Jola interpreters and translators for immigration lawyers, hospitals, schools and families anywhere in the UK. Face-to-face, telephone and video interpreting is available alongside certified translation between Jola and English, and we take bookings 24/7 for speakers from the Gambia, Senegal and Guinea-Bissau.
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Jola interpreting services
Start with where the person grew up. A Jola speaker from the Gambia is likely to know English, Mandinka or both; one from Ziguinchor or Bignona in Senegal will have Wolof and French; one from Guinea-Bissau will speak Crioulo and some Portuguese. Those second languages tell us which interpreter will feel familiar, and which words the person will reach for when Jola runs short.
Most appointments go well consecutively. For a long asylum interview, build in breaks: interpreting a language with so few trained interpreters is tiring work, and accuracy slips without them.
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 Jola 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 Jola translation
Every translator on our Jola work translates into their own native language, so Jola text goes to a native English speaker. Very little official paper exists in Jola. Gambian birth certificates, passports and school results are issued in English and need no translation for UK use, Senegalese civil records are in French, and those from Guinea-Bissau are in Portuguese; we translate and certify the French and Portuguese ones.
Jola itself reaches us as letters, voice notes and phone messages, often written as it sounds, with the French or English spelling habits of the writer's school.
- 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 Jola audio and video recordings, with an English translation if you need one.
English to Jola translation
Written Jola has a small readership and no spelling that everyone follows, so decide first who the text is for. For Gambian readers English is often the better choice for anything formal, and for Senegalese readers French. When a message has to be in Jola, such as a health notice for older relatives or an explanation of a legal process, we prepare it in Jola-Fonyi, the form most readers will understand, and can record it as audio too.
Jola court and police interpreters
Jola interpreters are occasionally needed in the immigration tribunal, in criminal cases and in family proceedings about children. Our starting point is a Jola interpreter with legal experience, and we look for the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (Law) or a place on the National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI) should any Jola interpreter hold either. If none is free, a Wolof or Mandinka interpreter should only step in when the witness agrees and the judge is told, because the record has to show which language the evidence was given in.
How to book a Jola 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 Jola language
Jola is an Atlantic language of the Niger-Congo family, spoken mainly in the Casamance region of Senegal, the Gambia and Guinea-Bissau.
Jola is written in the Latin alphabet.
Before you book: Most Jola speakers also speak Wolof, and those from the Gambia usually speak English too.
| Name in Jola | Joola |
|---|---|
| Language family | Atlantic language of the Niger-Congo family |
| Where it is spoken | The Casamance region of Senegal, the Gambia and Guinea-Bissau |
| Writing system | Latin alphabet |
| Language code | dyo |
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Jola interpreters near you
We send Jola 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.
Jola interpreter and translator FAQs
How quickly can I book a Jola 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 Jola interpreters work nearby.
How much does a Jola 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 Jola 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 Jola 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 Jola interpreter with the right legal experience and qualifications.
