Tetum Language Services in the UK

About Our Tetum Services

Tetum is an Austronesian language and, together with Portuguese, an official language of East Timor (Timor-Leste). It functions as the country's main lingua franca, spoken or understood by most of the population of about 1.3 million. Two main forms exist: Tetum Dili, the variety of the capital, which has absorbed a heavy layer of Portuguese vocabulary and serves as the national standard, and Tetum Terik, a more conservative rural form. The language is written in the Latin alphabet, with an official orthography maintained by the country's national linguistics institute. Tetum is also spoken across the border in Indonesian West Timor. During the Indonesian occupation the church's use of Tetum helped fix it as a marker of national identity, and it became official at independence in 2002.

Prism Linguistics provides Tetum translation, interpreting and transcription across the UK in 300+ languages. Whether you need a certified document for the Home Office, a court interpreter, an NHS appointment or a business meeting, our vetted native-speaker linguists are ready to help.