Wu interpreters and translators anywhere in the UK, matched to the speaker's own city, from Shanghai and Suzhou to Ningbo, Hangzhou and Wenzhou, with face-to-face, telephone and video interpreting, certified translation between Chinese and English of papers from the Wu-speaking provinces, and bookings taken 24 hours a day.
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Wu interpreting services
Linguists divide Wu into six branches. Taihu Wu, the largest, covers Shanghai, Suzhou, Wuxi, Changzhou, Hangzhou, Shaoxing, Ningbo and Zhoushan. Taizhou Wu is spoken around Taizhou in Zhejiang, Oujiang Wu around Wenzhou, Wuzhou Wu around Jinhua, Chu-Qu Wu around Lishui and Quzhou, and Xuanzhou Wu in southern Anhui. For a short appointment an interpreter from the same branch is often enough; for anything long, legal or medical, the same city is better. Emigration adds a twist. Qingtian county, near Wenzhou, has its own Wu dialect, and people from Qingtian make up much of the Chinese community in Spain, so a Chinese speaker who has lived in Spain may need Qingtianese rather than Wenzhounese.
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 Wu 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 Wu translation
Wu lives in speech, not on paper. Certificates, contracts and school records from Shanghai, Zhejiang and southern Jiangsu are in standard written Chinese, so translating them takes a translator with excellent written Chinese, whichever Wu variety the family speaks. Where the variety does matter is audio. A recorded phone call or voice message in Ningbo or Wenzhou speech has to be written down by someone who speaks that variety before anyone can translate it, so say so if your material is a recording.
Each translator we work with translates only into their own native language, and certified translations carry the statement of accuracy and the translator's details that UK Visas and Immigration and the courts look for.
- 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 Wu audio and video recordings, with an English translation if you need one.
English to Wu translation
Writing for Wu speakers means writing standard Chinese in simplified characters, since every Wu-speaking area is on the mainland. Wu has a literary past, in novels such as The Sing-song Girls of Shanghai, and a performing tradition in Suzhou pingtan storytelling, but neither is the language of letters and forms. What varies is the reader: a retired factory worker from a Zhejiang county town needs plainer wording than a Shanghai graduate, so tell us who the text is for.
Wu court and police interpreters
A booking that simply says "Chinese" can leave a Wu speaker with a Mandarin interpreter, and the problem only shows when answers stop matching questions. Whatever the variety, we look for Wu interpreters with legal experience and, where interpreters holding them exist for that variety, the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (Law) or registration with the National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI). Solicitors can help by noting the client's home city at the first meeting and putting the variety, not just "Chinese", on every request for an interpreter.
How to book a Wu 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 Wu language
Wu is a group of Chinese languages, spoken mainly in Shanghai, Zhejiang and southern Jiangsu in China.
Wu is written in Chinese characters. Varieties include Shanghainese, Suzhounese and Wenzhounese.
Before you book: Wu is not intelligible to Mandarin speakers, and its varieties differ among themselves; Wenzhounese in particular stands apart. Most speakers also speak Mandarin.
| Name in Wu | 吴语 |
|---|---|
| Language family | Group of Chinese languages |
| Where it is spoken | Shanghai, Zhejiang and southern Jiangsu in China |
| Writing system | Chinese characters |
| Language code | wuu |
Related languages
Wu interpreters near you
We send Wu 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.
Wu interpreter and translator FAQs
How quickly can I book a Wu 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 Wu interpreters work nearby.
How much does a Wu 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.
Does the Wu dialect matter when booking an interpreter?
It can. Wu varieties include Shanghainese, Suzhounese and Wenzhounese. Tell us where the speaker is from, or the dialect they use, so the interpreter is a good match for them.
Can you certify Wu 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 Wu is not written in the Latin alphabet, send us the passport spelling of every name so the translation matches it.
Do you provide Wu 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 Wu interpreter with the right legal experience and qualifications.
