Babies typically start talking by saying their first words between 9 and 12 months of age, with many saying simple words like "mama" or "dada" around their first birthday

. Before actual words, babies begin babbling between 4 and 6 months, producing sounds like "ba-ba" or "da-da," which are important precursors to speech

. By 12 to 18 months, babies usually say a few simple words and understand more of what is said to them

. Around 18 months to 2 years, toddlers start combining words into short phrases and expanding their vocabulary significantly

. In summary, the progression is roughly:

• 4 to 6 months: Babbling sounds begin
• 9 to 12 months: First meaningful words appear
• 12 to 18 months: Vocabulary grows to several words
• Around 2 years: Two-word phrases and more complex speech start

This timeline can vary somewhat from child to child but generally reflects typical language development milestones