Raising a bilingual toddler: does it delay speech?
What families speaking two or more languages need to know about first words.
Short answer: no. Learning two languages does not cause a speech or language delay. Bilingual toddlers may know fewer words in each language, but their total across both is similar to children learning one. Count words in every language, keep speaking the language you know best, and seek an evaluation if your child is behind in both languages combined.
Two languages do not cause a delay
Children around the world grow up with two or more languages, and research consistently finds that bilingualism itself does not slow language development or cause a disorder. A bilingual child who is late to talk is late for the same reasons a monolingual child might be, not because of the second language.
Count words in every language
A bilingual toddler's words are split across languages. They may say "dahi" in Nepali and "milk" in English, and not yet know "yogurt" or the Nepali word for milk. Looking at only one language undercounts what they know.
- Add up words from all languages, including words for the same thing in two languages.
- Mixing languages in one sentence is a normal part of bilingual development, not a sign of confusion.
- Comparing a bilingual child's English alone with a monolingual child's English can make a typical child look delayed.
Keep speaking your home language
Families are sometimes told to switch to English only. That is not what experts recommend. Children learn best from rich, warm conversation, and parents talk most richly in the language they know best and love most. Dropping a home language can also cut a child off from grandparents and their culture.
When to seek an evaluation
- Your child is behind the milestones when you count all their languages together.
- They understand less than expected in their strongest language.
- They use few gestures, or you are worried.
If possible, ask for an evaluator who speaks your child's languages or works with an interpreter, so all of your child's words are counted. See how many words to expect by age.
Try it tonight, free
Plant words from every language in the word garden, so your child's real total is always counted.
Open Talk Baby TalkSources
- ASHA Leader, on bilingual language development in young children
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), Speech and Language Development
- CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics, Developmental Milestones (updated 2022)
This guide is general information for parents, not medical advice. If you are worried about your child's speech, talk to your pediatrician or contact your state's Early Intervention program for a free evaluation.