For older Shanghai families and the GP surgeries, memory clinics, solicitors and social workers who look after them, we provide Shanghainese interpreters and translators anywhere in the UK, with face-to-face, telephone and video interpreting, certified translation between Chinese and English for documents from Shanghai, and bookings taken 24/7.
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Shanghainese interpreting services
Ask the person whether they want Shanghainese or Mandarin, and ask them directly. Someone who chats to a grandchild in Mandarin may still want Shanghainese when a consultant explains a scan or a benefits officer asks about money, and a son or daughter answering on their behalf may not know that. Shanghainese is not only a Shanghai matter, either: Hong Kong's 2016 by-census counted 83,400 people there able to speak it, so a speaker who reached the UK from Hong Kong may add Cantonese to the mix. For clinics and interviews consecutive interpreting works best, speaker and interpreter taking turns, which also gives an older person time to think before answering.
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 Shanghainese 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 Shanghainese translation
Birth, marriage and degree certificates from Shanghai are written in standard Chinese with simplified characters, like those from the rest of the mainland, so what the translator needs is excellent written Chinese; whether they also speak Shanghainese makes no difference. Since 7 November 2023, when the Apostille Convention came into force for mainland China, a Chinese public document can carry an apostille for use in the UK instead of going through consular legalisation, and the certified English translation travels with it.
Every translator we use translates into their native language, which for Chinese documents means a native English speaker writes the English. Tell us who will receive the translation (a university, an employer, a court or UK Visas and Immigration) and we will certify it in the form they expect.
- 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 Shanghainese audio and video recordings, with an English translation if you need one.
English to Shanghainese translation
Shanghainese is heard far more than it is read. Buses in Shanghai have announced stops in it since 2013, but letters, forms and leaflets there are in standard written Chinese, and that is what an older Shanghai reader expects from a UK hospital or council. Use simplified characters. The exception is a reader who has lived for many years in Hong Kong, where traditional characters are the norm and may now feel more natural.
Shanghainese court and police interpreters
At a police station or in court the test is which language the person understands best, and the answer can change with stress, illness or age. So we look for Shanghainese interpreters with courtroom or police experience and, where such interpreters exist for Shanghainese, the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (Law) or registration with the National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI). If an interpreter's legal qualification is in Mandarin and their Shanghainese is native, the booking should say so, and the record should show which language was used. A video link can bring in a Shanghainese interpreter from elsewhere in the UK when the court agrees.
How to book a Shanghainese 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 Shanghainese language
Shanghainese is a Wu Chinese language, spoken mainly in Shanghai and the surrounding area of China.
Shanghainese is written in Chinese characters.
Before you book: Mandarin speakers cannot follow Shanghainese, but almost all Shanghainese speakers also speak Mandarin, which younger people often prefer.
| Name in Shanghainese | 上海话 |
|---|---|
| Language family | Wu Chinese language |
| Where it is spoken | Shanghai and the surrounding area of China |
| Writing system | Chinese characters |
| Language code | wuu |
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Shanghainese interpreters near you
We send Shanghainese 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.
Shanghainese interpreter and translator FAQs
How quickly can I book a Shanghainese 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 Shanghainese interpreters work nearby.
How much does a Shanghainese 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 Shanghainese 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. Because Shanghainese is not written in the Latin alphabet, send us the passport spelling of every name so the translation matches it.
Do you provide Shanghainese 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 Shanghainese interpreter with the right legal experience and qualifications.
