There is no set age when all babies suddenly start talking but you can expect to hear their first recognisable words between 12 and 18 months.
Their language development should have gone through several milestones by this point, from crying to cooing to babbling and beyond. At the age of one, while they may only have a single word in their vocabulary, such as "mama", you may be able to deduce their intended meaning simply by their intonation.
How parents communicate with their babies can make a big difference to their development. Over this period they are learning not only to talk but to listen and understand.
