Final answer:
Children generally say their first word at about 12 months, with rapid vocabulary growth following, reaching up to 50 words by age 2 and around 1,000 words by age 3.
Step-by-step explanation:
Children typically say their first real word at about 12 months of age. During the first year, a baby's teeth start to come in and they show significant developmental milestones such as smiling, paying attention, and babbling. As they approach the one-year mark, many babies begin to use simple words like "mama" and "dada".
Although the first words are usually spoken around 12 months, it can vary from one child to another. After the initial words, language development continues to progress rapidly. By 24 months, toddlers can use up to 50 words and understand at least a couple of hundred more.
When toddlers reach 3 years of age, they can speak in simple sentences and their vocabulary may include up to 1,000 words. By the age of 5, children typically have a vocabulary of at least 1,500 words, can produce longer sentences, and begin to grasp concepts like calendars, clocks, and even money.