Minnesota
Translation and interpreting services in Minneapolis
Minneapolis ranks its primary language groups with a formula built on what public school students speak at home, and its Language Access Plan names Spanish, Somali, Hmong, Amharic, Vietnamese, Lao, and Oromo. The City runs free help lines in Spanish, Hmong, and Somali, and Minnesota ties health care interpreter billing to a state roster.
Minneapolis's seven primary languages
The City's Language Access Plan ranks its primary language groups by size, using a formula that applies public school home-language data to the city's population. City notices are provided in all seven.[1]
Top 3 languagesOther primary languages
Who needs language services in Minneapolis
- City Language Access Plan
- First adopted in 2004 as "Minneapolis in Any Language" and updated in November 2015, the plan identifies primary languages spoken by at least 1,000 residents using a formula that applies Minneapolis Public Schools home-language data to the city's population.[1]
- City translation rules
- The City must translate vital documents free of charge for residents who speak little or no English, vital documents must be available in the primary languages or readily translated on request, and departments must send translation requests to Neighborhood and Community Relations at least two weeks ahead.[1]
- City language help lines
- Residents can get free help with City information by phone in Spanish (612-673-2700), Hmong (612-673-2800), and Somali (612-673-3500).[2]
- Hennepin County Office of Multicultural Services
- Under the county's Limited English Proficiency plan, clients with limited English receive free interpreters, business partners can use the county's contracted interpreter vendors at its negotiated rate, and help guides are published in Spanish, Somali, Hmong, Russian, Oromo, Amharic, and Ukrainian.[3]
- Minnesota criminal courts
- Minnesota Statutes § 611.32 requires the presiding judge to appoint a qualified interpreter for a person disabled in communication in a criminal proceeding, and requires law enforcement to obtain one after an arrest.[4]
- Health care interpreter roster
- The Minnesota Department of Health maintains a voluntary Spoken Language Health Care Interpreter Roster under Minnesota Statutes § 144.058, and some insurers require an interpreter to be listed on it in order to bill for services.[5]
- Minneapolis Public Schools
- The district interprets school board meetings live in Somali, Spanish, and Hmong from three sound booths, and more than 7,700 of its students identify as speaking one of those languages at home.[6]
Languages spoken in Minneapolis
20.1% of Minneapolis residents age 5 and older speak a language other than English at home, and 7.7% speak English less than “very well.” Spanish leads, followed by Chinese, including Mandarin and Cantonese and French, Haitian Creole, or Cajun.
| Language spoken at home | Residents | Speak English less than “very well” |
|---|---|---|
| Spanish | 28,131 | 11,950 |
| Other languages | 28,019 | 10,911 |
| Other Asian and Pacific Island languages | 8,454 | 3,145 |
| Other Indo-European languages | 4,006 | 618 |
| Chinese, including Mandarin and Cantonese | 3,346 | 1,164 |
| French, Haitian Creole, or Cajun | 2,498 | 1,159 |
| Arabic | 1,675 | n/a |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for Minneapolis city (tables C16001, C16002, B05002, B05006) (opens in a new tab). Figures with a wide margin of error are not shown.
Where Minneapolis residents born abroad come from
Countries of birth point to the languages behind the Census groups above, and to the documents (birth certificates, diplomas, court records) that arrive for translation.
- Somalia11,910
- Mexico7,316
- Ethiopia4,770
- Ecuador3,901
- India2,563
- China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan2,161
- Kenya1,786
- Laos1,687
Language access rules in Minnesota
- Court interpreter program
- Minnesota Judicial Branch Court Interpreter Program, run by a Court Interpreter Program Coordinator assigned to the State Court Administrator's Office; the State Court Administrator maintains and publishes the statewide roster of certified and non-certified court interpreters (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 8).
- Court-certified languages
- Spoken-language interpreters qualify for the statewide roster in part by passing an English proficiency, ethics, and court terminology examination, and become certified by passing a court interpreting competency examination under Rule 8.05; certification is not available for all languages, and sign language interpreters are certified through the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf's Legal certification. Courts must appoint a certified interpreter when one is reasonably available, then a competent non-certified roster interpreter, and may go off the roster for spoken languages only after those options are exhausted.
