Science Curiosities

Learn Spanish Like a Baby: The First 200 Words and Phrases

We’ve put together a list that shows, in approximate chronological order, the very first words, two-word phrases, and simple sentences that a native Spanish-speaking child learns.

Why is this useful for you, an adult language learner? Because these words and structures form the absolute core of the language. They are the most common, most concrete, and most context-driven elements you’ll ever encounter. By understanding how a language is built from the ground up, you can build a more confident foundation for yourself.

Gábor Bíró

July 7, 2025 Reading time: 6 min

Let's begin the journey from "mamá" to "quiero más jugo"!

The Building Blocks of Spanish: Words and Sentences

(Note: The age ranges are just general guidelines. Individual development can vary greatly.)

Phase 1: The First Words (Approx. 12-15 months)

The most important people, objects, and social interactions.

Mamá - Mommy
Papá - Daddy
Bebé - Baby
Pelota - Ball
Perro - Dog (or "perrito" - doggie)
Gato - Cat (or "gatito" - kitty)
Coche / Carro - Car
Libro - Book
Adiós / Chao - Bye-bye
Hola - Hi
No - No
Sí - Yes (often just a nod)
Más - More
Arriba - Up
Abajo - Down
¡Uy! - Uh-oh / Oops
Se acabó - All gone
Vamos - Go / Let's go
Para - Stop
Zapato - Shoe
Pato - Duck
Leche - Milk
Jugo / Zumo - Juice
Galleta - Cookie
Agua - Water
Plátano / Banana - Banana
Manzana - Apple
Nariz - Nose
Ojo - Eye
Mano - Hand
Comer - To eat
Beber / Tomar - To drink

Phase 2: Expanding Vocabulary (Approx. 15-18 months)

New nouns, simple verbs, and descriptive words.

Pájaro - Bird
Sombrero - Hat
Calcetín - Sock
Cuchara - Spoon
Vaso - Cup
Cama - Bed
Baño - Bath
Juguete - Toy
Árbol - Tree
Sol - Sun
Luna - Moon
Estrella - Star
Llave - Key
Puerta - Door
Silla - Chair
Mesa - Table
Grande - Big
Pequeño - Small / Little
Caliente - Hot
Frío - Cold
Mojado - Wet
Sucio - Dirty
Limpio - Clean
Mi / Mío - My / Mine
Tú - You
Yo - Me
Ver - To see
Querer - To want
Dar - To give
Jugar - To play
Sentarse - To sit
Correr - To run
Caminar - To walk
Dormir - To sleep
Despertar - To wake up
Bonito - Nice / Pretty
Bueno - Good
Malo - Bad
Feliz - Happy
Triste - Sad
Rojo - Red
Azul - Blue
Amarillo - Yellow
Verde - Green

Phase 3: The Two-Word Revolution (Approx. 18-24 months)

Children begin combining words to create meaning. This is often called "telegraphic speech."

Agent + Action

Mamá va - Mommy go
Papá sienta - Daddy sit
Perro corre - Doggie run
Bebé duerme - Baby sleep
Yo voy - I go

Action + Object

Querer leche - Want milk
Come galleta - Eat cookie
Ver perro - See doggie
Dame pelota - Give ball
Leer libro - Read book
Quiero más - Want more
Beber jugo - Drink juice

Attribute + Entity (Note: In Spanish, adjectives usually follow the noun)

Pelota grande - Big ball
Coche rojo - Red car
Mi zapato - My shoe
Llave de papá - Daddy's key (or "llave papá" before 'de' is learned)
Libro de mamá - Mommy's book

Possessor + Possession

Mi osito - My teddy
Zapato papá - Daddy shoe (the preposition 'de' is still missing)
Vaso mamá - Mommy cup

Location

Pelota arriba - Ball up
Perro abajo - Doggie down
Pájaro árbol - Birdie tree (the preposition 'en' is still missing)
Coche aquí - Car here
Juguete allí - Toy there

Requests

Más jugo - More juice
Más juego - More play
Vamos fuera - Go out
Vete - Go away
Siéntate - Sit down
Despierta - Wake up

Phase 4: Early Sentence Building (Approx. 24-30+ months)

Grammatical elements like auxiliary verbs, prepositions, and pronouns start to appear.

The "-ing" Form Appears (Gerund: -ando / -iendo)

Bebé está durmiendo - Baby is sleeping
Perro está comiendo - Doggie is eating
Mamá está cocinando - Mommy is cooking
Estoy jugando - I am playing
Papá está trabajando - Daddy is working

Using Pronouns

Quiero eso - I want that
Dámelo - Give it to me
¿Lo ves? - You see it?
Él es grande - He is big
Ella es buena - She is nice

Prepositions

Pelota en la caja - Ball in the box
Gato en la silla - Cat on the chair
Juguete bajo la cama - Toy under the bed
Ir a la tienda - Go to the store
Manzana en la mesa - Apple on the table

Questions

¿Dónde pelota? - Where ball?
¿Dónde está mamá? - Where's mommy?
¿Qué es eso? - What's that?
¿Vamos fuera? - Go out? (with rising intonation)
¿Mi galleta? - My cookie?
¿Qué hace el perro? - What is the doggie doing?
¿Por qué triste? - Why sad?

Three+ Word Sentences

Quiero más leche - I want more milk.
Veo un perro grande - I see a big dog.
Papá, ven aquí - Daddy, come here.
Ese es mi coche - That's my car.
Te quiero - I love you.
El perro está durmiendo - The dog is sleeping.
No lo quiero - I don't want it.
Se cayó - He/she fell down.
Voy a la cama - I'm going to bed.
Puedo hacerlo - I can do it.
Lo hice - I did it.
Vamos a jugar - Let's go play.
Léeme un libro - Read a book to me.
Quiero ir afuera - I want to go outside.
El sol brilla - The sun is shining.
Es mi turno - It is my turn.
¿Puedo tomar agua? - Can I have water?
Tengo hambre - I am hungry.
Estoy cansado/a - I am tired.
Él es mi amigo - He is my friend.

What This Means For You, The Adult Learner

As you followed this list, you probably noticed a pattern: language acquisition isn't random. It’s an incredibly logical, organic process that moves from the concrete and immediately useful to the abstract and complex. Babies don’t memorize grammar rules; they absorb language in meaningful situations. First come the most critical words ("mamá," "leche," "más"), then simple combinations ("querer leche"), and finally, complete, grammatically structured sentences ("¿Puedo tener más leche, por favor?").

Here are the key takeaways for your own learning journey:

The "Core" is Everything: Focus on the high-frequency nouns and verbs that make up 80% of daily communication. This list is an excellent starting point. Don't get lost in rare expressions until your fundamentals are solid.
Combine and Build: Just like children, start making "two-word sentences" in your head. See the language as Lego bricks. "Yo quiero" + "café." "Yo veo" + "un perro grande." These simple combinations build fluency and confidence.
Don't Fear Mistakes: Remember the child who says "yo sabo" instead of the correct "yo sé" ("I know"). This isn't a sign of failure; it's the sign of an active mind trying to figure out the rules. Your mistakes are a vital part of your learning process. Every incorrectly conjugated verb is a step closer to understanding the correct form.
Context is King: Words have power when they're tied to a situation. Learn in full sentences, not just isolated words. Imagine when you would say, "Se acabó" or "¡No es justo!" ("It's not fair!"). The more emotion and real-life scenarios you connect to your learning, the deeper it will stick.

Think of this list as a map showing you the most direct route to language confidence. And Vocafy is the tool that will help you walk that path. ¡Mucha suerte! (Good luck!)