Does Being Bilingual Delay Speech? (The Research Says No)

Raising your child with two languages does not delay speech. It is one of the most repeated worries in bilingual homes, and the research is reassuringly boring on this point.

• Bilingual children hit core speech milestones on the same timeline as monolingual children (first words around 12 months, two-word combinations by 24 months).
• Count both languages together: a child with 25 words in English and 25 in Croatian has a 50-word vocabulary, right on track.
• Code-mixing (blending two languages in one sentence) is normal and a sign of skill, not confusion.
• A quiet "silent period" of weeks to a few months is common when a second language is newly introduced.

If your two-year-old says few words in either language combined, that is worth a look. But bilingualism itself is not the cause, and switching to one language rarely fixes a real delay.

Quick Reference

Why do people think two languages slow speech down?

The myth is old and intuitive: more to learn, so it must take longer. Two things feed it. First, a bilingual toddler may know fewer words in each single language than a monolingual peer, because their vocabulary is split across two systems. Measure only English and they can look "behind." Measure the total and they are not.

Second, well-meaning advice. Pediatricians, teachers, and relatives sometimes tell families to "pick one language" the moment a child is slow to talk. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is explicit that learning two languages does not cause or worsen a language disorder, and that children can learn more than one language on a typical schedule.

What milestones should a bilingual child hit, and when?

The developmental sequence is the same in any language. Babble in the first year. First words around a child's first birthday. A vocabulary spurt in the second year. Two-word phrases ("more milk", "daddy go") by around 24 months. The NIDCD, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the NHS describe this same arc, and it holds whether a child is hearing one language or two. The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists notes that a bilingual child's total vocabulary across both languages develops in line with monolingual peers.

These are the same targets any toddler speech development guide uses for a monolingual child. A bilingual child meets them on the combined count.

The catch is measurement. A bilingual 18-month-old might have 10 English words and 12 Croatian words. Neither number alone looks impressive. Together, 22 words at 18 months is squarely typical. Always count the total conceptual vocabulary: if your child says "voda" but not "water," they still have the concept. It counts once.

How counting works
✔ mama ✔ dada ✔ water ✔ dog ✔ more
That is 5 words, counted once each. Words are never tallied as two separate lists, even when they come from two languages.

Is it normal for my child to mix two languages in one sentence?

Yes. "I want moja lopta" (my ball) is not confusion. Code-mixing follows grammatical rules, appears in fluent bilingual adults too, and usually reflects which word came to mind fastest. It tends to settle as each language strengthens and as children learn who speaks what. Read more on how comprehension often runs ahead of speech in understands but doesn't talk.

Children also sort languages by person and place surprisingly early. A toddler may speak Croatian to grandma and English at daycare by age three, with almost no instruction. Trust that sorting more than you trust your own anxiety about it.

Common myths about bilingualism and speech

• ❌ Two languages confuse a child. ✔ Research finds no confusion; children separate languages early.
• ❌ Kids should master one language first. ✔ No evidence supports "one at a time"; simultaneous exposure works.
• ❌ Mixing languages signals a delay. ✔ Code-mixing is normal and rule-governed at every bilingual age.
• ❌ A slow-to-talk bilingual child should drop a language. ✔ Removing input does not treat a delay, and costs the child a language.

What if my child hears three languages?

The same rules scale. A child who hears Croatian from mum, English from dad, and German at daycare is being raised trilingually, and the milestones still apply to the combined total across all three. Trilingual children can take a little longer to sound fluent in each single language, simply because exposure is divided three ways, but they are not delayed. Consistency helps: when each language has its own reliable source, one parent or one setting, children sort them faster. What matters is total meaningful input, not keeping the languages in separate boxes.

Decision logic: wait, support, or assess?

