Prism Linguistics arranges Nubian interpreters across Canada, mainly by telephone and video, and supports the certified translation that Nubian speakers need. Nubian is not one language but a group, chiefly Nobiin and the Kenzi and Dongolawi varieties, spoken along the Nile in northern Sudan and southern Egypt. Its speakers reach Canada largely through refugee and family reunification streams, and the community is small, so demand is occasional and often served remotely, with in-person work in the larger centres where numbers allow.
Last reviewed September 6, 2026 by the Prism Linguistics editorial team
The first thing to confirm at booking is which Nubian language the speaker uses and whether Nubian or Arabic is their stronger language, because most Nubians in Sudan and Egypt also speak Arabic, and many everyday and official matters are handled in Arabic. Nobiin, Kenzi and Dongolawi are related but not fully interchangeable, so we match the right one where Nubian is genuinely the need, which is important in an Immigration and Refugee Board hearing, where a claimant's account should be rendered in the language they think in.
For Canadian courts and tribunals we confirm what the specific court will accept, since interpreter requirements vary by province and case type. In healthcare the interpreter keeps to a full, neutral rendering rather than summarising for the clinician, which matters for consent and history in settlement and mental health work. Because the community is small and dispersed, most sessions run by telephone or video, which lets us reach a suitable interpreter quickly, and where Arabic serves the speaker better we say so and match accordingly.
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 Nubian speakers is almost always from Arabic rather than from a Nubian language, because civil records in Sudan and Egypt are issued in Arabic and the Nubian languages are today written only occasionally, in an Arabic-based or Latin-based script and, historically, in the Old Nubian alphabet. So a birth or marriage record will normally be an Arabic document, and we confirm the source language before quoting. We deliver a full English or French translation with a signed certificate of accuracy, or a sworn affidavit before a commissioner of oaths where the receiving body prefers one.
The records we handle include birth, marriage and death certificates, family and national registration papers, school and training documents, police or judicial records, and the personal statements that asylum files often rely on where official records are hard to obtain. Arabic names are transliterated consistently to match the passport spelling and any variant on the original is noted for the officer. Acceptance ultimately depends on the receiving institution, such as IRCC, the IRB or a provincial body, and we are a private agency, not court-appointed.
For documents rather than spoken interpreting, see certified Nubian translation, our full Nubian 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 Nubian 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 Nubian translation in the same cities:
Or browse every city we cover.
Nubian refers to a group of related languages spoken by perhaps 1 million people across northern Sudan and southern Egypt - the historical homeland of the ancient Nubian civilization, with a written tradition stretching back over a millennium. The major modern varieties include Nobiin, Dongolawi, and Kenzi. The Nubian-speaking community in Canada is small and concentrated in cities that received Sudanese refugee resettlement. Our Nubian translation work is occasional and typically tied to IRB refugee and asylum documentation.
No. It is a group that includes Nobiin and the Kenzi and Dongolawi varieties, which are related but not fully interchangeable. Tell us which one the speaker uses, and their origin in Sudan or Egypt, and we match accordingly.
Civil records in Sudan and Egypt are issued in Arabic, so most translation is Arabic to English or French. The Nubian languages are rarely used for official records. We confirm the source language before quoting.
Yes. We translate the Arabic documents that exist and any personal statements, with a certificate of accuracy or a sworn affidavit where required, and arrange a Nubian or Arabic interpreter for the hearing. Acceptance ultimately depends on the receiving institution, and we are a private agency, not court-appointed.
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 Nubian interpreter and a firm price.