Kongo interpreters and translators for police, courts, solicitors, the NHS, schools and local authorities anywhere in the UK, with face-to-face, telephone and video interpreting, certified translation between Kongo and English, and bookings taken 24 hours a day, whether your client calls the language Kongo or Kikongo.
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Kongo interpreting services
Kongo is the name of a people, a language and an old kingdom, and it is where the Congo River and both Congo republics got their names. In northern Angola, around Mbanza Kongo, speakers use the Kisikongo variety, and Portuguese is their second language. Across the border, speakers mix in French and often Lingala. Many Angolan Bakongo families also spent years in Kinshasa during Angola's wars, so a single client may move between Kongo, Lingala, French and Portuguese in one conversation.
For that reason, the most useful thing to tell us is where the client grew up, not just where their passport is from. Consecutive interpreting in short turns suits most meetings, in person or on video.
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 Kongo 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 Kongo translation
Angolan papers are issued in Portuguese: the bilhete de identidade, birth and marriage records, school certificates and police records. Portuguese naming usually gives a person more than one surname, drawn from both parents, and UK systems often keep only the last, so we follow the passport and show every name in full in the translation.
We work into English with a native English-speaking translator, because each translator translates into their native language, and we certify the result for the Home Office, courts, universities and employers. Congolese documents, in French, are handled the same way by translators who know the formats used in Kinshasa and Brazzaville.
- 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 Kongo audio and video recordings, with an English translation if you need one.
English to Kongo translation
Spelling in written Kongo is not uniform: Angolan writers and those in the two Congos learned different conventions, and the varieties differ in vocabulary too. So before translating an English leaflet or letter into Kongo, we ask whether the readers are mostly Angolan or Congolese and match the variety to them. Where the audience is mixed, a plain, widely understood Kongo text, with Portuguese or French alongside, usually serves best.
Kongo court and police interpreters
Kongo interpreting in UK legal settings mostly means asylum appeals, criminal cases, and family proceedings in which relationships have to be described precisely. Legal bookings go to a Kongo interpreter with previous legal work behind them and, in the event that Kongo interpreters hold them, the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (Law) or NRPSI registration with the National Register of Public Service Interpreters. We also advise solicitors to confirm in advance whether the client needs the Angolan or the Congolese variety.
How to book a Kongo 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 Kongo language
Kongo is the language otherwise called Kikongo. See also our Kikongo interpreter and translator page.
Kikongo is a Bantu language, spoken mainly in the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and northern Angola.
Kikongo is written in the Latin alphabet.
Before you book: Kikongo covers several varieties, and Kituba (Kikongo ya leta), the trade language of Congo-Brazzaville and western DRC, is a different language again. Tell us where the speaker is from.
| Language family | Bantu language |
|---|---|
| Where it is spoken | The Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and northern Angola |
| Writing system | Latin alphabet |
| Language code | kg |
Related languages
Kongo interpreters near you
We send Kongo 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.
Kongo interpreter and translator FAQs
How quickly can I book a Kongo 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 Kongo interpreters work nearby.
How much does a Kongo 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 Kongo 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 Kongo 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 Kongo interpreter with the right legal experience and qualifications.
