The acquisition of Spanish as a first language was investigated in a study of eight Puerto Rican children ranging in age from 17-39 months. The speech of the four children studied in Puerto Rico was analyzed in detail and compared with that of the four children taped in Boston. The children's speech was taped in natural situations and analyzed in terms of the accuracy and complexity of the verb system. A common developmental pattern for the acquisition and appearance of the verb system was observed. For most of the children, repetitions seemed to influence verb system development. In comparison with the Boston group, the Puerto Rican group showed more diversity in developmental patterns. In general, the Puerto Rican children were more similar to the Boston children (individually) than to one another. (Author/RW)