At first I can follow one-part directions that are accompanied by a gesture. I then learn to follow similar directions without needing a gesture from you. As I approache two years of age, I will start to follow two-step directions with gestures. By fourteen months of age, most toddlers say their first word. Many children say 10-15 words by eighteen months, and 50 words by two years.
Girls generally talk sooner than boys, and first-born children talk sooner than other children.
Until I have a good grasp of speech, I will use gestures with my words to communicate my needs. My first words are associated with the experiences, things, and people important to me. I can sometimes identify the meaning of a word by only one or two conditions. From my small vocabulary, I choose the word that best fits the situation. To learn the names of objects, animals, and people, I carefully listen to the words you use and imitate what you say.