Face-to-face
Ukrainian interpreters on site for appointments, hearings and meetings.
European languages
Ukrainian interpreting and translation
Ukrainian is an East Slavic language and the official language of Ukraine. SILA Linguists provides Ukrainian interpreters and certified translators for healthcare, education, housing, immigration and legal work across the UK, North America, Australia, New Zealand and beyond.
українська мова
- Script
- Cyrillic
- Direction
- Left to right
- ISO 639-3
ukr
Ukrainian is the state language of Ukraine and is spoken by minorities in neighbouring countries and by a long-established diaspora in Canada and the United States. Since the full-scale war began, large numbers of people from Ukraine have settled temporarily or permanently in Poland, Germany, the Czech Republic, the UK and many other countries, increasing the need for interpreting and translation in public services.
Ukrainian dialects are commonly grouped as northern, south-western and south-eastern, and the standard language is based mainly on the south-eastern group. Many people in Ukraine are bilingual in Ukrainian and Russian, and a mixed everyday vernacular, often called surzhyk, is common in some areas. The spelling rules have been revised in recent years.
Ukrainian uses a Cyrillic alphabet of 33 letters, including і, ї, є and ґ, which distinguish it from Russian.
- Main areas: Ukraine
Communities abroad are not shown. Point to an area to see its name.
How we help
Ukrainian 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 Ukrainian translation accepted by UK authorities.
SILA Linguists®
Ukrainian interpreting and translation services with SILA Linguists®
Ukrainian is the state language of Ukraine, spoken by minorities in neighbouring countries and by a long-established diaspora in Canada and the United States. In recent years, many people from Ukraine have settled temporarily or permanently in Poland, Germany, the Czech Republic, the UK and many other countries, and these new arrivals often need language support in public services. SILA Linguists® provides Ukrainian interpreters, translators and transcribers for GPs, hospitals and mental health teams, schools, housing and benefits, immigration and residence, employment and legal advice.
Ukrainian interpreting with care and choice
We ask every client which language they prefer. Some people from Ukraine are equally comfortable in Russian, but language choice can be sensitive and many prefer Ukrainian, so we never substitute a Russian interpreter without the client's agreement. Many clients have experienced displacement and trauma; tell us in advance about any sensitivities, and the interpreter will prepare and work at the client's pace.
Our Ukrainian interpreters can support GP surgeries, hospitals and mental health services, schools and children's services, housing and benefits appointments, immigration and residence applications, employment and training, and courts and legal advice. They can attend in person, answer by phone through the night as well as the day, or appear on screen through our SILA Linguists® app or Teams, Zoom and similar services. Community information sessions and training courses can be covered consecutively or with simultaneous interpreting.
Ukrainian translation and transliteration
Ukraine transliterates names into Latin script under an official national system, so passports show forms such as Kyiv and Kharkiv, while older documents, or papers issued elsewhere, may use different spellings or Russian forms of the same name. We match the passport every time. Birth and marriage certificates, school and university records, medical records and driving licences are typical documents, and each certified Ukrainian translation carries a signed statement of accuracy, accepted by the Home Office, schools and colleges, employers and other UK authorities. Ukrainian papers for Canadian authorities can be translated by a provincially certified translator, and those for US immigration carry a certificate of accuracy.
Documents for use in Ukraine may need notarisation or an apostille. We also translate school, health, housing and employment information into Ukrainian for families and workers, as well as contracts and safety guidance for employers.
Ukrainian transcription and subtitling
Interviews, voice messages and recorded evidence in Ukrainian, or mixing Ukrainian and Russian, are transcribed with timings, each language labelled, and an English version supplied. We subtitle information films and training videos.
Where our Ukrainian linguists work
Our vetted, trained and qualified Ukrainian linguists can support GP practices, hospitals and mental health services, schools and children's services, housing and benefits teams, immigration and residence advisers, employers and training providers, and legal advice services. SILA Linguists® gives you one accountable team of vetted Ukrainian interpreters and translators, and files are protected by NDAs and UK GDPR. Ukrainian interpreters can assist Canadian immigration and family services, US immigration attorneys, hospitals and schools.
Good to know
Working with Ukrainian
Interpreting
- Ask the client which language they prefer. Some people from Ukraine are equally comfortable in Russian, but language choice can be sensitive, and many prefer Ukrainian. We will not substitute a Russian interpreter without the client's agreement.
- Ukrainian interpreting is widely needed in GP surgeries, hospitals, mental health services, schools, housing and benefits, and immigration matters. Many clients have experienced displacement and trauma, so tell us in advance about any sensitivities so the interpreter can prepare. We provide face-to-face, video and telephone interpreting.
Translation
- Ukraine uses an official national system to transliterate names into Latin script, so passports show forms such as Kyiv and Kharkiv. Older documents, or documents issued in other countries, may use different spellings or Russian forms of the same name. Supply the passport so translations match it.
- Common documents include birth and marriage certificates, school and university records, medical records and driving licences. Our certified translations are accepted by UK authorities such as the Home Office, tribunals, courts and universities, and by international bodies. Documents for use in Ukraine may require notarisation or an apostille. Where a document is needed in the United States or Canada, we arrange the certification the receiving authority expects, whether that is a translator's certificate of accuracy for US immigration authorities or a translator certified by a Canadian provincial association.
Related languages
Ukrainian 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 Ukrainian is often needed
- GP surgeries, hospitals and mental health services
- Schools and children's services
- Housing, benefits and local authorities
- Immigration and residence applications
- Employment and training
- Courts and legal advice
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Get in touch
Need a Ukrainian 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.