Prism Linguistics arranges Tetum interpreters and certified translation across Canada, for immigration and civil matters. Tetum, also written Tetun, is a national language of Timor-Leste, which has two official languages, Tetum and Portuguese, so part of a Timorese file often runs from Portuguese while the Tetum is handled directly. A share of the work is handled nationwide by telephone and video.
Tetum interpreters attend IRCC interviews, medical appointments handled under PHIPA and PIPEDA, and legal-aid meetings, in person in the larger centres or by telephone and video anywhere in the country. We confirm what a court or tribunal requires beforehand.
The everyday language of the capital, Tetun-Dili, has absorbed a great deal of Portuguese, while the older Tetun-Terik of rural areas is more conservative. Telling us the speaker's home area, and settling the preferred language and the needs of the setting beforehand, lets the Tetum interpreter match how they actually speak.
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 Tetum translation often means rendering Portuguese records into English alongside the Tetum, because many Timorese civil records, especially older or formal ones, are issued in Portuguese. A name may be spelled in a Portuguese form on one document and a Tetum form on another, so we keep the transliteration consistent and note the variants.
The records we handle most are birth, marriage and death certificates and school papers. Where a birth was registered late during the years of upheaval, a sworn affidavit before a commissioner of oaths can accompany a translation to explain how a name or date was established. Each translation is issued by a certified translator, and acceptance ultimately depends on the receiving institution such as IRCC or a provincial registry.
For documents rather than spoken interpreting, see certified Tetum translation, our full Tetum 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 Tetum 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 Tetum translation in the same cities:
Or browse every city we cover.
Tetum (Tetun) is one of the two official languages of East Timor alongside Portuguese, with around 800,000 native speakers and several million more as a second language. It's an Austronesian language with significant Portuguese vocabulary borrowings. Speakers in Canada are served through our national interpreter network. Our Tetum translation work is typically tied to East Timorese civil documents being processed for IRCC or Canadian academic purposes, with many records issued in Portuguese.
Many Timor-Leste records, especially formal ones, are issued in Portuguese, so we translate those from Portuguese to English and handle the Tetum directly.
Not quite. Tetun-Dili carries more Portuguese than the older Tetun-Terik, so tell us the speaker's home area and we match the interpreter.
Yes. Tetum interpreters join by telephone or video anywhere in the country, and we settle the preferred language and the requirements of the setting beforehand.
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 Tetum interpreter and a firm price.