Maori interpreters and translators for museums, universities, broadcasters, cultural events, families and businesses anywhere in the UK, offering face-to-face, telephone and video interpreting, certified translation between Maori and English, and bookings taken 24/7 for occasions here and calls with New Zealand.
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Maori interpreting services
Maori has regional dialects tied to iwi, the tribal groups, and they are close enough that speakers from anywhere follow each other easily. The differences show in sound more than grammar. Ngai Tahu in the South Island use k where most dialects have ng, which is why Aoraki and Aorangi are both names for Mount Cook, and in Whanganui the wh is spoken with a catch in the throat instead of an f-like sound. For a formal occasion the iwi of the visitors matters more for protocol than for understanding, so tell us who is coming.
Consecutive interpreting is the norm. With a formal speech it tends to work better to let the speaker finish and then give the English, since stopping oratory halfway through breaks its shape.
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 Maori 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 Maori translation
Each of our translators translates into their native language, so Maori texts going into English are handled by a native English speaker. New Zealand certificates and passports are issued in English, so most Maori documents we see are not official papers. They are family genealogies, letters, song lyrics, speeches, old manuscripts and research sources, including the Maori text of the Treaty of Waitangi, whose wording differs from the English text in ways historians still argue over.
Older writing often leaves vowel length unmarked, and some iwi, Waikato-Tainui among them, prefer doubled vowels to macrons. A translator has to decide from context whether a word has a long vowel before choosing the English.
- 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 Maori audio and video recordings, with an English translation if you need one.
English to Maori translation
For most English into Maori work we follow the spelling conventions of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori, the Maori Language Commission, with macrons marked throughout. Many modern ideas now have established Maori terms, so a leaflet or museum label should use those, not a loose paraphrase. A mihi or karakia for a ceremony is different: it is composed in Maori for the occasion, not translated line by line from an English draft, and we will tell you when a text needs that treatment.
Maori court and police interpreters
In New Zealand anyone may speak Maori in legal proceedings, but no equivalent right exists in UK courts, and New Zealanders here give evidence in English. Maori legal work in Britain is therefore rare and usually documentary: a letter, a family record or a statement in Maori that has to be understood by a solicitor or produced to a court in English. Where a Maori interpreter is needed for a legal booking, we look for one with experience of legal work, and for the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (Law) or NRPSI registration (the National Register of Public Service Interpreters), if any Maori interpreter holding either is available.
How to book a Maori 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 Maori language
Maori is a Polynesian language, spoken mainly in New Zealand. It is an official language of New Zealand.
Maori is written in the Latin alphabet, with macrons on long vowels.
| Name in Maori | te reo Māori |
|---|---|
| Language family | Polynesian language |
| Where it is spoken | New Zealand |
| Writing system | Latin alphabet, with macrons on long vowels |
| Language code | mi |
Related languages
Maori interpreters near you
We send Maori 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.
Maori interpreter and translator FAQs
How quickly can I book a Maori 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 Maori interpreters work nearby.
How much does a Maori 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 Maori 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 Maori 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 Maori interpreter with the right legal experience and qualifications.
