01/13/2026
Speech vs. Language: What’s the Difference? 🧠🗣
Many people use these terms interchangeably, but they’re actually different skills:
🗣 Speech:
• How we produce sounds and words
• Includes clarity, pronunciation, voice, and fluency
• Example: Saying “rabbit” clearly
💬 Language:
• How we understand and use words
• Includes vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, and understanding others
• Example: Knowing what “rabbit” means and using it in a sentence like “The rabbit hops fast.”
Speech therapy can target speech, language, or both, helping kids and adults communicate more clearly, understand others, and express themselves with confidence.
💡 Fun tip: Some children may speak clearly but struggle with language, while others may understand everything but have trouble saying words correctly.