Quichua (Kichwa) interpreters and translators for Ecuadorian families, solicitors, the NHS and researchers anywhere in the UK, with face-to-face, telephone and video interpreting, certified translation between Quichua and English, and bookings taken 24 hours a day. Because Kichwa specialists are few, telling us early gives us the widest choice.
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Quichua interpreting services
The first question is whether Kichwa is really the language to book. Almost every Kichwa speaker who reaches Britain has some Spanish, often after years living in Spain, but some of them manage everyday errands in it and little more. For anything with legal or medical weight, the language the person thinks in is the safer choice. Next, find out where they grew up. Highland Kichwa from Imbabura, Chimborazo or Cañar is spoken by most, while lowland speakers from Napo or Pastaza use a noticeably different variety.
Expect consecutive interpreting, a few sentences at a time, and allow extra time: Kichwa has no everyday words for many legal and clinical ideas, so the interpreter will sometimes need a phrase where English uses a single term.
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 Quichua 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 Quichua translation
Ecuadorian civil paperwork, from birth and marriage certificates to the national identity card, is issued in Spanish, so a certified English translation of those comes from our Spanish team. Kichwa translation work tends to be different: recorded interviews and witness accounts, letters written by relatives, community and research material, and transcripts of audio. Each translator works into their native language, which means Kichwa to English is done by a native English speaker who reads Kichwa well.
Watch the spellings. Place names and personal names may appear in an older Spanish-style form in one document and in the modern Kichwa alphabet in another, so we keep to the form in the passport and point out any mismatch.
- 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 Quichua audio and video recordings, with an English translation if you need one.
English to Quichua translation
For written material aimed at Kichwa readers in the UK, we normally use the standard unified spelling, Kichwa Unificado, which schools in Ecuador teach and which is based largely on the Chimborazo variety. Many adults learned to read in Spanish rather than Kichwa, though, so for health or safety information a Spanish version alongside, or a short recorded audio version, often reaches more people.
Quichua court and police interpreters
Kichwa comes up in British courts only occasionally, most often where a defendant, witness or parent from rural Ecuador has struggled through earlier stages in Spanish. For legal bookings we look for Kichwa interpreters with experience of legal work and, where interpreters holding them exist for the language, the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (Law) or registration with the National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI). Very few do, so we explain each interpreter's background to the court or solicitor, and a video link may be the practical way to secure a qualified Kichwa speaker for the hearing.
How to book a Quichua 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 Kichwa language
Kichwa is the Quechua of Ecuador, spoken mainly in Ecuador's Andes and Amazon, and parts of Colombia. It is recognised in Ecuador's constitution as a language of intercultural relations.
Kichwa is written in the Latin alphabet.
| Language family | Quechua of Ecuador |
|---|---|
| Where it is spoken | Ecuador's Andes and Amazon, and parts of Colombia |
| Writing system | Latin alphabet |
| Language code | qug |
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Quichua interpreters near you
We send Quichua 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.
Quichua interpreter and translator FAQs
How quickly can I book a Quichua 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 Quichua interpreters work nearby.
How much does a Quichua 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 Quichua 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 Quichua 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 Quichua interpreter with the right legal experience and qualifications.
