Tigrinya interpreting & translation services

Tigrinya is the most widely spoken language of Eritrea and the language of Ethiopia's Tigray region, with around nine million speakers. Eritrean and Tigrayan communities in California are concentrated in Oakland and the East Bay, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Sacramento, and many arrived as refugees or asylum seekers. That makes Tigrinya a frequent request for immigration and asylum hearings, healthcare appointments, social services, and school communications.

Tigrinya and Amharic share the Ge'ez script and are related, but they are distinct languages and are not mutually intelligible for most speakers. Booking an Amharic interpreter for a Tigrinya speaker is a common error that Focus Interpreting's coordinators guard against by confirming language and country of origin at intake. Our Tigrinya interpreters are available on site in major California metros and by phone or video nationwide.

Certified Tigrinya translation is requested for Eritrean and Ethiopian identity cards, birth and baptismal records, school certificates, and medical reports submitted to USCIS, immigration courts, and schools. Translators convert Ethiopian calendar dates and handle the Ge'ez script accurately, and every certified translation carries a signed certificate of accuracy.