First Spanish Words for Baby: 30+ Words to Learn Through Play
¡Hola, bebé! Want to add a little Spanish to your baby's day? You don't need flashcards or a class. You need a bath, a snack and a few favorite toys.
Saro, our toy and baby gear brand, comes from our friends in Spain. Here in New Orleans, where Spanish has been part of the city's story for centuries, that felt like a fun reason to put together a playful list of first Spanish words. Say them while you play, and let the toys do the teaching.
Bath time words (la hora del baño)
- el agua (AH-gwah): water
- las burbujas (boor-BOO-hahs): bubbles
- el pato (PAH-toh): duck
- el pingüino (peen-GWEE-noh): penguin
- la ballena (bah-YEH-nah): whale
- el pez (pehs): fish
- el tiburón (tee-boo-ROHN): shark
- el oso polar (OH-soh poh-LAHR): polar bear
Play it: hand over one toy at a time and name it. "¡El pato!" Then ask, "¿Dónde está el pato?" (Where's the duck?) The Polaris Bath Toys come with a whale, a polar bear, a penguin, a fish and a shark, so that's five words in one set. The Swimming Ducks are five ducks in five colors, and the Penguins Party set is four penguins. Always supervise near water.
Color words (los colores)
- azul (ah-SOOL): blue
- rosa (ROH-sah): pink
- amarillo (ah-mah-REE-yoh): yellow
- verde (VEHR-deh): green
- blanco (BLAHN-koh): white
Play it: line up the Swimming Ducks (blue, pink, mint, yellow and peach) and name each color as it goes in the tub. The Tropical Color-Changing Bath Toys turn white in warmer water and get bolder in cooler water, which makes "¡blanco!" a fun surprise.
Mealtime words (la comida)
- más (mahs): more
- la leche (LEH-cheh): milk
- la cuchara (koo-CHAH-rah): spoon
- el plato (PLAH-toh): plate
- el babero (bah-BEH-roh): bib
- rico (REE-koh): yummy
Play it: "¿Más?" is a great first word because it gets results. Name the spoon as you hand it over. The Set of 3 Training Spoons has a pre-spoon for beginners, a serrated spoon and a spoon for expert eaters. Put on a Nordic Silicone Bib and say "el babero" every time.
Animal and toy words (los juguetes)
- el león (leh-OHN): lion
- la jirafa (hee-RAH-fah): giraffe
- el mono (MOH-noh): monkey
- el perezoso (peh-reh-SOH-soh): sloth
- la estrella (ehs-TREH-yah): star
- la pelota (peh-LOH-tah): ball
Play it: the Longlegs plush come as a sloth, a giraffe and a monkey, with crinkle paper inside. Roll the Jingle Plush Ball back and forth: "¡La pelota!" Squeeze the Crinkle Star for "la estrella," and stack the Wooden Stacking Toy lion (18 months and up) for a big "¡león!" roar.
Everyday words (todos los días)
- hola (OH-lah): hello
- adiós (ah-dee-OHS): bye
- mamá, papá (mah-MAH, pah-PAH): mom, dad
- abuela, abuelo (ah-BWEH-lah, ah-BWEH-loh): grandma, grandpa
- gracias (GRAH-see-ahs): thank you
- te quiero (teh kee-EH-roh): I love you
- buenas noches (BWEH-nahs NOH-chehs): good night
Little habits that help
Pick one routine. Bath time in Spanish, or breakfast in Spanish. Small and steady beats a big push.
Name, then repeat. Say the word, hand over the toy, say it again.
Sing it. Any tune works. Babies don't grade your accent.
Bring the family in. If abuela speaks Spanish, this is her moment.
Quick answers
Do I need to speak Spanish to try this?
No. The pronunciation guides above are written for English speakers. Start with five words and add more as you go.
Where is Saro from?
Saro is a baby and toddler brand from Spain. In the U.S., it comes to you through Kalencom, a family-owned company in the New Orleans area since 1971.
Which Saro bath toy set has the most animals to name?
The Polaris Bath Toys have five different animals: a whale, a polar bear, a penguin, a fish and a shark.
Read our story: Spanish style, New Orleans family, browse the first-year baby toy guide, or shop bath toys and everything from Saro.
