Prism Linguistics arranges Behdini interpreters and certified translation for Behdini speakers across Canada. Behdini is the northern Kurdish (Kurmanji) variety spoken around Duhok in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and in neighbouring parts of Turkey and Syria, and most work here is refugee and family-reunification matters. The community is modest in size, so we cover the major centres in person and reach the rest of the country by telephone and video.
Last reviewed September 6, 2026 by the Prism Linguistics editorial team
The single most important detail when booking a Behdini interpreter is which Kurdish variety the speaker uses. Behdini differs from Sorani (Central Kurdish) and from Kurmanji spoken further west, and treating them as one language can distort testimony in an Immigration and Refugee Board hearing. We match a claimant with an interpreter who shares the Duhok-area speech rather than a Kurdish speaker of a different region.
Interpreters attend Canadian courts, hospitals and IRCC and IRB appointments, keeping to a neutral, complete rendering rather than summarising. Requirements vary by province, so tell us the court or tribunal and we confirm what it will accept. Because Behdini speakers are not concentrated in one city, phone and video interpreting is often the practical way to reach a suitable interpreter quickly.
Common settings include legal and court interpreting, medical and hospital interpreting, IRCC and Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) interviews, and police and enforcement work. See all on-site interpreting options or start a free quote.
Certified translation for Behdini files usually works from written Kurdish or Arabic, since many civil records from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq are issued in Arabic or in Kurdish in an Arabic-based script. We provide a full English or French translation with a signed certificate of translation accuracy, or a sworn affidavit before a commissioner of oaths where a receiving body requires one.
The records we handle include birth and marriage certificates, nationality and civil-status documents, police clearances and school certificates. Names are transliterated to match any passport or IRCC record you already hold, with variants noted for the officer. Acceptance ultimately depends on the receiving institution, such as IRCC, the IRB or a Canadian court.
For documents rather than spoken interpreting, see certified Behdini translation, our full Behdini translation services, or general document translation. Every translation moves through our TEP workflow — translation, editing and proofreading by separate linguists — with free revisions.
An interpreter attends in person for hearings, medical appointments and meetings. On-site interpreting
Same-day, often within minutes, for calls, intake and urgent situations. Phone interpreting
Telehealth, remote hearings and sign language, anywhere in Canada. Video interpreting
Simultaneous interpreting for events and multilingual meetings. Conference interpreting
Legal consultations, settlement services and private appointments. Private interpreting
ASL and LSQ interpreting for accessible appointments and events. Sign language
We arrange Behdini interpreters in cities across every province and territory — on site in the major centres and by telephone or video everywhere else:
Need documents translated locally? We provide certified Behdini translation in the same cities:
Or browse every city we cover.
Behdini (also Badini) is a dialect of Northern Kurdish (Kurmanji), spoken by perhaps 3 million people primarily in the Dohuk region of Iraqi Kurdistan and adjacent parts of Turkey and Syria. Although classified as Kurmanji, Behdini has distinctive vocabulary and intonation, and Iraqi-Kurdish documents from Dohuk may identify as Behdini specifically. Our Behdini translation work overlaps with general Kurmanji and Sorani requests - IRB refugee paperwork, IRCC resettlement and sponsorship documents, and family-reunification records from the long Iraqi-conflict timeline.
Behdini is a northern Kurdish (Kurmanji) variety from the Duhok area, while Sorani is Central Kurdish. They differ enough that an interpreter should match the speaker's variety, which matters most in refugee hearings.
Yes. Many records from the Kurdistan Region come in Arabic or in Kurdish, and we provide a certified translation or a sworn affidavit as required. Acceptance ultimately depends on the receiving institution.
Yes. We cover the major centres in person and serve the rest of the country by telephone and video, which is often the fastest way to reach a Behdini speaker for a specific appointment.
Tell us the language, the setting and the date through our quote form or by phone. We return a written quote with the exact price and turnaround, usually within 60 minutes during business hours, before you commit.
Tell us the setting, the city and the date, and we will confirm a qualified Behdini interpreter and a firm price.