...

Did he just say ‘Mama'? 

This message is not intended to provide individual medical advice. Always seek the advice of a physician or qualified healthcare provider for any questions you have about your health or medical condition, your breastfeeding issues and your infant's health. Never disregard, avoid or delay contacting a doctor or other qualified professional because of something you have read in our emails, webpages or other electronic communications.

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