• On track in the combined count (first words ~12 months, ~50 words and word combinations by ~24 months): keep going, no change needed.
• Slightly behind in one language but fine in total: this is normal split-vocabulary. Add exposure to the weaker language through play and books, not pressure.
• Few words in both languages combined by 24 months, OR no gestures/pointing, OR lost words they used to say: this is a flag in any child, bilingual or not. Talk to your pediatrician and ask for a speech-language referral. Our guide on speech delay signs in toddlers and when to seek help for speech delay walk through the specifics.

A real delay shows up in both languages, because a language disorder affects the underlying system, not one vocabulary. That is the single most useful rule to remember.

Common mistakes to avoid

Dropping a language to "simplify things." When a child is genuinely delayed, removing their home language does not speed up the dominant one, and it can sever the child from grandparents and culture. ASHA advises families keep using the language they are most comfortable and fluent in, because rich, natural input matters more than which language it is.

Comparing across households. A monolingual cousin's word count is not your benchmark; the combined total is.

Going quiet yourself. Some parents talk less, worried they are "confusing" the child. The opposite helps: narrate, read, sing, repeat. Screens do not substitute for this back-and-forth, as covered in does screen time cause speech delay.

Waiting too long "because bilingual kids talk later." They don't, on average. Using that belief to explain away a real delay costs the most valuable thing in speech intervention: early time.

When to seek professional help

Book an evaluation if, counting both languages, your child has no words by 18 months, no two-word phrases by 24 months, is not using gestures like pointing or waving, seems not to understand simple requests, or has lost words or skills they previously had. Regression especially is never a "wait and see." See late talker vs speech delay for how professionals draw that line.

An assessment should ideally be done by someone who can evaluate all the languages your child hears, or with a trained interpreter, so their real ability is not underestimated. A monolingual test in only one language can make a typically developing bilingual child look impaired.

Frequently asked questions

Do bilingual children start talking later than monolingual children?
No. On average they reach first words and word combinations on the same schedule. Any apparent lag usually comes from counting only one language instead of the combined total.

My toddler mixes English and Croatian constantly. Is that a problem?
No. Code-mixing is normal, rule-governed, and common even in fluent bilingual adults. It typically decreases as each language matures and as the child learns which language fits which setting.

Should I stop speaking my home language if my child has a speech delay?
Generally no. Removing a language does not treat a delay and can cost the child connection and input. Keep speaking the language you are most fluent in, and get a proper assessment.

How do I know if it is bilingualism or a real delay?
A true delay appears in both languages at once. If your child is progressing in at least one language and the combined vocabulary is on track, bilingualism is doing its job.

Which language should we use at home?
The one (or ones) you speak most naturally and richly. Quality and quantity of real conversation matter more than the specific language, and children sort multiple languages out over time.

Can a bilingual child still have a language disorder?
Yes, at the same rate as any child. Bilingualism neither causes nor prevents it. That is exactly why a delay in both languages warrants assessment rather than blaming the second language.

How KidyGrow helps you

Milestone worry gets loud at 3 a.m. and vague by the next pediatric visit, when you can't remember whether the new words started three weeks ago or six. KidyGrow holds that thread for you.

Log a word when you hear it, in either language, and the app keeps a combined running count instead of making you tally two lists in your head. Early on it says general things. After a couple of weeks of real entries, the daily brief gets specific: instead of "toddlers say around 50 words by two," it might note that your child added eight words this month, six of them Croatian, and that combinations started appearing. That is the number a speech-language pathologist actually asks for, ready before you sit down.

Sometimes there is no clean pattern, just a quiet month, and the app will say so rather than invent progress. What it gives you is the honest record: what last month actually held, so the next visit starts from fact instead of foggy memory.

Sources

1. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Learning More Than One Language. https://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/learning-two-languages/
2. American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org). Language Development: 2 Year Olds. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/toddler/Pages/Language-Development-2-Year-Olds.aspx
3. NHS. Baby's development. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/babys-development/
4. Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT). Bilingualism. https://www.rcslt.org/speech-and-language-therapy/clinical-information/bilingualism/
5. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). Speech and Language. https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/speech-and-language