Will teaching a baby 2 languages cause a delay in speeking?

Briana - posted on 12/13/2012

It is good that you are using both languages. But where your baby stays the most should speak both languages too...

Joan - posted on 03/07/2010

I have two sons 3 and 2, I live in Italy and speak to the boys in English, they understand both languages and speak mostly in Italian but it didn't slow them down at all so I wouldn't worry.

Joan

Lauren - posted on 03/07/2010

My daughter gets spoken to in Spanish by some friends of mine and she has had no delay in talking in English. She has picked up the words from them and she will talk to me with it.

Liza - posted on 03/05/2010

I am from Denmark and my husband is american. I teach both my girls to speak danish- the earlier you start the easier it is for them to learn. There has been no delay in speech with either of them. My december 2007 baby is yapping away in both languages- she even says to my husband: that is danish, if she has just said something to me and he questions her about what she just said.... They say it is when you start introducing 3 langueages it may take them a little longer.

Holly Jay - posted on 03/04/2010

hi my daughters speech is a bit delayed as im english and her father is italian, and we both speak our own languages at home, she is saying maybe 10 english words and about 15 italian, maybe its not alot for some peple but its worth the delay to have two languages under your belt!!!! xx

Ymerli - posted on 02/26/2010

Hi, my baby is 26 months, I only speak to him in spanish and his father english. He totally understand to both of us, and he says words in both languages. We are visiting my family in Venezuela and he is talking like a parrot, I dont think children that learn different languages will experience a significant delay in speeking, they are working both sides of the brain which is very good, every child has their own timing, once he understand few little things and sentences he will start and go pretty fast on his talking.

Kati - posted on 02/23/2010

no i dont think so not at all really my brothers girlfriend is norwegen and she speaks to there 4 year old in Norwegian and my brother who is english speakes to her in english this has been happening since she was born and she seems quite happy the yonger the better really.

Debra - posted on 02/12/2010

It should not affect him to much I dont think. My husband and I only speak english but our two girls had a baby sitter who taught them both and my oldest started talking by 9 months. But every child is differnent

Erin - posted on 02/12/2010

My daughter speaks 2 languages and there was no delay in fact she's always been way ahead of the curve on comprehension and vocab. So it really depends on the child. Just keep it up, what a great gift for your child to have the opportunity to learn two languages!

Deana - posted on 02/12/2010

My daughter has the same problem - we live in Germany but speak Serbian at home. She doesn't speak as much as she ought to. The pediatrician told us that she has to stop watching television and this was good advice - she's begun speaking a lot more since. But I'm sure it's the exposure to two languages simultaneously that's causing the delay - when we went to Serbia for the holidays, she made amazing progress in just ten days because of exposure to one language only.

If your child was born in December 2007, I think you should have just a little bit more patience - most bilingual children really start speaking with two and a half (this is not a rule, this is just what I've picked up from experience).

Tamara - posted on 01/29/2010

I speak english and spanish with my son and his dad speaks spanish only with him. He is 25 months old and seems to understand everything. he is speaking alittle of both languages. yet not as much as other children his age. My pediatrician said this is the best time for him to learn 2 languages. And that will slow down his language skills a little.

Jessika - posted on 01/29/2010

Before having my daughter I had read that introducing 2 languages caused an initial delay, but then gave the child better language skills (by around 6, better vocab in both languages).
I must admit I find it hard speaking english tp my daughter (we live in a spanish speaking country, but I'm a native english speaker). Maica was a bit slow to start talking, but now she speaks non stop in spanish and says several words in english (cheese, bye, yes), usually I name anything new to her in spanish then english, also lots of english songs, books, also my mum and brother are starting to talk more in english to her.

Claudia - posted on 01/27/2010

Hi! I am dual immersion teacher and have been teaching my son language the same way (my husband speaks Spanish to him and I speak to him in English). Aside from that, my son has been doing the program "Your Baby Can Read" in English and his babysitter and grandparents only speak to him in Spanish. The results have been amazing! He speaks and understands both languages and is reading some words in English. Although he is only two, he is starting to transfer what he learns in one language to the other. I am starting to integrate a third language (Portuguese) and he is picking it up pretty easily. I think learning two languages since birth has made his speech develop quickly...he is quite a chatterbox!

Natalie - posted on 01/26/2010

I don't think there should be much of a delay. I've been speaking German with my children ever since they were born. They re now 2 and 4 and they both understand both languages although they mostly speak English since they are around it more. But i encourage them to repeat what i say and i haven't had any problems with them so far.
They think it's all normal and one language right now...

Virginia - posted on 01/26/2010

Every child develops in their own time. That includes talking. If anything you have a HUGE advantage teaching your child 2 languages at once because your child will be even more cultured. I am american but I've always been interested in spanish cultures. I also have dated many spanish guys growing up and have been very good with speaking spanish since I was 13. So I teach my daughter spanish as well. She also watched Dora and she counts in spanish! She also watches Ni Hao Kai Lan so she is learning some chinese also! The more languages they learn early on, the easier it is for them later on to communicate with so many different people. But don't worry as long as the baby understand what you are saying to him most of the time regardless of the language, he will speak when he's ready.

Rebeca - posted on 01/25/2010

Hi.... my kids are bilingual too!!! I have a 4 year old and a 2 year old. Both of them started speaking spanish first... My husband and I made it really important to teach them spanish first because they can learn english so easily through the tv and school. I've had many parents complain that their children only speak english and not spanish... because they were never introduced to it at an early age. My 4 year old speaks spanish very fluently and also she learned english soooo easily through the tv.... she's starting school in sept and I have no concerns. My 2 year old also speaks mostly spanish but is starting to catch up on the enlish as well, like I said tv!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So, in my opinion teach your child spanish first.... you'll see he will pick both languages up with no probs. I also was born in an english speaking country but my parents were spanish.... and they spoke to me in spanish all the time that now I speak it as if I were born in a spanish speaking country. Now I am following the same technique. KEEP AT IT!!!!!! He'll be speaking both in no time!!!!!!!!!! GOOD LUCK!!

Jen - posted on 01/24/2010

My cousin was raised that way. His mom spoke english to him and his father spoke spanish. He was from Puerto Rico so it was fine since they are bilingual there. I've never heard of him having any type of speech delay. The only problem he had was that he was used to speaking primarily in spanish so when he visited in the states he had a little bit of difficulty with english, but he's very fluent in both languages at the age of 25 and he now lives in the states.

Darlene - posted on 01/24/2010

There may be a small delay, but nothing to worry about. My mom spoke english with the children she used to watch. They spoke french at home. All 3 kids became perfectly bilingual. It's great that he'll know 2 languages early. I keep saying I need to speak french to my son. I do have some french speaking toys and books for him, but that's it.