When Do Babies Start Talking? A Guide to Baby Language Development

Key Insights: Baby Language Development Milestones

• Cooing (0-3 months): Babies begin to recognize you, may react to loud sounds, or respond to smiles.
• Babbling (4-6 months): Repetitive sounds like "ba-ba" and "da-da" start to form, your baby may laugh, pay attention to music, and respond to changes in tone of voice.
• Understanding words (7-12 months): Your baby may communicate with gestures, imitate speech, understand simple words, and listen when spoken to.
• Early Sentences (2-3 years): Speech becomes clearer, and they form basic sentences.

When Do Babies Start Talking?

In the earliest months—from birth to around four months—your baby is already busy exploring the world of sound. Even though they aren’t forming words yet, you might notice them alerting to noises, smiling or quieting when you speak, and making gentle cooing sounds like “ooooo” or “aahh.” These early interactions are your baby’s first steps toward communication.

As they reach the four-to-six-month mark, things get even more exciting. Now, your baby might start giggling and laughing, especially when you engage with them. They begin to experiment with different sounds, and you might hear playful noises like blowing raspberries. This period is all about back-and-forth sound exchanges—a kind of early conversation that lays the foundation for more complex speech.

Around 7-9 months, you’ll likely notice an increase in babbling. Your little one may string together sounds like “mamamama” or “babababa” as they explore the rhythms and patterns of language. Then, as they approach the 10-to-12-month stage, many babies start imitating sounds and even saying one or two words, such as “mama” or “dada.” Alongside these words, gestures like pointing, waving, or showing you an object help bridge the gap between sound and meaning.

When Do Babies Understand “No”?

Typically, as babies move into the seven-to-nine-month phase, when you say “No,” your baby might pause or stop what they’re doing, showing that they’re beginning to understand the concept of boundaries. Even though their comprehension is still developing, their reaction to your tone and facial expressions is a big part of learning how to navigate their world.

When Do Babies Learn Their Name?

When Do Babies Learn Their Name? It might surprise you to learn that even in the first few months, your baby is already starting to recognize sounds that are familiar, including their own name. In those early days, they turn toward voices and react to the sound of someone speaking.

Around 7-9 months, the recognition becomes more pronounced. When you call your baby’s name, they’ll often look right at you, showing that they’re beginning to understand that this word refers to them. This recognition is a wonderful sign of social and cognitive development.

When Do Babies Start Understanding Words?

Understanding words is a gradual process. Early on, your baby links sounds with the faces and objects around them. By the time they’re between seven and nine months old, they might start associating certain words with familiar people and objects. Around 10-to-12-months, many babies understand simple phrases—things like “Go bye-bye” or “Look at Mommy” become meaningful to them. One of the best ways to encourage this understanding is to talk about your day as you go through it. Narrating your activities—“Mommy is washing your hair,” or “We’re going to Grandma’s house”—helps your baby connect words with actions and places.

Tips for Supporting Your Baby’s Language Development

• Talk, talk, talk! Narrate your day and engage with your baby frequently.
• Read together. Books help introduce new words and concepts.
• Sing songs and nursery rhymes. Rhythm and repetition make learning fun.
• Respond to their sounds. Imitating and encouraging their babbling helps them practice communication.
• Use gestures. Pointing and facial expressions help reinforce word meanings.

Join Enfamil Family Beginnings^® And Support Your Baby’s Next Milestones

As parents, you want the best for your baby's growth and development—whether it's their first babble, understanding their name, or learning to say those magic first words. With Enfamil Family Beginnings^®, we’re here to help you navigate every step of the journey, providing expert advice and exclusive perks to support you along the way. When you join, you'll receive tailored insights based on your baby’s unique milestones, along with helpful resources to guide you through each phase of their development. Our goal is to empower you with plenty of knowledge to inspire confidence in your parenting choices!