Prism Linguistics arranges Sepedi interpreters across Canada, with occasional certified translation, mostly for IRCC and family files. Sepedi, also called Northern Sotho, is an official language of South Africa, and because South Africa uses English officially the spoken language is needed more often than the written record. The community in Canada is modest, so much of the interpreting is arranged by telephone and video.
Last reviewed September 6, 2026 by the Prism Linguistics editorial team
Sepedi covers a group of closely related Northern Sotho varieties spoken in the northern provinces of South Africa. It is partly intelligible with Sesotho and Setswana but is not the same language, and many speakers also use English and other official languages, so at booking we confirm that Sepedi, and not Sesotho or Setswana, is the language needed. An elderly speaker or a witness under stress is more precise in a first language, so we offer a Sepedi interpreter rather than assume English will serve.
Across Canada our Sepedi interpreters attend IRCC interviews and Immigration and Refugee Board matters, hospital and clinic appointments under PHIPA and PIPEDA, and settlement, school and legal meetings. The interpreter renders in the first person. Because the community is modest, much of the work is by telephone or video, with in-person attendance where an interpreter can be scheduled. Prism Linguistics is a private agency, not a court-appointed body.
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.
Sepedi, or Sesotho sa Leboa, is written in the Latin alphabet and belongs to the Sotho-Tswana group. It is distinct from Sesotho, the Southern Sotho, and from Setswana, and the three should not be treated as interchangeable, so we confirm which one a file concerns before starting. South Africa uses English officially, so many birth, marriage and school records a Sepedi speaker holds are already in English and do not need translating.
Where translation is needed it is often for handwritten community or church registers, affidavits or older records, and where a birth was registered late a sworn affidavit before a commissioner of oaths can explain how a name or date was established. Output is issued by a certified translator or supported by an affidavit, and acceptance ultimately depends on the receiving institution, such as IRCC, the IRB or a provincial registry.
For documents rather than spoken interpreting, see certified Sepedi translation, our full Sepedi 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 Sepedi 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 Sepedi translation in the same cities:
Or browse every city we cover.
Sepedi (Northern Sotho, Pedi) is one of South Africa's eleven official languages, spoken by around 4 million people primarily in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and Gauteng provinces. It's closely related to Sesotho (Southern Sotho) and Setswana. The Sepedi-speaking community in Canada is small; South African civil documents are typically in English and routed accordingly, so direct Sepedi translation is rare.
No. Sepedi is Northern Sotho and Sesotho is Southern Sotho. They are related in the Sotho-Tswana group but distinct, so we confirm which one you need before assigning.
Often not. South Africa uses English officially, so many records are already in English. Translation is mainly for handwritten registers, affidavits or older papers. Acceptance ultimately depends on the receiving institution.
Yes. Interpreters attend in person where scheduling allows and join IRCC interviews and appointments by telephone and video anywhere in Canada. We are a private agency, not a court-appointed vendor.
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 Sepedi interpreter and a firm price.