Temne interpreters and translators for asylum lawyers, the NHS, councils and families anywhere in the UK, offering face-to-face, telephone and video interpreting, certified translation between Temne and English, and bookings taken 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
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Temne interpreting services
Temne is a tonal language, and a word can change its meaning with pitch alone, so a Temne interpreter needs a clear line: a quiet room in person, or a headset rather than a speakerphone on a remote call. Consecutive interpreting suits nearly every booking, with the speaker pausing after a sentence or two. Temne is not related closely enough to Mende or Susu for their speakers to follow one another, even though all three are spoken in Sierra Leone, so never book a neighbouring language and hope. Where the person is from matters too: someone raised in Makeni or Port Loko and someone who has spent twenty years in Freetown may mix in very different amounts of Krio and English.
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 Temne 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 Temne translation
Sierra Leone keeps its official records in English, so birth certificates, school results and police reports from there rarely need translating at all. Temne translation work is mostly the other kind: a handwritten letter, a witness statement, a text message thread, or a voice recording that has to be transcribed first and then put into English. Each of our translators works into their native language, which for Temne to English means a native English speaker checks the final wording against the Temne.
Written Temne uses extra vowel letters that English keyboards lack, and spellings vary between writers. We keep names exactly as they appear on the person's passport.
- 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 Temne audio and video recordings, with an English translation if you need one.
English to Temne translation
Before paying for a Temne translation, find out whether your readers read Temne. Many adults learned to read in English at school and speak Temne at home without ever writing it. For health advice or a tenancy notice, a recorded audio version or a spoken explanation by an interpreter often reaches more people than a printed leaflet. When a written Temne text is the right choice, we keep the vocabulary plain and use the standard spelling taught in literacy classes.
Temne court and police interpreters
Temne comes up in UK tribunals and courts mainly in asylum appeals and in family proceedings, and occasionally in criminal cases. Legal experience is the first thing we look for in a Temne interpreter. Where interpreters exist for Temne holding the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (Law), or registered with the National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI), we offer them first; with a rare language that may not always be possible, and we will tell you honestly what qualifications the interpreter holds.
How to book a Temne 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 Temne language
Temne is an Atlantic language of the Niger-Congo family, spoken mainly in northern and western Sierra Leone.
Temne is written in the Latin alphabet.
| Name in Temne | KʌThemnɛ |
|---|---|
| Language family | Atlantic language of the Niger-Congo family |
| Where it is spoken | Northern and western Sierra Leone |
| Writing system | Latin alphabet |
| Language code | tem |
Related languages
Temne interpreters near you
We send Temne 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.
Temne interpreter and translator FAQs
How quickly can I book a Temne 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 Temne interpreters work nearby.
How much does a Temne 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 Temne 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 Temne 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 Temne interpreter with the right legal experience and qualifications.
