We supply Tigrinya interpreters and translators to immigration lawyers, the NHS, local authorities, police and colleges across the UK. Interpreting is available face-to-face, by telephone and by video, alongside certified translation between Tigrinya and English, and we take bookings 24/7, weekends and bank holidays included.
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Tigrinya interpreting services
Tigrinya from Eritrea and Tigrinya from Tigray are one language with two sets of habits. Eritrean Tigrinya took in Italian words during the colonial period that ended in 1941, and many Eritreans spell the language's name Tigrigna, the form favoured by people who learned Italian; people from Tigray call themselves Tigraway. For a short appointment any professional interpreter manages both, but for a long statement, match the variety. Remember too that Eritreans from other ethnic groups may use Tigrinya as a shared language rather than a first one. The work is consecutive, and a long asylum statement needs breaks.
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 Tigrinya 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 Tigrinya translation
The translator is always a native speaker of the language being written: a native English speaker for a Tigrinya certificate going into English, a native Tigrinya speaker for a leaflet going the other way. Eritrean documents may be written in Tigrinya, Arabic, English or a mix, and they do not separate first names from surnames: a name is the person's own, then the father's, then the grandfather's. Since August 2020 Eritrean passports have treated the grandfather's name as the surname. Latin spellings vary from one official to the next (Berhane, Birhane, Brhane), and compound names get shortened, so Gebreselassie can appear as G/Selassie. We follow the spelling on the Home Office papers and note any variants.
An Eritrean Orthodox baptism certificate may give dates by the Ethiopian calendar in its Tigrinya part and by the Gregorian calendar in its English part, sometimes without saying which is which, and the baptismal name on it is used nowhere else.
- 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 Tigrinya audio and video recordings, with an English translation if you need one.
English to Tigrinya translation
For most UK readers, translate into Eritrean Tigrinya, since Eritrea, not Ethiopia, is among the top nationalities claiming asylum here; switch to Tigray usage when you know the readers come from there. Eritrean schools teach in the child's own language for the first five years and in English from grade six, so an adult reader may know a medical or legal term better in English, and the English word in brackets often helps. Check that the finished file carries a Ge'ez font, or the text may reach the reader as rows of empty boxes.
Tigrinya court and police interpreters
Tigrinya is often needed in the Immigration and Asylum Chamber of the First-tier Tribunal, where nationality itself, Eritrean or Ethiopian, is sometimes the point at issue, and in criminal cases in which Eritreans are witnesses or victims. The Chartered Institute of Linguists' current DPSI exam sessions do not include Tigrinya, so do not assume an interpreter will hold it. Our first check is solid tribunal and court experience; after that we look for Tigrinya interpreters who have the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (Law) or NRPSI registration. Give us the hearing date as soon as it is listed.
How to book a Tigrinya 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 Tigrinya language
Tigrinya is an Ethiopian Semitic language of the Afroasiatic family, spoken mainly in Eritrea and the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia. It is a working language of Eritrea and of Ethiopia's Tigray region.
Tigrinya is written in the Ge'ez (Ethiopic) script.
At the 2021 Census, 22,825 usual residents of England and Wales aged three or over gave Tigrinya as their main language. The local authorities with the most were Birmingham (2,858 people), Leeds (2,042) and Manchester (1,297). Source: Office for National Statistics.
Before you book: Tigrinya is spoken on both sides of the Eritrea-Ethiopia border, and after years of conflict some people are uneasy with an interpreter from the other side. Tell us whether the person is Eritrean or Ethiopian.
| Name in Tigrinya | ትግርኛ |
|---|---|
| Language family | Ethiopian Semitic language of the Afroasiatic family |
| Where it is spoken | Eritrea and the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia |
| Writing system | Ge'ez (Ethiopic) script |
| Language code | ti |
| Main language in England and Wales (Census 2021) | 22,825 people |
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Tigrinya interpreters near you
We send Tigrinya 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.
Tigrinya interpreter and translator FAQs
How quickly can I book a Tigrinya 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 Tigrinya interpreters work nearby.
How much does a Tigrinya 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 Tigrinya 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 Tigrinya is not written in the Latin alphabet, send us the passport spelling of every name so the translation matches it.
Do you provide Tigrinya 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 Tigrinya interpreter with the right legal experience and qualifications.
How many people speak Tigrinya in the UK?
At the 2021 Census, 22,825 usual residents of England and Wales aged three or over gave Tigrinya as their main language. The local authorities with the most were Birmingham (2,858 people), Leeds (2,042) and Manchester (1,297). The census asked for each person's main language, so people who speak Tigrinya at home but gave English as their main language are not in that figure. Scotland and Northern Ireland count languages in their own censuses.
