Prism Linguistics provides professional Dhivehi interpreters and certified Dhivehi translation across Canada. Dhivehi, the language of the Maldives, is an Indo-Aryan language written in its own Thaana script, and the community in Canada is very small and dispersed. Demand is occasional and tied to study, immigration and family matters, which we handle chiefly by telephone or video anywhere in the country and, where numbers allow, in person.
Last reviewed September 6, 2026 by the Prism Linguistics editorial team
Dhivehi is distinctive in that its script, Thaana, is written from right to left, and although it borrows vocabulary from Arabic, Urdu and English, it is a language of its own and should not be treated as a variety of any of them. Many Maldivian speakers who have studied abroad are also fluent in English, so when you book an interpreter it helps to say whether the speaker prefers Dhivehi or English for the matter at hand. We assign in the language the speaker actually needs rather than assuming English will serve.
For Canadian courts and tribunals we confirm what the specific court expects before assigning, since arrangements vary by province and case type. In healthcare and community settings the interpreter renders everything in full rather than summarising. Because the community is small, most assignments are served by telephone or video, which lets us reach a suitable Dhivehi interpreter regardless of where in Canada the appointment is.
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 Dhivehi translation calls for care with the Thaana script and with the way Maldivian records combine Dhivehi and English. Official documents from the Maldives are sometimes issued bilingually, but where the operative text is in Dhivehi we deliver a complete English or French translation with a signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy, or a sworn affidavit before a commissioner of oaths where the receiving body asks for one.
The documents we see are usually birth and marriage certificates, national identity cards, and school and university records for study or credential assessment. Names are transliterated from Thaana to match the passport spelling, with any variant noted for the officer, since inconsistent spelling is a common reason a file is queried. Where a record is partly in English we translate the Dhivehi portions and label each part. Acceptance ultimately depends on the receiving institution; we prepare the format IRCC and Canadian assessors expect.
For documents rather than spoken interpreting, see certified Maldivian Dhivehi translation, our full Maldivian Dhivehi 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 Maldivian Dhivehi 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 Maldivian Dhivehi translation in the same cities:
Or browse every city we cover.
Dhivehi is an Indo-Aryan language, distantly related to Sinhala, but it is written in its own Thaana script from right to left and is not a variety of Arabic, Urdu or English, though it borrows words from each. We assign Dhivehi specialists for this work.
Yes. We provide certified Dhivehi to English or French translation with a signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy, or a sworn affidavit where required, for civil certificates, identity cards and education records. Where a record is partly in English we translate the Dhivehi portions. Acceptance ultimately depends on the receiving institution.
Yes, mainly by telephone or video, since the community is small and dispersed. On-site attendance can sometimes be arranged in the larger cities; tell us the location, date and setting and we confirm what is possible.
Telephone and video interpreting can usually be arranged within a few business days. Because the pool is small, more notice helps; give us the date and setting and we confirm availability.
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 Maldivian Dhivehi interpreter and a firm price.