Hassaniya Arabic interpreters and translators for people from Mauritania, Western Sahara, Mali and Senegal, available anywhere in the UK by face-to-face, telephone and video interpreting, with certified translation between Hassaniyya and English and bookings taken 24 hours a day.
- 8,000+ linguists
- 350+ languages
- Bookings 24/7, every day of the year
- Free quotes
Hassaniyya interpreting services
Around five and a half million people speak Hassaniyya, about half of them in Mauritania, where Arabic is the official language and Pulaar, Soninke and Wolof are recognised as national languages alongside it. The rest are spread across Western Sahara and southern Morocco, Mali, where it is an official language, Senegal and Algeria. Morocco and Senegal recognise it as a minority language.
Book consecutive interpreting and allow extra time: a longer session is better than a rushed one, particularly when the client is telling their story for the first time. If the client is Mauritanian, ask whether Hassaniyya is really their first language: some Mauritanians grow up speaking Pulaar, Soninke or Wolof instead, and would rather have an interpreter in that.
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 Hassaniyya 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 Hassaniyya translation
Hassaniyya is normally written in Arabic script, when it is written at all, and Senegal has adopted the Latin alphabet for it. Official papers from Mauritania, though, are generally in Arabic, the country's official language, rather than in the spoken dialect. Each of our translators translates into their native language, so these documents go into English with a native English speaker working from the Arabic original, stamps and handwritten notes included. The same Mauritanian or Sahrawi name can be spelt several ways in Latin letters, so we follow the passport and flag any document that differs.
- 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 Hassaniyya audio and video recordings, with an English translation if you need one.
English to Hassaniyya translation
Anything written for Hassaniyya speakers in the UK should normally be in Modern Standard Arabic, which schooled readers from Mauritania and Western Sahara read, in short sentences and without the idioms of other Arab countries. Where the reader has had little schooling, a recorded message in Hassaniyya, or an interpreter reading the text aloud by phone, will do more than print. Tell us who will read it and we will advise.
Hassaniyya court and police interpreters
In a tribunal or a criminal case, a Hassaniyya speaker should have an interpreter who speaks Hassaniyya, not the nearest Arabic dialect. Our search starts with interpreters who have legal experience in the language; if any holds the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (Law) or appears on the National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI) for Hassaniyya, we offer them first. For a language this rare there may be no such interpreter, and if so we will tell you before the hearing, not on the day. A remote interpreter can join by video when the court agrees.
How to book a Hassaniyya 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 Hassaniya Arabic language
Hassaniya Arabic is a form of Arabic brought to the western Sahara by Bedouin Arab tribes, spoken mainly in Mauritania and Western Sahara, and parts of Mali, Senegal and Morocco.
Hassaniya Arabic is written in the Arabic script.
At the 2021 Census, 203,998 usual residents of England and Wales aged three or over gave Arabic as their main language, one of the ten most common main languages in England and Wales. The local authorities with the most were Birmingham (12,758 people), the London borough of Brent (10,618) and Manchester (10,425). The census counts all varieties of Arabic together. Source: Office for National Statistics.
Before you book: Hassaniya is far enough from other Arabic dialects that a Middle Eastern Arabic interpreter will struggle. Book a Hassaniya speaker for Mauritanian and Sahrawi clients.
| Name in Hassaniya Arabic | حسانية |
|---|---|
| Language family | Form of Arabic brought to the western Sahara by Bedouin Arab tribes |
| Where it is spoken | Mauritania and Western Sahara, and parts of Mali, Senegal and Morocco |
| Writing system | Arabic script |
| Language code | mey |
| Main language in England and Wales (Census 2021) | 203,998 people |
Related languages
Hassaniyya interpreters near you
We send Hassaniyya 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.
Hassaniyya interpreter and translator FAQs
How quickly can I book a Hassaniyya 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 Hassaniyya interpreters work nearby.
How much does a Hassaniyya 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 Hassaniyya 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. Because Hassaniya Arabic is not written in the Latin alphabet, send us the passport spelling of every name so the translation matches it.
Do you provide Hassaniyya 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 Hassaniyya interpreter with the right legal experience and qualifications.
How many people speak Hassaniyya in the UK?
At the 2021 Census, 203,998 usual residents of England and Wales aged three or over gave Arabic as their main language, one of the ten most common main languages in England and Wales. The local authorities with the most were Birmingham (12,758 people), the London borough of Brent (10,618) and Manchester (10,425). The census counts all varieties of Arabic together. The census asked for each person's main language, so people who speak Hassaniyya at home but gave English as their main language are not in that figure. Scotland and Northern Ireland count languages in their own censuses.
