Burmese or Karen? Ask before you order
Karen is not a dialect of Burmese. It is a separate language — S’gaw Karen is the one most often spoken in U.S. Karen communities — with its own written form. Written Karen uses letters that look much like Burmese script, which is why the two get mixed up on intake forms and vendor quotes. A Karen reader may recognize many of the letters in a Burmese document and still not follow what it says.
Literacy varies from person to person. Some Karen adults read Burmese comfortably, often because they went to school in Myanmar. Others read Karen better, or English better, or had little chance to go to school at all. Children who grew up in Minnesota usually read English best. Knowing someone is “from Burma” tells you none of this.
So ask the people who will receive the document: which language do you read best? Our guide on Burmese, Karen, Chin and Rohingya explains how to ask without guessing. We translate Burmese only. If the answers point to Karen, we’ll say so before you spend anything.
When a Burmese translation is the right choice
- The readers told you they read Burmese — Burmese (Bamar) families, and people from other groups in Myanmar who were schooled in Burmese.
- A notice going to a mixed group from Myanmar — Burmese is the written language they are most likely to share. Add a phone number for an interpreter for anyone it doesn’t reach.
- A reference copy for a bilingual staff member — an accurate written version to explain from, instead of translating on the spot.
Where to start
- Employers — offer letters, attendance and call-in rules, benefits enrollment summaries, and any safety form a worker is asked to sign.
- Schools — registration packets, special education evaluation consents, health-office forms, conference invitations, and attendance letters.
- Clinics — consent forms, after-visit instructions, financial-assistance applications, and patient portal sign-up sheets.
How we work with Twin Cities organizations
We don’t have an office or staff in Minnesota. Everything runs remotely: describe your documents in the form below and we’ll email you a quote.
- Each translation is checked by a working school-district translator before it goes back to you.
- Layout stays intact: tables, checkboxes, and signature lines stay where your staff expect them.
- Text is in Myanmar Unicode. If Burmese on your screens has ever shown up as empty boxes, our font guide explains why.
Pricing
- $39 per document up to 3 pages, then $12/page
- From $299 for a workplace package, such as a handbook or a set of safety documents
- From $199/month for clinics, schools, and employers with a steady flow of letters
- Rush (next business day) +50% · invoice or card · W-9 on request
Spoken conversations need an interpreter
Translation covers paperwork. For appointments, parent conferences, and disciplinary meetings, book an interpreter for the language the person actually speaks. For many Twin Cities families, that means a Karen interpreter, not a Burmese one. See how to book an interpreter. If your organization receives federal funds, our Title VI explainer sets out the language access you’re expected to provide.
A note on numbers
Published estimates of the metro’s Burmese- and Karen-origin population vary widely. Sources count differently and don’t always separate Karen from Burmese or other groups, so we don’t quote a single figure. They agree on the main point: the community is large and long established, and many Karen families live in St Paul and its suburbs.