- The rule
- Minn. Stat. § 611.32 requires the presiding judicial officer to appoint a qualified interpreter for a person who, because of difficulty speaking or understanding English or a communication disability, cannot fully understand a proceeding in which the person may be subjected to confinement, criminal sanction, or forfeiture, and Minn. Stat. § 546.43 requires the same for litigants and witnesses in civil actions; Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 8.02 sets the order of appointment.
- Interpreters at arrest
- Under Minn. Stat. § 611.32, subd. 2, when a person disabled in communication, including a person with difficulty speaking or understanding English, is arrested, the arresting officer must immediately make the contacts needed to obtain a qualified interpreter and must make one available before interrogating the person or taking a statement.
- State and local agency proceedings
- Minn. Stat. § 546.43, subd. 2 requires that when a witness or principal party in a proceeding before a state or local board, commission, agency, or licensing authority is disabled in communication, the pertinent proceedings be interpreted, in a language the person understands, by a qualified interpreter appointed by that body.
- State agency bilingual staff and translations
- Minn. Stat. § 15.441 requires state agencies that directly serve a substantial number of non-English-speaking people to employ enough qualified bilingual staff in public contact positions or enough interpreters, and encourages them to translate materials explaining their services, giving top priority to materials that notify people of legal rights, duties, and privileges.
- Medicaid interpreter roster requirement
- Minn. Stat. § 256B.0625, subd. 18a covers sign and oral language interpreter services in Medical Assistance, but covers face-to-face oral language interpreting only when the interpreter is listed in the registry or roster established under Minn. Stat. § 144.058.
- Health care interpreter roster
- The Minnesota Department of Health maintains a statewide, voluntary roster of spoken language health care interpreters under Minn. Stat. § 144.058, searchable by language and area, and notes that some insurers require roster listing before an interpreter can bill.
- School notices
- Minn. Stat. § 124D.60 requires districts and charter schools to notify parents of English learners in writing, in English and in the parents' primary language, that their child has been placed in a language instruction program, and the Department of Education must prepare the notice in that language at the district's request.
Sources
- Minnesota General Rules of Practice, Rule 8: Interpreters
- Minn. Stat. § 611.32, Proceedings where interpreter appointed
- Minn. Stat. § 611.31, Definition of person disabled in communication
- Minn. Stat. § 546.43, Proceedings where interpreter appointed (civil and agency)
- Minn. Stat. § 546.42, Definition of disabled person
- Minn. Stat. § 15.441, Bilingual staff and translated materials in state agencies
- Minn. Stat. § 256B.0625, Medical Assistance covered services (subd. 18a)
- Minnesota Department of Health: Spoken Language Health Care Interpreter Roster
- Minn. Stat. § 124D.60, Pupil's rights; parent notice
Minneapolis by the numbers
- Residents
- 427,246
- Speak a language other than English at home
- 81,388 20.1%
- Speak English less than “very well”
- 31,047 7.7%
- Limited-English households
- 8,465 4.4%
- Born outside the U.S.
- 58,478 13.7%
Detailed languages in Hennepin County, Minnesota
The Census Bureau publishes individual languages for counties, not for cities. These are the most-spoken languages other than English in Hennepin County, Minnesota.
- Spanish69,291
- Amharic, Somali, or other Afro-Asiatic languages43,690
- Hmong16,241
- Chinese (incl. Mandarin, Cantonese)9,210
- French (incl. Cajun)6,446
- Vietnamese6,028
- Yoruba, Twi, Igbo, or other languages of Western Africa5,717
- Russian5,032
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, ACS 2024 1-year, table B16001, Hennepin County, Minnesota.
Language services in Minneapolis
City notices and vital documents
Certified translation of notices, applications, and meeting materials into Spanish, Somali, Hmong, Amharic, Vietnamese, Lao, and Oromo, with a signed statement of accuracy.
County human services
Phone, video, or on-site interpreters in Somali, Oromo, Hmong, and Amharic for county intake, eligibility, and case management appointments.
