Face-to-face
Kurdish Faili interpreters on site for appointments, hearings and meetings.
Kurdish varieties · dialect
Kurdish Faili (Feyli) interpreting and translation
Faili, or Feyli, is a form of Southern Kurdish spoken by Feyli Kurdish communities in eastern Iraq and western Iran. It differs from both Sorani and Kurmanji.
فەیلی
- Script
- Kurdish Arabic-based alphabet, Arabic script, Arabic
- Direction
- Right to left
- ISO 639-3
sdh
Faili is usually classified as part of Southern Kurdish, the third major group of Kurdish varieties after Northern Kurdish (Kurmanji) and Central Kurdish (Sorani). It is spoken by Feyli Kurds along the Iran and Iraq border, in Iran's Ilam province and in Iraqi areas such as Khanaqin, Mandali and Badra, and by long-established communities in Baghdad.
Southern Kurdish varieties, including Faili, Kalhori and Kermanshahi, are less studied than Kurmanji and Sorani, and their boundaries are described in different ways. Faili speech is close to Kalhori and Ilami Kurdish. It is not easily understood by speakers of Kurmanji and only partly by speakers of Sorani.
Many Feyli Kurds who grew up in Baghdad speak Iraqi Arabic as their main language, and those from Iran usually speak Farsi.
Kurdish flag
How we help
Kurdish Faili 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 Kurdish Faili translation accepted by UK authorities.
SILA Linguists®
Kurdish Faili (Feyli) interpreting, translation and LADO with SILA Linguists®
Faili is spoken by Feyli Kurds along the Iran and Iraq border, in Iran's Ilam province, in Iraqi towns such as Khanaqin, Mandali and Badra, and by long-established communities in Baghdad. It belongs to Southern Kurdish, the third main group of Kurdish varieties, and is close to Kalhori and Ilami speech. SILA Linguists® provides Faili interpreters, translators and transcribers to asylum services, legal advisers, healthcare providers and community organisations in Britain, North America, Australia and New Zealand. Many Feyli Kurds raised in Baghdad mainly speak Iraqi Arabic, and those from Iran usually speak Farsi, so we ask which language suits them.
Faili interpreting, and why Sorani is no substitute
Faili is not easily understood by Kurmanji speakers and only partly by Sorani speakers, so a Sorani interpreter is not a reliable replacement. Some Feyli Kurds want a Faili or Southern Kurdish interpreter; others prefer Iraqi Arabic or Farsi, especially in formal settings. If the client chooses another Southern Kurdish variety, such as Kalhori, that is a closer match, and we arrange it.
We provide face-to-face interpreting for asylum and nationality interviews, family and documentation matters, GP and hospital appointments and community services. Faili interpreters are scarce, so telephone interpreting at any hour and video sessions on the SILA Linguists® app or your own platform are often the quickest way to find the right person. A male or female interpreter can be arranged on request.
Documents, nationality papers and Faili texts
Southern Kurdish has no widely used written standard; it is written in the Kurdish Arabic-based alphabet or in Farsi-style script, with varying spelling. Federal Iraqi documents are in Arabic, documents from the Kurdistan Region are usually in Kurdish, and Iranian documents are in Farsi. We translate civil status records, nationality certificates, ID cards and family documents from those languages, with each certified translation signed as accurate and accepted by UK authorities such as courts and universities.
Faili translation itself is mainly requested for community information and recordings, and we agree spelling conventions with you in advance.
Transcription and LADO for Feyli Kurds
Questions of documentation and nationality often arise for Feyli Kurds, and SILA Linguists® can arrange LADO and nationality assessment by specialists familiar with Southern Kurdish and Iraqi Arabic. We also transcribe Faili recordings and interviews with timings and an English version, marking switches into Arabic or Farsi.
Sectors we support in Faili
Our vetted, trained and qualified Faili linguists can support asylum and immigration representatives, family and documentation advisers, NHS and community health services, and voluntary organisations supporting Feyli communities. You deal with one coordinating team, our linguists sign non-disclosure agreements, and UK GDPR protects your data.
Good to know
Working with Kurdish Faili
Interpreting
- Ask the client which language they prefer. Some Feyli Kurds will want a Faili or Southern Kurdish interpreter, others may be more comfortable in Iraqi Arabic or Farsi, especially for formal settings.
- A Sorani interpreter is not a reliable substitute. If the client prefers another Southern Kurdish variety, such as Kalhori, that is a closer match.
- Remote interpreting by video or telephone is also available, and we provide LADO for Kurdish speakers.
Translation
- Southern Kurdish has no widely used written standard. It is written in the Kurdish Arabic-based alphabet or the Arabic script used for Farsi, in varying spellings. Federal Iraqi documents are in Arabic, documents from the Kurdistan Region are usually in Kurdish, and Iranian documents are in Farsi.
- Faili translation is mainly requested for community information and recordings. We agree spelling conventions with you in advance.
Related languages
Kurdish Faili 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 Kurdish Faili is often needed
- Asylum and immigration
- LADO and nationality assessment
- Documentation and family matters
- Healthcare
- Community services
Explore more kurdish varieties or see all languages A to Z.
Get in touch
Need a Kurdish Faili 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.