What are spoken languages?

Spoken languages are ways people talk to each other using sounds, just like how you use words when you're telling a story or playing a game.

Imagine you and your friend have a special code for drawing shapes in the air. When you draw a circle, it means "I want a cookie." When you draw a square, it means "Let's go outside!" That’s kind of like what spoken languages are, they’re special codes made of sounds that people use to say things like "I love you," "It’s raining," or "Can I have another turn?"

Every language has its own set of sounds, just like every game has its own rules. For example, in English, we use sounds like b, a, and t to make the word "bat." In Spanish, they might use different sounds to say the same idea, like "bate."

People learn their spoken language by listening and talking with others, just like you learn how to play a game by watching and playing with friends. And once you know the code, you can talk about anything, from cookies to space adventures! Spoken languages are ways people talk to each other using sounds, just like how you use words when you're telling a story or playing a game.

Imagine you and your friend have a special code for drawing shapes in the air. When you draw a circle, it means "I want a cookie." When you draw a square, it means "Let's go outside!" That’s kind of like what spoken languages are, they’re special codes made of sounds that people use to say things like "I love you," "It’s raining," or "Can I have another turn?"