Tetum interpreters and translators for GP surgeries, hospitals, solicitors, employers and local authorities anywhere in the UK. We arrange face-to-face, telephone and video interpreting and certified translation between Tetum and English, and we take bookings 24 hours a day.
- 8,000+ linguists
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Tetum interpreting services
Before booking, find out where the person went to school. Timorese educated during the Indonesian years often read and write Indonesian more easily than Tetum, while those schooled since independence in 2002 were taught in Tetum and Portuguese. That shapes how a letter should be sight-translated and which loanwords will land. Ask, too, which district they come from: for a large part of the country Tetum is a second language, learned alongside a mother tongue such as Mambae, Makasae or Fataluku.
Most appointments are interpreted consecutively, a few sentences at a time. Since qualified Tetum interpreters in the UK are few, a remote interpreter by video is often the quickest way to cover a short appointment, and it keeps the in-person interpreters free for hearings and hospital admissions.
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 Tetum 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 Tetum translation
Official paperwork from Timor-Leste is mostly written in Portuguese, the main language of its laws and courts, and records made between 1975 and 1999 are often in Indonesian. So a client who asks for a Tetum translation of a birth or marriage certificate may in fact need a Portuguese or Indonesian one; send us a scan and we will tell you which. Where the text really is in Tetum, such as a personal letter, a statement or a parish record, the translator works into their native language, so Tetum to English goes to a native English speaker.
Timorese names mix Portuguese given names with family names such as da Costa, dos Santos or Soares, and the small words da, dos and de are easily dropped or misfiled. We follow the passport spelling and certify each translation for UK use.
- 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 Tetum audio and video recordings, with an English translation if you need one.
English to Tetum translation
For Timorese readers in Britain, use the standard Tetum of government and the media in Dili, written in the national spelling, rather than a rural variety. Keep sentences short and explain technical terms, because readers differ widely in how much formal Tetum they have read; many did their schooling in another language. For an older audience, a Portuguese version issued alongside can help.
Tetum court and police interpreters
Tetum interpreters with courtroom experience are scarce in the UK, so a hearing involving a Tetum speaker needs early notice. We look for Tetum interpreters who have worked in legal settings and, where anyone holding them exists for this language, the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (Law) or entry on the National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI). If no suitable Tetum interpreter can be found, a court may consider Portuguese, but only after checking that the defendant or witness genuinely follows it, since a person schooled in Indonesian may not. With the court's agreement, a video link can bring in a Tetum interpreter from elsewhere in the country.
How to book a Tetum 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 Tetum language
Tetum is an Austronesian language with many Portuguese loanwords, spoken mainly in Timor-Leste, and West Timor in Indonesia. It is an official language of Timor-Leste, with Portuguese.
Tetum is written in the Latin alphabet.
Before you book: Many Tetum speakers in the UK hold Portuguese passports and came by way of Portugal, so they may also speak Portuguese.
| Name in Tetum | Tetun |
|---|---|
| Language family | Austronesian language with many Portuguese loanwords |
| Where it is spoken | Timor-Leste, and West Timor in Indonesia |
| Writing system | Latin alphabet |
| Language code | tet |
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Tetum interpreters near you
We send Tetum 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.
Tetum interpreter and translator FAQs
How quickly can I book a Tetum 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 Tetum interpreters work nearby.
How much does a Tetum 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 Tetum 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 Tetum 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 Tetum interpreter with the right legal experience and qualifications.
