Yue interpreters and translators anywhere in the UK, most often in Cantonese for families from Hong Kong, Macau and Guangdong, with face-to-face, telephone and video interpreting, certified translation between Chinese and English in traditional or simplified characters, and bookings taken 24 hours a day.
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Yue interpreting services
When you book, describe the speaker rather than the language family: "Cantonese, Hong Kong", "Cantonese, Guangzhou", "Taishanese" or "Nanning, Guangxi" tells us far more than "Yue". Macau belongs with Hong Kong here, since about eight in ten people in Macau use Cantonese as their daily language. Beyond Cantonese, the Siyi branch that includes Taishanese covers the coast south-west of Guangzhou, the Gao-Yang branch south-western Guangdong, and the Qin-Lian branch the coast of southern Guangxi; interpreters for all of them are rare in the UK. Consecutive interpreting suits most appointments, and in a long hearing the interpreter may whisper alongside the defendant instead.
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 Yue 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 Yue translation
The characters on a document tell you where it came from. Papers from Hong Kong and Macau use traditional characters, and Macau documents may also be in Portuguese, one of its two official languages; papers from Guangdong and Guangxi use simplified characters. Names on Hong Kong documents follow the Cantonese-based government romanisation, so we copy them exactly as the passport or identity card has them and never convert them to pinyin.
The translator always writes in their native language, English for Chinese documents and Chinese for English ones, and the certified English carries the translator's statement of accuracy and details, as UK Visas and Immigration requires.
- 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 Yue audio and video recordings, with an English translation if you need one.
English to Yue translation
For Hong Kong and Macau readers, translate into standard written Chinese in traditional characters; for readers from Guangdong or Guangxi, use simplified. Written Cantonese, with its own characters, is how many Hong Kong people text and post online, but formal writing there is in standard written Chinese, so a council letter or patient leaflet should be too. A campaign aimed at Hong Kong families might want a lighter Cantonese touch in a headline; tell us the purpose and we will advise.
Yue court and police interpreters
Hong Kong has its own legal system, and a Hong Kong defendant or witness may know the legal words better in English than in Chinese, so the interpreter should be ready for both. The court should be told which Yue variety is needed, not just "Chinese". We look for Yue interpreters with legal experience and, where interpreters holding them exist for the variety needed, the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (Law) or registration with the National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI). For Taishanese or the Guangxi varieties, legal interpreters are very rare, and we will tell you so before the hearing, not on the day.
How to book a Yue 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 Yue language
Yue is a branch of Chinese that includes Cantonese and Taishanese, spoken mainly in Guangdong and Guangxi in southern China, Hong Kong and Macau.
Yue is written in Chinese characters.
Before you book: Yue is the linguists' name for the group; in practice most requests are for Cantonese. Tell us if the speaker uses Taishanese or another Yue variety.
| Language family | Branch of Chinese that includes Cantonese and Taishanese |
|---|---|
| Where it is spoken | Guangdong and Guangxi in southern China, Hong Kong and Macau |
| Writing system | Chinese characters |
| Language code | yue |
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Yue interpreters near you
We send Yue 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.
Yue interpreter and translator FAQs
How quickly can I book a Yue 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 Yue interpreters work nearby.
How much does a Yue 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 Yue 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 Yue is not written in the Latin alphabet, send us the passport spelling of every name so the translation matches it.
Do you provide Yue 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 Yue interpreter with the right legal experience and qualifications.
