Prism Linguistics arranges Hassaniyya interpreters and certified translation across Canada. Hassaniyya is the Arabic variety spoken in Mauritania, Western Sahara and parts of Mali, Senegal, Algeria and Morocco, and it differs enough from standard Arabic that an interpreter needs to know it specifically. Demand in Canada is modest and often tied to asylum and immigration files, so requests are frequently met by telephone and video.
Last reviewed September 6, 2026 by the Prism Linguistics editorial team
Tell us that the speaker uses Hassaniyya rather than Modern Standard Arabic or an eastern Arabic dialect, because the vocabulary and pronunciation are markedly different and a general Arabic interpreter may struggle with a Hassaniyya speaker in a hearing. Many speakers also read Modern Standard Arabic or speak French, so we confirm the speaker's strongest language for the setting.
The live settings are mainly Immigration and Refugee Board hearings, IRCC interviews and medical or legal-aid appointments, where the interpreter keeps to a complete, neutral rendering. Given the small community, we usually arrange Hassaniyya interpreting remotely and will say plainly if a suitable interpreter is not available. We are a private agency, not a court-appointed vendor.
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.
Hassaniyya is largely a spoken variety, and official records from Mauritania and the wider region are normally issued in Modern Standard Arabic or in French, so certified translation typically runs from written Arabic or French into English rather than from Hassaniyya. We read the source carefully, since older records and different countries use different administrative wording.
For these records - birth, marriage and family certificates, identity and nationality papers, and supporting statements for asylum - we provide a certified translation with a signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy, or a sworn affidavit before a commissioner of oaths where one is requested. Names are transliterated from the Arabic script to match the passport spelling; acceptance ultimately depends on the receiving institution.
For documents rather than spoken interpreting, see certified Hassaniyya translation, our full Hassaniyya 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 Hassaniyya 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 Hassaniyya translation in the same cities:
Or browse every city we cover.
Hassaniyya is an Arabic dialect spoken by around 4 million people in Mauritania, Western Sahara, and parts of Morocco, Algeria, Mali, and Senegal. It's the language of the Sahrawi people and significantly diverged from Modern Standard Arabic, with influences from Berber and West African languages. The Hassaniyya-speaking community in Canada is very small and served through our national interpreter network, with translation requests typically tied to IRB refugee hearings connected to the Western Saharan situation. Hassaniyya is usually written in Arabic script.
Yes, noticeably so in vocabulary and pronunciation. A general Arabic interpreter may not follow a Hassaniyya speaker well, so tell us the speaker uses Hassaniyya and we match accordingly.
Yes. Records from Mauritania and the region are usually issued in Modern Standard Arabic or French, so translation runs from those into English. We provide a certified translation or a sworn affidavit where required.
Demand is modest and the community is small, so we usually work by telephone and video and confirm case by case. We will tell you plainly if a suitable interpreter is not available.
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 Hassaniyya interpreter and a firm price.