Tshiluba interpreters and translators for people from the Kasai, working with solicitors, the Home Office, the NHS and local councils anywhere in the UK. We offer face-to-face, telephone and video interpreting, certified translation between Tshiluba and English, and bookings taken 24 hours a day.
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Tshiluba interpreting services
Tshiluba is a tonal language, and a word said on the wrong pitch can mean something else entirely, which is one reason a native speaker makes the better interpreter. Interpreting is done consecutively, a few sentences at a time. The speech of Mbuji-Mayi and the Luba of the east differs in accent and some vocabulary from that of the Lulua around Kananga, so tell us where your client grew up. Many Kasaians also speak Lingala and French from years in Kinshasa, but the interpreter should work in Tshiluba unless the client asks otherwise.
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 Tshiluba 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 Tshiluba translation
Certificates, diplomas and court papers from the Kasai are issued in French, like everything official in the DRC, so we translate those from French and certify them for UK use. Tshiluba itself turns up in handwritten letters, church records, witness statements and recorded messages. Spelling is not fixed: the same word may be written with "tsh" in older texts and with "c" in newer ones, and a translator needs to read both.
Tshiluba to English work goes to a native English speaker and English to Tshiluba to a native Tshiluba speaker, because every translator we use works into their own native language. Personal names are copied exactly as the passport spells them.
- 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 Tshiluba audio and video recordings, with an English translation if you need one.
English to Tshiluba translation
Written Tshiluba grew up in mission churches and schools, and the Bible and hymn books are what many readers know best. For patient leaflets and council letters we keep to that familiar standard spelling and short sentences, and we avoid French terms that older readers from rural Kasai may not know. If you are unsure whether your readers want Tshiluba, French or Lingala, ask them first; we can quote for more than one.
Tshiluba court and police interpreters
Tshiluba is requested in UK legal settings mostly for asylum appeals and family cases, and occasionally for a criminal trial. Because so few interpreters work in the language, courts sometimes accept an interpreter joining by video. When we book, we look for Tshiluba interpreters with legal experience and, where interpreters holding them exist for Tshiluba, the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (Law) or registration with the National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI). Tell the court early that the case needs Tshiluba, not Lingala.
How to book a Tshiluba 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 Tshiluba language
Tshiluba is a Bantu language, spoken mainly in the Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is one of the four national languages of the DRC, with Lingala, Kikongo and Swahili.
Tshiluba is written in the Latin alphabet.
| Language family | Bantu language |
|---|---|
| Where it is spoken | The Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Writing system | Latin alphabet |
| Language code | lua |
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Tshiluba interpreters near you
We send Tshiluba 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.
Tshiluba interpreter and translator FAQs
How quickly can I book a Tshiluba 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 Tshiluba interpreters work nearby.
How much does a Tshiluba 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 Tshiluba 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 Tshiluba 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 Tshiluba interpreter with the right legal experience and qualifications.
