Khmer interpreters and translators for NHS trusts, GP practices, solicitors, courts and businesses anywhere in the UK, offering face-to-face, telephone and video interpreting, certified translation between Khmer and English, and bookings taken 24 hours a day, with remote interpreters for appointments at short notice.
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Khmer interpreting services
Standard Khmer rests on the speech of Phnom Penh and central Cambodia, and almost every speaker knows it from school, radio and television. Accents differ more than grammar does. Phnom Penh speech is quick and tends to swallow some consonants, while Khmer from the Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam, or from north-east Thailand, has vocabulary of its own. If the person you are booking for grew up outside Cambodia, mention it. Consecutive interpreting is the norm, and short English sentences with pauses between them help the interpreter keep every detail. Video suits most appointments; for very elderly clients, or anyone with poor hearing, an interpreter in the room works better.
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 Khmer 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 Khmer translation
People bring us Cambodian birth and marriage certificates, identity cards, school and university transcripts, and court or land papers. Each of our translators translates into their native language, so Khmer to English work goes to a native English speaker who reads Khmer fluently. Two details catch out the unwary. Many Cambodian documents write dates and figures in Khmer numerals rather than 0 to 9, and some give the year in the Buddhist Era, which runs more than five centuries ahead of the Western calendar; our translation states the converted date.
Khmer script also runs words together, putting spaces only between phrases, so names have to be separated and romanised with care. In the English version we describe each stamp, seal and signature where it appears, so a UK official can check it against the Khmer page.
- 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 Khmer audio and video recordings, with an English translation if you need one.
English to Khmer translation
For UK readers of Khmer, write in the polite everyday standard of Cambodian newspapers and public notices, not the ornate style of formal letters, and keep royal and monastic vocabulary for texts meant for a temple. The file needs a Unicode Khmer font: older Cambodian documents were typed in legacy fonts that turn to nonsense on another computer, so ask for a PDF alongside the editable file. Health leaflets for older readers deserve larger type, because Khmer vowel signs sit above, below and beside the consonants and are easy to lose when printed small.
Khmer court and police interpreters
Khmer may be needed in criminal, family or immigration cases, and interpreters who combine the language with courtroom experience are few, so book as soon as the listing is known. For legal work we seek out Khmer interpreters with legal experience and, where interpreters holding them exist for Khmer, the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (Law) or registration with the National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI). Because Khmer marks politeness so heavily, a witness may answer a barrister with a courtesy phrase before the substance. The interpreter should render both rather than tidy the courtesy away.
How to book a Khmer 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 Khmer language
Khmer is an Austroasiatic language, spoken mainly in Cambodia. It is the official language of Cambodia.
Khmer is written in the Khmer script.
Before you book: Unlike Thai, Lao and Vietnamese, Khmer is not tonal. Khmer names are romanised in several different ways, so send us the passport spelling of any name for a certified translation.
| Name in Khmer | ភាសាខ្មែរ |
|---|---|
| Language family | Austroasiatic language |
| Where it is spoken | Cambodia |
| Writing system | Khmer script |
| Language code | km |
Related languages
Khmer interpreters near you
We send Khmer 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.
Khmer interpreter and translator FAQs
How quickly can I book a Khmer 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 Khmer interpreters work nearby.
How much does a Khmer 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 Khmer 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 Khmer is not written in the Latin alphabet, send us the passport spelling of every name so the translation matches it.
Do you provide Khmer 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 Khmer interpreter with the right legal experience and qualifications.