Criminal and civil proceedings
Interpreters for attorney-client meetings, depositions, and hearings, including court-certified interpreters where the credential exists, plus certified translation of records.
Clinic and hospital visits
Medical interpreting for Minneapolis clinics and hospitals, including CCHI-certified interpreters where the credential exists, and translation of patient instructions.
School family engagement
Interpreters for parent conferences, special education meetings, and board meetings in Somali, Spanish, Hmong, and Oromo.
Minneapolis questions
Which languages does the City of Minneapolis prioritize?
The City's Language Access Plan ranks its primary language groups as Spanish, Somali, Hmong, Amharic, Vietnamese, Lao, and Oromo, and notices under the plan are provided in all seven. The City also runs dedicated help lines in Spanish, Hmong, and Somali.
How does Minneapolis decide which languages count as primary?
The City applies the share of Minneapolis Public Schools students who speak a language at home to the city's total population and includes each language spoken by an estimated 1,000 or more residents. The plan calls for re-applying the formula every two years.
Do medical interpreters in Minnesota need to be on a state list?
The Minnesota Department of Health keeps a voluntary Spoken Language Health Care Interpreter Roster under Minnesota Statutes § 144.058. Listing is voluntary, but some insurers require an interpreter to be on the roster in order to bill for services.
Must Minnesota courts provide an interpreter in criminal cases?
Yes. Under Minnesota Statutes § 611.32, the presiding judicial officer must appoint a qualified interpreter for a person disabled in communication, and after an arrest, law enforcement must obtain a qualified interpreter.
What languages are spoken in Minneapolis?
20.1% of Minneapolis residents age 5 and older speak a language other than English at home, and 7.7% speak English less than “very well.” Spanish leads, followed by Chinese, including Mandarin and Cantonese and French, Haitian Creole, or Cajun. The most common countries of birth among residents born abroad are Somalia, Mexico, and Ethiopia.
How many Minneapolis households have limited English?
8,465 of 192,734 households (4.4%), according to the Census Bureau: households in which no one age 14 or older speaks only English or speaks English “very well.” These are the households most likely to need an interpreter or translated documents.
How are court interpreters credentialed in Minnesota?
Minnesota Judicial Branch Court Interpreter Program, run by a Court Interpreter Program Coordinator assigned to the State Court Administrator's Office; the State Court Administrator maintains and publishes the statewide roster of certified and non-certified court interpreters (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 8). Spoken-language interpreters qualify for the statewide roster in part by passing an English proficiency, ethics, and court terminology examination, and become certified by passing a court interpreting competency examination under Rule 8.05; certification is not available for all languages, and sign language interpreters are certified through the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf's Legal certification. Courts must appoint a certified interpreter when one is reasonably available, then a competent non-certified roster interpreter, and may go off the roster for spoken languages only after those options are exhausted.
Do you provide on-site interpreters in Minneapolis?
Yes. We schedule interpreters in person in Minneapolis and across Minnesota, and by phone and video nationwide, in 250+ languages including Spanish and ASL. Book less common languages as early as you can.
Do you provide conference and meeting interpreters in Minneapolis?
Yes. We staff conferences, conventions, trade shows, seminars, corporate training, and client meetings in Minneapolis with simultaneous or consecutive interpreters. For simultaneous interpreting, our own technicians deliver, run, and strike the booths, transmitters, and receivers, shipped from our own inventory.
Sources
- City of Minneapolis: 2015 Language Access Plan, Minneapolis in Any Language (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
- City of Minneapolis: Languages (opens in a new tab)
- Hennepin County: Office of Multicultural Services (opens in a new tab)
- Minnesota Statutes § 611.32: Proceedings involving persons disabled in communication (opens in a new tab)
- Minnesota Department of Health: Spoken Language Health Care Interpreter Roster (opens in a new tab)
- GovTech, from the Star Tribune (Oct. 14, 2021): Minneapolis School Board to stream meetings in new languages (opens in a new tab)
- City of Minneapolis: Language Access Plan page (opens in a new tab)
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