Book a Kurmanji interpreter or translator anywhere in the UK, day or night: we take bookings 24 hours a day for face-to-face, telephone and video interpreting in hospitals, courts, police stations and council offices, and we provide certified translation between Kurmanji and English.
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Kurmanji interpreting services
Kurmanji reaches well beyond Turkey and Syria. It is spoken in Iraq's Duhok governorate, where it goes by the name Behdini, in parts of north-west Iran, and by Kurdish and Yazidi communities in Armenia, who wrote it in a Cyrillic alphabet in Soviet times. A speaker's newer vocabulary depends on the state they grew up in, so an interpreter from Turkey may reach for words built on Turkish that a client from Armenia or Iraq doesn't use. In consecutive interpreting, which suits most Kurmanji appointments, the interpreter can check such words as they go. For a long interview or a legal statement, tell us the client's country and region, and we'll look for a close match.
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 Kurmanji 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 Kurmanji translation
The Latin alphabet used for Kurmanji was published by Celadet Bedirxan in 1932; it has q, w and x, and marks long vowels as ê, î and û. Turkish identity papers and Syrian civil records aren't written in Kurmanji at all, so we translate those from Turkish or Arabic, while what people bring us in Kurmanji is usually personal: letters, statements, messages and recordings. For recorded evidence we transcribe the Kurmanji before translating it, so both texts can be checked.
As with all our languages, each translator writes only in their native language: English documents are put into Kurmanji by a native Kurmanji speaker, and Kurmanji ones into English by a native English speaker.
- 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 Kurmanji audio and video recordings, with an English translation if you need one.
English to Kurmanji translation
Many adults who speak Kurmanji fluently read it slowly, because it was never their school language. We write for that reader: short sentences, everyday words and, if you agree, the Turkish or Arabic term in brackets where the Kurmanji one is less familiar. For a message that has to get through, such as a screening invitation or a safeguarding notice, consider a recorded version as well. Tell us whether your readers are mainly from Turkey or from Syria, since their borrowed words differ.
Kurmanji court and police interpreters
Anyone from Turkey who has dealt with the police, the courts or a prison did so in Turkish, and will often use the Turkish word for a charge, an offence or a type of court, even while speaking Kurmanji; a client from Syria does the same with Arabic. The interpreter must recognise those terms and give their accurate English equivalents. We book Kurmanji interpreters who have worked in legal settings, and where a Kurmanji interpreter holding the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (Law), or registered with the NRPSI, is available, we ask them first.
How to book a Kurmanji 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 Kurmanji language
Kurmanji is Northern Kurdish, the most widely used form of Kurdish. It is spoken mainly in south-eastern Turkey, north-eastern Syria, parts of northern Iraq and north-western Iran.
Kurmanji is written in the Latin alphabet in Turkey and Syria, and the Arabic script in Iraq.
At the 2021 Census, 66,443 usual residents of England and Wales aged three or over gave Kurdish as their main language. The local authorities with the most were Birmingham (3,271 people), Leeds (2,898) and Manchester (2,425). The census counts all forms of Kurdish together. Source: Office for National Statistics.
Before you book: Kurmanji is the Kurdish of most Kurds from Turkey and Syria. Many also speak Turkish or Arabic, but a Kurmanji interpreter is usually the better choice for a medical or legal appointment.
| Name in Kurmanji | Kurmancî |
|---|---|
| Language family | Northern Kurdish, the most widely used form of Kurdish |
| Where it is spoken | South-eastern Turkey, north-eastern Syria, parts of northern Iraq and north-western Iran |
| Writing system | Latin alphabet in Turkey and Syria, and the Arabic script in Iraq |
| Language code | kmr |
| Main language in England and Wales (Census 2021) | 66,443 people |
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Kurmanji interpreters near you
We send Kurmanji 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.
Kurmanji interpreter and translator FAQs
How quickly can I book a Kurmanji 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 Kurmanji interpreters work nearby.
How much does a Kurmanji 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 Kurmanji 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 Kurmanji 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 Kurmanji interpreter with the right legal experience and qualifications.
How many people speak Kurmanji in the UK?
At the 2021 Census, 66,443 usual residents of England and Wales aged three or over gave Kurdish as their main language. The local authorities with the most were Birmingham (3,271 people), Leeds (2,898) and Manchester (2,425). The census counts all forms of Kurdish together. The census asked for each person's main language, so people who speak Kurmanji at home but gave English as their main language are not in that figure. Scotland and Northern Ireland count languages in their own censuses.
