Zazaki (Kurdish Zazaki) interpreting and translation

Zazaki interpreting, Northern and Southern

Many Zaza speakers identify as Kurds and others see Zaza identity as distinct; our interpreters make no assumptions either way. What matters in practice is that a Kurmanji interpreter is not a reliable substitute for Zazaki, despite the geographical overlap. We match the Northern (Kirmanjki) or Southern (Dimli) variety to the client. Many Zaza speakers are fluent in Turkish and some prefer it for formal matters, so we ask the client, and we can provide a Turkish interpreter where they choose.

Zazaki interpreters are relatively few, which makes remote interpreting particularly useful: telephone interpreting at any time, and video sessions on the SILA Linguists® app or the platform you already use. Where a Zazaki interpreter can attend in person, we arrange face-to-face interpreting for asylum interviews, hospital and GP appointments, legal consultations and community meetings. Male or female interpreters can be requested.

Zazaki translation and Turkish documents

Zazaki is written in a Latin alphabet similar to the Kurmanji Hawar alphabet, with spelling conventions that vary between publications, so we agree an approach with you and apply it consistently.

Official documents from Turkey, such as population register extracts, birth certificates, court decisions and diplomas, are in Turkish, and our Turkish translators certify them with a signed declaration of accuracy, accepted by UK authorities such as courts and universities, and by employers. Zazaki translation itself is mainly used for community information, cultural material, publications and recordings, and our translators respect the different conventions used by Zaza writers in Turkey and in the European diaspora.

Transcription, cultural projects and LADO

We transcribe Zazaki recordings, from oral histories and songs to interviews and recorded evidence, with timings, tagging Turkish or Kurmanji passages and adding an English version. If a Home Office or BAMF decision maker doubts where someone grew up, SILA Linguists® can arrange LADO by specialists familiar with Zazaki and the provinces where it is spoken.

Settings for our linguists in Zazaki

Our vetted, trained and qualified Zazaki linguists can support asylum and immigration representatives, healthcare providers, and community and cultural organisations serving Zaza communities in Europe. A single coordinator manages your bookings. Linguists sign non-disclosure agreements, and personal data is handled according to UK GDPR.