Face-to-face
Brahui interpreters on site for appointments, hearings and meetings.
Asian languages
Brahui interpreting and translation
Brahui is a Dravidian language spoken mainly in central Balochistan, Pakistan, with smaller communities in southern Afghanistan and eastern Iran. SILA Linguists supplies Brahui interpreters and translators for legal, medical, immigration and community work.
In its own words
براہوئی
- Script
- Arabic script (Nastaliq)
- Direction
- Right to left
- ISO 639-3
brh
Brahui stands apart from its neighbours: it is the only Dravidian language in a region where Balochi, Pashto, Sindhi and Farsi are spoken, and it lies far from the other Dravidian languages, which are concentrated in central and southern India. It is placed in the Northern Dravidian branch alongside Kurukh and Malto.
Centuries of contact with Balochi, Farsi, Sindhi and Arabic have shaped its sounds and much of its vocabulary, so a Brahui conversation can sound familiar to a Balochi listener even though the grammar remains Dravidian. The heartland lies around Kalat, Mastung, Khuzdar and the hills south of Quetta. The two main dialect areas take their names from the historical regions of Sarawan in the north and Jhalawan in the south. Brahui speakers are widely bilingual in Balochi, and many also speak Urdu, Sindhi, Pashto or Farsi depending on where they live.
- Main areas: Pakistan (Balochistan)
- Also used: Iran (Sistan and Baluchestan)
- Other regions
Communities abroad are not shown. Point to an area to see its name.
How we help
Brahui services
Video (VRI)
Secure video interpreting when people are in different places.
Telephone, 24/7
Telephone interpreting 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Certified translation
Certified Brahui translation accepted by UK authorities.
SILA Linguists®
Brahui interpreters, translation and language analysis from SILA Linguists®
Brahui is a linguistic island: the only Dravidian language in a region where Balochi, Pashto, Sindhi and Farsi surround it, spoken around Kalat, Mastung, Khuzdar and the hills south of Quetta, with smaller communities in southern Afghanistan and Iranian Sistan and Baluchestan. SILA Linguists® supplies Brahui interpreters and translators for asylum, health, police and social care work throughout the UK, North America and Australasia. Because Brahui speakers are often recorded as Balochi speakers, we always confirm the language used at home.
Brahui interpreting for high-stakes conversations
Asylum interviews, immigration appeals, police interviews, court hearings, healthcare appointments and family and social services meetings are where a Brahui interpreter makes the difference. A bilingual client may cope with a routine appointment in Balochi or Urdu, but when the stakes are high, interpreting in Brahui removes doubt. We provide interpreters in person, by video through the SILA Linguists® app and by telephone at any time of day or night, all year.
Sarawan speech in the north and Jhalawan speech in the south differ, and loanwords from Dari, Pashto or Farsi vary with the client's country, so tell us where the person comes from. Women may prefer a female interpreter for medical or family matters, which we arrange on request. Relay through Balochi or Urdu is available for multi-party meetings if the client chooses it.
Brahui translation and certified documents
Brahui is written right to left in an Arabic-based script adapted from Urdu, usually in Nastaliq. Spelling is not fully standardised, so our translators keep terminology consistent within a project and check proper names against source documents. We prepare Brahui written or audio material for community audiences and translate letters and statements into English.
Official papers from Pakistan are normally in Urdu or English, and those from Afghanistan in Dari or Pashto. Certified translation into English carries a signed and dated statement of accuracy, accepted by UK authorities such as the Home Office and the courts.
Transcription and LADO for Brahui
Recorded interviews and evidence in Brahui are written up as time-stamped transcripts and translated into English, with passages in Balochi, Urdu or Farsi labelled. For asylum claims involving Balochistan and its borderlands, SILA Linguists® offers language analysis for the determination of origin (LADO), carried out by specialist analysts.
Sectors we support in Brahui
Our vetted, trained and qualified Brahui linguists can support immigration and asylum services, police and courts, legal representatives, healthcare providers, and family and social services. Every assignment is coordinated by one project team, and every vetted linguist is bound by confidentiality undertakings and the UK GDPR.
Good to know
Working with Brahui
Interpreting
- Brahui speakers are sometimes recorded as Balochi speakers, because they share a province and often family ties with Baloch communities. Ask the client which language they use at home. A bilingual person may manage a routine appointment in Balochi or Urdu, but a Brahui interpreter avoids misunderstandings when the stakes are high.
- For clients from Afghanistan or Iran, let us know the country of origin, as loanwords from Dari, Pashto or Farsi vary with it. Women may prefer a female interpreter for medical or family matters, and SILA arranges an interpreter of the preferred gender on request.
- Brahui interpreting is available in person, by video and by telephone. Relay through Balochi or Urdu remains an option for clients who choose it, for example in a meeting with several family members.
Translation
- Brahui is written right to left in an Arabic-based script adapted from Urdu, usually in the Nastaliq style. Spelling is not fully standardised, so translators keep terminology consistent within a project and check proper names against the source documents.
- Official papers from Pakistan are normally in Urdu or English, and those from Afghanistan in Dari or Pashto. SILA provides certified translation of such documents into English, accepted by UK authorities including the Home Office, the courts and universities, and by international bodies, and prepares Brahui audio or written material for community audiences.
Related languages
Brahui and its neighbours
Choose a language to see its page. Getting the right variety matters: tell us the region or dialect if you know it.
Where Brahui is often needed
- Immigration and asylum
- Language analysis (LADO)
- Healthcare
- Police and courts
- Family and social services
Explore more asian languages or see all languages A to Z.
Get in touch
Need a Brahui interpreter or translator?
Our bookings team will confirm the details with you and arrange the right linguist. Have the language (and dialect, if you know it), the type of assignment and the date ready.