Bajuni interpreters and translators for immigration lawyers, the Home Office, tribunals, hospitals and councils anywhere in the UK. Choose face-to-face, telephone or video interpreting, order certified translation between Bajuni and English, and book with us 24/7 whenever an interview date arrives.
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Bajuni interpreting services
Bajuni has another name, Kitikuu, and it is easy to confuse with its neighbours. Chimwiini, the Swahili of Brava further up the Somali coast, is a separate dialect; so is Kiamu, the speech of Lamu town, though it is closer. When booking, give us the person's home island or village if known, their age when they left, and which other languages they used, such as Somali or Kenyan Swahili.
Consecutive interpreting is the norm, in short exchanges, so that nothing is summarised. Where the job is an asylum interview, we ask the interpreter to raise any word they are not sure of openly rather than guess, and to render dialect terms faithfully.
Face-to-face interpreting
The interpreter comes to you: a hospital ward, a courtroom, a council office, a home visit or a business meeting. It is the best choice when people need to read expressions as well as words, or when the conversation is long or sensitive.
Telephone interpreting
The quickest option to set up. It works well for short calls, triage, appointment reminders and quick checks with a client.
Video interpreting
A Bajuni interpreter joins by video for remote hearings, consultations and meetings, which helps when there is no interpreter near you.
We also provide medical interpreting and conference interpreting.
Certified Bajuni translation
Written material rarely arrives in Bajuni itself. Documents held by Bajuni families tend to be Somali or Kenyan papers, UNHCR registration cards from the camps, or letters written in standard Swahili. We translate each from the language it is actually written in, and each translator works into their native language, which means English versions are produced by native English speakers and certified for UK use.
Names and places are the delicate part. The same island or person may be spelt differently in Somali, Swahili and English sources, so we keep the spelling your client's case already uses and note variants in brackets.
- Certified translation of birth, marriage and death certificates, passports, driving licences, degree certificates and bank statements, for the Home Office, courts, universities and employers.
- Legal translation: witness statements, court bundles, contracts and immigration papers.
- Document translation of medical reports, letters, leaflets and patient information.
- Urgent translation when a deadline is close.
- Transcription of Bajuni audio and video recordings, with an English translation if you need one.
English to Bajuni translation
Translating English into Bajuni is seldom the right call, since few readers are used to seeing it written. People schooled in Kenya usually read standard Swahili comfortably; those educated in Somalia may read Somali better. Ask the reader which they prefer. If they read neither with ease, a Bajuni interpreter reading the document aloud over the phone is the clearer choice.
Bajuni court and police interpreters
Most Bajuni legal work is in the immigration and asylum tribunal, with some criminal and family cases. For these we look for Bajuni interpreters with legal experience and, where interpreters holding them exist for Bajuni, the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (Law) or registration with the National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI). If the court lists the language simply as Swahili, ask the tribunal to amend it: an appellant who has to answer in standard Swahili may sound less like a Bajuni speaker than they are.
How to book a Bajuni interpreter
- Tell us about the assignment: the date, time and address, or that you need telephone or video; how long it should last; and what it is for, such as a hospital appointment, a hearing or a business meeting.
- Tell us about the speaker: their country or region and, if you know it, their dialect. Mention any preference for a male or female interpreter.
- Get your quote. We email you a quote, with no obligation to book.
Call 0800 2425 125, email info@uklinguisticservices.co.uk or request a quote online.
About the Bajuni language
Bajuni is a dialect of Swahili, spoken mainly in the Bajuni Islands off southern Somalia and the neighbouring coast of northern Kenya.
Bajuni is seldom written; when it is, Latin letters are used.
Before you book: Bajuni differs a good deal from Standard Swahili, and many speakers also know Somali. Tell us the person is Bajuni so we don't send a Standard Swahili interpreter.
| Name in Bajuni | Kibajuni |
|---|---|
| Language family | Dialect of Swahili |
| Where it is spoken | The Bajuni Islands off southern Somalia and the neighbouring coast of northern Kenya |
| Writing system | Latin alphabet |
| Language code | sw |
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Bajuni interpreters near you
We send Bajuni interpreters to appointments across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and telephone and video interpreting work wherever you are. Choose a town for its local page.
Bajuni interpreter and translator FAQs
How quickly can I book a Bajuni interpreter?
We take bookings 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Telephone and video interpreting are usually the quickest to arrange. For a face-to-face appointment, give us as much notice as you can: same-day cover is often possible, but it depends on where you are and how many Bajuni interpreters work nearby.
How much does a Bajuni interpreter cost?
The price depends on the type of interpreting (face-to-face, telephone or video), how long the appointment lasts, where it is and how much notice you give. We quote before anything is booked, and quotes are free: call 0800 2425 125 or use our online quote form.
Can you certify Bajuni translations for a UK visa or immigration application?
Yes. We translate and certify documents such as birth and marriage certificates, passports and police certificates for visa, settlement and citizenship applications. UK Visas and Immigration asks for each translation to confirm that it is accurate and to show the date and the translator's full name, signature and contact details, so tell us when you order that the document is for an immigration application.
Do you provide Bajuni interpreters for courts, tribunals and police interviews?
Yes. Tell us the setting when you book, for example a Crown Court trial, an immigration tribunal hearing or a police interview under caution, so we can match a Bajuni interpreter with the right legal experience and qualifications.
