Kiswahili interpreters and translators wherever you are in the UK, for hospitals, councils, courts, solicitors and businesses, with interpreting face to face, by telephone or by video, certified translation between Kiswahili and English, and bookings taken 24/7.
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Kiswahili interpreting services
People who ask for Kiswahili by that name are often Tanzanians, for whom it is the national language and the language of the classroom from the first years of school. Kenyans, Ugandans and Congolese use the word too. The interpreter you need depends on which of them is in front of you: a Tanzanian speaker will expect a fuller, more formal Kiswahili, a Kenyan may be happier with an interpreter who is relaxed about English words, and a Congolese speaker needs someone who knows the eastern DRC's own vocabulary.
Greetings set the tone. Younger people greet elders with "shikamoo", and an interpreter who knows to do so starts an older client's appointment on the right foot.
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 Kiswahili 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 Kiswahili translation
Clients bring birth and marriage certificates, school leaving results, bank letters, sworn statements from relatives and WhatsApp messages. Some are printed in English with Kiswahili handwriting added; we translate every mark, including stamps and margin notes. Each translator works only into their native language, so Kiswahili documents are put into English by native English speakers, and we certify the result for UK use.
In much of East Africa a person's second name is commonly their father's first name, so a married couple and their children may each carry a different last name. We explain this in a translator's note when a UK office might otherwise query it.
- 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 Kiswahili audio and video recordings, with an English translation if you need one.
English to Kiswahili translation
For leaflets, tenancy guides and consent forms, write for a reader who learnt Kiswahili at school in Tanzania or Kenya: short sentences, everyday words, no English idioms carried over word for word. Where English has a medical or legal term with no settled Kiswahili equivalent, we give the Kiswahili explanation with the English word in brackets, so the reader can match it to what a doctor or officer says.
Kiswahili court and police interpreters
Kiswahili interpreters are asked for in asylum and family reunion appeals, care proceedings and criminal cases. We send Kiswahili interpreters who know courtroom procedure, and we give priority to those who hold the DPSI in law or are listed on the National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI), wherever such interpreters exist for Kiswahili. A solicitor preparing a witness statement should note the client's country and first language on the booking, because both affect which interpreter the court will find easiest to rely on.
How to book a Kiswahili 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 Kiswahili language
Kiswahili is the name of the Swahili language in Swahili itself. See also our Swahili interpreter and translator page.
Swahili is a Bantu language of the Niger-Congo family, with many words borrowed from Arabic. It is spoken mainly in Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Comoros. Swahili is an official language of Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, and of the African Union and the East African Community.
Swahili is written in the Latin alphabet. Varieties include Kiunguja (Zanzibar), on which Standard Swahili is based, Kimvita (Mombasa), Kiamu (Lamu), Bajuni and the Congolese Swahili of the eastern DRC.
At the 2021 Census, 10,154 usual residents of England and Wales aged three or over gave Swahili or Kiswahili as their main language. The local authorities with the most were the London borough of Barking and Dagenham (465 people), Manchester (462) and Bolton (444). Source: Office for National Statistics.
Before you book: Swahili is a second language for most of the people who speak it, and some are more comfortable in a first language such as Kikuyu, Luganda or Kinyarwanda. For asylum work, the Congolese Swahili of eastern DRC and the Bajuni of the Somali coast need interpreters who know those forms.
| Language family | Bantu language of the Niger-Congo family, with many words borrowed from Arabic |
|---|---|
| Where it is spoken | Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Comoros |
| Writing system | Latin alphabet |
| Language code | sw |
| Main language in England and Wales (Census 2021) | 10,154 people |
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Kiswahili interpreters near you
We send Kiswahili 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.
Kiswahili interpreter and translator FAQs
How quickly can I book a Kiswahili 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 Kiswahili interpreters work nearby.
How much does a Kiswahili 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.
Does the Kiswahili dialect matter when booking an interpreter?
It can. Swahili varieties include Kiunguja (Zanzibar), on which Standard Swahili is based, Kimvita (Mombasa), Kiamu (Lamu), Bajuni and the Congolese Swahili of the eastern DRC. Tell us where the speaker is from, or the dialect they use, so the interpreter is a good match for them.
Can you certify Kiswahili 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 Kiswahili 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 Kiswahili interpreter with the right legal experience and qualifications.
How many people speak Kiswahili in the UK?
At the 2021 Census, 10,154 usual residents of England and Wales aged three or over gave Swahili or Kiswahili as their main language. The local authorities with the most were the London borough of Barking and Dagenham (465 people), Manchester (462) and Bolton (444). The census asked for each person's main language, so people who speak Kiswahili at home but gave English as their main language are not in that figure. Scotland and Northern Ireland count languages in their own censuses.
