Tswana (Setswana) interpreters and translators for families, solicitors, hospitals, universities and public bodies anywhere in the UK. We provide face-to-face, telephone and video interpreting, certified translation between Tswana and English, and take bookings 24 hours a day, including for speakers from both Botswana and South Africa.
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Tswana interpreting services
The prefixes explain the vocabulary around the language: Botswana is the country, Batswana the people, one person is a Motswana and the language itself is Setswana. English writers used to call it Sechuana, which is why Botswana was the Bechuanaland Protectorate until independence in 1966. Regional speech follows the old chiefdoms, so you will hear Sengwato, Sekwena, Sengwaketse, Sekgatla or Serolong, all understood by one another.
A bigger difference is between countries. Speakers who grew up in South Africa often mix in Afrikaans and English words that a Botswana speaker would not use. If the conversation is sensitive, tell us which side of the border the client comes from. Interpreting is almost always consecutive, turn by turn.
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 Tswana 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 Tswana translation
Official papers from Botswana, such as the Omang identity card, birth certificates and school results, are normally issued in English, so they rarely need translating. What does come to us in Setswana is the paperwork of family life: letters between families about a customary marriage, records from a customary court, church certificates and personal statements.
Our translators each translate into their native language, so a Setswana letter becomes English in the hands of a native English speaker. Proper names stay as spelled in the passport, and we attach a certified statement of accuracy for use by UK solicitors, universities and the Home Office.
- 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 Tswana audio and video recordings, with an English translation if you need one.
English to Tswana translation
When you commission English to Setswana, tell us where the readers are from. Money, for instance, is pula in Botswana and rand in South Africa, and everyday words for officials and services differ too. Public information should use plain standard Setswana with a respectful tone, since a leaflet that sounds curt to an older reader will simply be ignored.
Tswana court and police interpreters
At home many disputes are settled at the kgotla, the community meeting place where a chief hears matters under customary law, so a court of law in England can feel very unfamiliar to a Setswana speaker. Our interpreters take care over the difference between formal legal terms and what the client understands them to mean. For court and solicitor work we seek Tswana interpreters with legal experience, and, where interpreters holding them exist for Tswana, the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (Law) or registration with the National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI). Because the pool is small, a remote interpreter by video is often the practical answer when the court allows it.
How to book a Tswana 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 Tswana language
Tswana is the English name for Setswana. See also our Setswana interpreter and translator page.
Setswana is a Sotho-Tswana (Bantu) language, spoken mainly in Botswana and South Africa's North West province. It is the national language of Botswana and one of the official languages of South Africa.
Setswana is written in the Latin alphabet.
| Language family | Sotho-Tswana (Bantu) language |
|---|---|
| Where it is spoken | Botswana and South Africa's North West province |
| Writing system | Latin alphabet |
| Language code | tn |
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Tswana interpreters near you
We send Tswana 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.
Tswana interpreter and translator FAQs
How quickly can I book a Tswana 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 Tswana interpreters work nearby.
How much does a Tswana 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 Tswana 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 Tswana 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 Tswana interpreter with the right legal experience and qualifications.
