Before babies can speak a real language—say, English or Spanish—they mutter and coo to play with sounds. It’s baby talk, and baby talk sounds the same all over the world. But when will you hear your baby’s first words? Critical milestones in a child’s learning to speak occur in the first three years of life, when their brain is developing rapidly. During this time, your baby’s speech development depends on both your baby talk skills and your baby’s.

When will you hear the first words of a child? The first “baby talk” is non-verbal and occurs shortly after birth. Your baby grimaces, cries and squirms to express a range of emotions and physical needs, from fear and hunger to frustration and sensory overload. Good parents learn to listen and interpret their child’s various cries.