Hokkien interpreters and translators anywhere in the UK, for speakers from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Fujian. We arrange face-to-face, telephone and video interpreting, certified translation between Hokkien and English, which in practice means the Chinese-language documents Hokkien speakers bring, and take bookings 24/7.
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Hokkien interpreting services
Hokkien is one language with many local faces. The speech of Xiamen, long treated as the model, is itself a blend of Quanzhou and Zhangzhou Hokkien; Singapore's leans towards Quanzhou, Penang's and Medan's follow Zhangzhou, and Taiwan mixes the two. Speakers of all of them can generally understand one another, but accent, vocabulary and borrowed words differ enough that a matched interpreter makes a long consultation easier. Ask the person's home town and the other languages they speak, whether English, Malay, Indonesian, Tagalog or Mandarin, because those shape the words they reach for. Consecutive interpreting suits nearly all Hokkien work.
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 Hokkien 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 Hokkien translation
Few documents are written in Hokkien itself. Papers from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines are usually in English or the national language, those from Fujian in Simplified Chinese and those from Taiwan in Traditional, and we route each to a translator of that language. The Hokkien shows up in the names. The same English spelling can hide two families: Tan in Hokkien spelling is 陳, while Tan in mainland pinyin is usually 譚, a different surname that Hokkien speakers write as Tham. Our translators work into their native language, and they keep each document's own spelling of a name, noting where two documents describe the same person.
- 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 Hokkien audio and video recordings, with an English translation if you need one.
English to Hokkien translation
Written Hokkien exists, in characters and in romanised spellings that go back to the nineteenth century, but few speakers outside Taiwan were ever taught to read it. Choose the written language by where the reader went to school: Simplified Chinese for someone educated in Fujian, Singapore or Malaysia, Traditional for Taiwan. For an older Singaporean or Malaysian reader, English or Malay may work better than any Chinese text, so ask before you order.
Hokkien court and police interpreters
Interpreters with both Hokkien and court experience are scarce, so give as much notice as you can for a hearing. We look for Hokkien interpreters with legal experience and, if one holding it is available for Hokkien, the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (Law) or NRPSI registration (the National Register of Public Service Interpreters). Where none can be found, a qualified Mandarin interpreter is sometimes proposed instead, but only if the person is genuinely fluent in Mandarin, which cannot be assumed for an older speaker from Singapore or Malaysia.
How to book a Hokkien 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 Hokkien language
Hokkien is a Southern Min Chinese language, spoken mainly in southern Fujian in China, Taiwan, and Chinese communities in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.
Hokkien is written in Chinese characters; a romanised spelling (Pe̍h-ōe-jī) is also used.
Before you book: Hokkien and Taiwanese are essentially the same language, part of the Southern Min (Minnan) group. Neither is intelligible to Mandarin or Cantonese speakers.
| Name in Hokkien | 閩南語 |
|---|---|
| Language family | Southern Min Chinese language |
| Where it is spoken | Southern Fujian in China, Taiwan, and Chinese communities in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines |
| Writing system | Chinese characters; a romanised spelling (Pe̍h-ōe-jī) is also used |
| Language code | nan |
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Hokkien interpreters near you
We send Hokkien 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.
Hokkien interpreter and translator FAQs
How quickly can I book a Hokkien 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 Hokkien interpreters work nearby.
How much does a Hokkien 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 Hokkien 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 Hokkien is not written in the Latin alphabet, send us the passport spelling of every name so the translation matches it.
Do you provide Hokkien 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 Hokkien interpreter with the right legal experience and qualifications.
