Prism Linguistics arranges certified Oromo translation and Oromo interpreters across Canada, for refugee, IRCC and medical matters. Afaan Oromo, also called Oromigna, is the most widely spoken language in Ethiopia, written since 1991 in the Latin-based Qubee script. Oromo communities in Canada are established across Ontario and the Prairie cities.
Last reviewed September 6, 2026 by the Prism Linguistics editorial team
Interpreters attend IRB refugee hearings, IRCC interviews, and hospital, mental health and school appointments, and are briefed on two Ethiopian points so a date of birth or a parent's name is not confused during testimony or intake. Oromo has regional varieties, such as the Borana, Guji, Wellega and Harar speech, and we ask which a speaker uses since accent and some vocabulary differ.
Attendance is on site in the larger centres and by telephone or video across Canada. If a speaker is actually more comfortable in a related Ethiopian language such as Amharic, Somali or a southern tongue, we ask at intake and match that rather than assume Oromo.
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.
Afaan Oromo, called Oromigna in Amharic, is a Cushitic language also used by the Borana of northern Kenya. Since 1991 it has been written in Qubee, a Latin-based alphabet, though older records used the Ge'ez script or an Arabic-based one, so an Oromo speaker's birth or marriage record may be in Qubee Oromo from an Oromia regional office or in Amharic in the Ge'ez script from an earlier or federal registry, and we translate whichever the file contains.
Two Ethiopian details need care. Civil documents use the Ethiopian calendar, which runs several years behind the Gregorian one and has thirteen months, so we convert and label dates clearly. Oromo names follow a given name plus the father's name rather than a fixed family surname, so we set out the name order plainly and, where an original shows an estimated date, a sworn affidavit before a commissioner of oaths can accompany the translation. Translations are issued by a qualified translator, and acceptance ultimately depends on the receiving institution.
For documents rather than spoken interpreting, see certified Oromigna translation, our full Oromigna 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 Oromigna 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 Oromigna translation in the same cities:
Or browse every city we cover.
Oromigna (Afaan Oromo) is the largest indigenous language of Ethiopia by speaker count - around 37 million native speakers - and is also widely spoken in northern Kenya. It's a Cushitic language, written in the Latin alphabet (Qubee). The Oromo-Canadian community is concentrated in Toronto (one of the larger Oromo communities outside Ethiopia), Ottawa, Calgary, and Edmonton. Our Oromigna translation work is mostly IRCC refugee and family-sponsorship paperwork, alongside academic transcripts and church records.
Either. Oromia regional records may be in Qubee Oromo, while earlier or federal records are in Amharic in the Ge'ez script. We translate whichever your file contains and convert Ethiopian calendar dates.
We convert dates from the Ethiopian calendar, which has thirteen months and runs several years behind the Gregorian one, and label both, noting where an original shows an estimated date.
We ask at intake, because Borana, Guji, Wellega and Harar speech differ in accent and vocabulary. We match the variety for a hearing or a medical visit, or a related language such as Amharic where a speaker prefers it.
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 Oromigna interpreter and a firm price.