Romani interpreters and translators for families, schools, councils, the NHS, solicitors and courts anywhere in the UK, offering face-to-face, telephone and video interpreting, certified translation between Romani and English, and bookings taken 24/7, including urgent social care and police work out of hours.
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Romani interpreting services
Booking a Romani interpreter starts with two questions: which country did the family live in, and which language do they use with officials there? The answers usually point to a dialect group. Roma from eastern Slovakia and the Czech Republic mostly speak Carpathian dialects coloured by Slovak and Hungarian. Many Roma from Romania speak Vlax dialects with a large Romanian vocabulary, while Roma from Bulgaria and the former Yugoslavia often speak Balkan varieties, and some use Turkish as well.
Speakers of different dialects can usually follow the gist of one another, but not the detail that a consent form or a witness statement needs. Consecutive interpreting suits most appointments, and a video interpreter widens the choice when the family's dialect is rare nearby.
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 Romani 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 Romani translation
Romani has no single written standard, and the official documents Roma families bring are in the language of the state that issued them: Slovak, Czech, Romanian, Hungarian or Bulgarian. A birth certificate or school record is therefore translated from that language. Each of our translators translates into their native language, so the English version comes from a native English speaker.
Genuine Romani texts, such as a letter or a statement written by the person themselves, are rarer, and the spelling depends on the writer, who may use Czech, Slovak, Romanian or Hungarian letter values. Surnames need watching as well: a Slovak or Czech record may give a woman's name as Horváthová where her other papers say Horvath. We keep the passport spelling and tell you where the forms differ.
- 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 Romani audio and video recordings, with an English translation if you need one.
English to Romani translation
Few Romani speakers were taught to read Romani at school, and many read Slovak, Czech or Romanian more easily. For a letter about housing or a school place, a translation into that national language is often the more useful one, and we can help you decide. Where Romani is the right choice, for a health campaign aimed at one community for example, we write in that audience's dialect and keep the wording plain. An audio or video version recorded by a native speaker often reaches more people than a printed leaflet.
Romani court and police interpreters
Roma defendants and witnesses are often listed with a Slovak, Czech or Romanian interpreter, simply because that is the nationality on the charge sheet. If the person is more fluent in Romani, the solicitor should tell the court before the hearing, not in the middle of it. We look for Romani interpreters who have worked in police stations and courts, and we check for the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (Law) and for registration with the National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI) where interpreters holding them exist for Romani. If the best candidate for a dialect holds neither, we tell you so frankly.
How to book a Romani 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 Romani language
Romani is an Indo-Aryan language whose speakers left India about a thousand years ago, spoken mainly in Roma communities across Europe, especially in Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Hungary, the Czech Republic and the Balkans.
Romani is written in the Latin alphabet, and sometimes Cyrillic. Varieties include Vlax (such as Kalderash), Balkan, Carpathian and Sinti.
Before you book: Romani dialects differ widely, and most Roma also speak the national language of their home country. Ask where the family is from before choosing between a Romani interpreter and, say, a Slovak or Romanian one.
| Name in Romani | romani ćhib |
|---|---|
| Language family | Indo-Aryan language whose speakers left India about a thousand years ago |
| Where it is spoken | Roma communities across Europe, especially in Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Hungary, the Czech Republic and the Balkans |
| Writing system | Latin alphabet, and sometimes Cyrillic |
| Language code | rom |
Related languages
Romani interpreters near you
We send Romani 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.
Romani interpreter and translator FAQs
How quickly can I book a Romani 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 Romani interpreters work nearby.
How much does a Romani 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 Romani dialect matter when booking an interpreter?
It can. Romani varieties include Vlax (such as Kalderash), Balkan, Carpathian and Sinti. Tell us where the speaker is from, or the dialect they use, so the interpreter is a good match for them.
Can you certify Romani 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 Romani 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 Romani interpreter with the right legal experience and qualifications.
