Kiswahili translation by native East African linguists.
Certified Swahili to English and English to Swahili translation, plus Kiswahili interpreters for legal, medical and community settings. We match linguists to Kenyan, Tanzanian or Congolese usage, because the difference matters.
Documents and projects in Kiswahili
Kiswahili is spoken across East and Central Africa and reaches very different readers. Each project goes to a linguist who knows the region and the setting the text is going into.
Immigration and civil records
Birth, marriage and death certificates, affidavits, identity documents and letters for USCIS, embassies and resettlement agencies.
- Signed statement of accuracy
- USCIS acceptance guarantee
- Names matched to passport spelling
Legal and court
Court records, judgments, witness statements, land and inheritance documents, contracts and correspondence.
- Legal terminology checked by a second linguist
- Translator notes where systems differ
- Confidential handling under NDA
Medical and public health
Clinical records, consent forms, medication instructions and health education for Swahili speaking patients and communities.
- HIPAA trained linguists
- Plain language readers understand
- Clinical terminology reviewed
Refugee and community services
Case notes, orientation materials, housing and benefits letters for agencies serving families from East Africa and the Great Lakes region.
- Wording adapted to the reader's variety
- Culturally appropriate phrasing
- Fast turnaround for case deadlines
Education
Certificates, transcripts and school letters for admissions and evaluation, plus communication for Swahili speaking families.
- Grades and subjects rendered faithfully
- Consistent layout for evaluators
- Parent letters in natural Kiswahili
Business, NGO and development
Reports, grant documents, policies, surveys and training for organizations working in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and the wider region.
- Glossaries kept for programme terms
- Survey translation with back checking on request
- Formatting preserved
Why one Swahili translator is not always enough
Kiswahili is shared across many countries, but the words, the documents and the people you are serving are not the same everywhere.
Kenyan, Tanzanian and Congolese usage
Vocabulary and official terms differ between Kenya and Tanzania, and the Swahili spoken in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo differs again, with more French loanwords. For interpretation in particular, we match the interpreter to the variety the person speaks.
Documents in more than one language
Kiswahili is an official language of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda alongside English, so many official records from the region are issued in English, while court papers, local letters and community documents may be in Kiswahili. We translate every language on the page.
A regional working language
Kiswahili is an official language of the East African Community and a working language of the African Union. Development, NGO and government projects often need consistent terminology across a whole programme, which we keep in a shared glossary.
Interpretation that builds trust
In resettlement, health and legal settings, the right register and a familiar way of speaking help people say what they mean. Our interpreters know when to use formal Kiswahili and when plainer, everyday language will be understood better.
Kiswahili certified translation for official use
Every certified translation includes a signed statement confirming the translation is complete and accurate and that the translator is competent in Kiswahili and English.
- Complete translation of the whole document, including stamps and handwriting
- Signed statement of accuracy on company letterhead
- USCIS acceptance guarantee on certified translations
- Notarization available when the receiving authority asks for it
- Standard delivery in 24 to 48 hours for typical documents, with 12 hour rush available
- Files transferred encrypted and deleted on request
Documents we are sent most often
Kiswahili interpreters for the room, the phone or the screen
Legal, medical and community interpretation between Kiswahili and English, matched to the speaker's variety.
Video remote interpretation
Scheduled or on demand video interpretation for clinics, resettlement agencies, schools and courts.
Over the phone interpretation
Phone interpretation for appointments, case work and urgent situations, available 24/7 for urgent legal and medical requests.
On site interpretation
On site interpreters for hearings, medical appointments, orientation sessions and community meetings, booked with notice.
Interpreters for legal and medical settings are matched to the setting as well as the language. See legal interpretation and medical translation and interpretation.
Questions about Kiswahili translation
Do you provide interpreters for Congolese Swahili?
Yes. Swahili spoken in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo differs from Kenyan and Tanzanian usage. Tell us where the person is from and we will match an interpreter who speaks their variety.
My document is in both Kiswahili and English. Do I need two translations?
No. We translate every part of the document that is not already in English, including stamps and handwritten notes, in one certified translation.
Will USCIS accept your Swahili certified translation?
Our certified translations include a signed statement confirming completeness, accuracy and the translator's competence in Kiswahili and English, which is what USCIS asks for, and they carry our USCIS acceptance guarantee.
Can you translate surveys and programme materials into Kiswahili?
Yes. We translate surveys, training and community materials with a shared glossary so key terms stay consistent across the whole programme, and we can arrange a second linguist check on request.
Is it Swahili or Kiswahili?
Both names are correct. Kiswahili is the name of the language in the language itself, and Swahili is the common English name. Use whichever you prefer when you request a quote.
Other language pages
We work in 80+ languages. See the full language list, or go straight to one of these.
Send your Kiswahili document for a quote today
Upload every page and tell us where the translation is going. A project coordinator will confirm the scope, the turnaround and a fixed quote before any work begins.