Naming everyday objects — Foreign languages, 4–6 years
Learn the words for things you can see and touch, so you can talk about the world around you.
The word for a thing
A language gives each familiar thing a word, such as book, cup or door. You can say the word while pointing, holding the object or looking for it. The word helps another person know exactly which thing you mean.
Why name things?
Pointing does not always work: the cup may be far away, or there may be three cups on the table. Object words solve this problem by making a message more precise. People needed such words to share tools, find things and work together.
A real example
There are a pencil, a book and a ball on a table. First, look at the thing you want. Next, choose its word: book. Then point to it and say, “Book, please.” Your partner can now pick up the book, not the pencil or ball.
A word is not the thing
A common mistake is to say the word for one object while pointing at another. This is understandable: your eyes may move quickly, and you may know both words. Slow down, look carefully, and match the word to the thing before speaking.
Where it helps
You use object words when asking for a toy, packing a bag or telling someone what is on the floor. A child might say “shoe” when one is missing. The same skill helps in a shop, at home or while travelling in another country.
Keep exploring
Other languages
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