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Mustafa M.
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Mustafa M.

English-Somali Translator | Somali Voice-Over Artist | Somali Linguist

Somali ↔ English Translator | Somali Voice‑Over Artist | Linguist | 10+ Years | 3M+ Words I am a native Somali linguist and full‑time freelance translator with over a decade of experience and a documented track record exceeding 3 million words delivered to exacting standards. I help organizations communicate clearly, credibly, and culturally—across medical and public health, legal and immigration, technical and product localization, education and e‑learning, marketing, and the humanitarian/development sectors. What I deliver Human translation (ENGLISH → SOMALI, SOMALI → ENGLISH): Faithful, idiomatic translations that preserve meaning, tone, and intent while remaining accessible to broad Somali audiences. Editing and proofreading: Two‑pass review with terminology harmonization, consistency checks, and style refinement for publish‑ready quality. Transcription and subtitle prep: Accurate Somali transcription, time‑coding, and subtitle drafting for media and training content. Somali voice‑over (male voice): Clear, neutral diction suitable for e‑learning, IVR/call centers, explainers, and public information campaigns. Research and cultural review: On‑the‑ground terminology research, sensitivity checks, and audience‑appropriate phrasing. Domain expertise Medical and public health: Patient communications, appointment flows and IVR scripts, consent forms, health education, PHI‑sensitive materials. Legal and immigration: Forms, affidavits, policies, notices, and plain‑language public information. Technical and product: UI strings, Help/KB articles, SOPs, training modules, and safety documentation. Education and nonprofit: Curriculum, assessments, outreach, safeguarding/GBV, MHPSS, and program communications. Marketing and corporate: Websites, brochures, internal comms, and brand‑aligned messaging. Quality and process Rigor: Human translation with structured QA (terminology control, consistency, numeric/date verification, and layout integrity). Style governance: Creation/maintenance of Somali termbases and style guides; adherence to client glossaries and brand voice. Readability and register: Standard Written Somali with clear, inclusive phrasing; regional variants noted where it adds value. Security and compliance: NDA‑friendly workflows; careful handling of sensitive and health‑related data. Tools SDL Trados, memoQ, Phrase/Memsource, XTM, Wordbee, Smartcat, Fluency, and QA/verification plug‑ins. Comfortable with tagged files (XML/JSON), CAT‑based concordance, and bilingual exports. Capacity and SLAs Throughput: Up to 4,000 words/day with surge capacity for priority projects. Turnaround: Reliable, on‑schedule delivery and proactive communication. Collaboration: Responsive, detail‑oriented, and open to style calibrations and short pilots. Why clients choose me 10+ years of specialization in Somali language services with 3M+ words translated and reviewed. User‑centric phrasing for voice, UI, and public‑facing content—clear, concise, and culturally resonant. Consistency at scale: I maintain the same voice and terminology across long‑running projects. Voice‑over details Male, warm/neutral tone; broadcast‑quality recording chain available upon request. Script polishing for clarity and spoken cadence; pronunciation guides where needed. Let’s collaborate If you need reliable, precise, and culturally attuned Somali language support, I’m ready to help. Share your files, word count, deadline, and any style/terminology notes, and I’ll provide a clear quote and timeline. Skills Somali Translation, English to Somali, Somali to English, Medical Translation, Legal Translation, Technical Translation, Transcription, Subtitling, Somali Voice Over, Localization, Editing & Proofreading, CAT Tools (Trados, memoQ, Phrase, XTM, Smartcat), Terminology Management, IVR/Call Center Scripts, UX Writing Daily availability with swift response times. Contact Invite me to your job with a brief overview of scope and timeline, and I’ll respond promptly with next steps.

🇸🇴Hargeisa, Somalia$18/hr100% JSS4.90 (132)Since Feb 2018

Earnings and projects

MRR
$12

Last 6 months ÷ 6

World#171,010 / 412k
🇸🇴Country#15 / 31
Revenue, last 30 days
$0

Last 6 months: $70

Total earnings
$31k

Billed in all: $31k

World#108,880 / 412k
🇸🇴Country#5 / 31
Per project
$141

$14 in the last 6 months

World#286,951 / 412k
🇸🇴Country#17 / 31
Projects, last 6 months
5
80% fixed20% hourly
World#41,746 / 412k
🇸🇴Country#5 / 31
Projects in all
217

Across 229 contracts

91% fixed9% hourly
World#8,693 / 412k
🇸🇴Country#3 / 31

Earnings, last 30 days

$30.7kNothing earned in the last 30 daysBilled in all, before Upwork's fee · drag across the chart to see what was earned in any stretch
$30.0k$30.5k$31.0k$31.5kOct 8Oct 23Nov 7

Skill rankings: Top 39% in Editing & Proofreading

Ranked by MRR among everyone on Upwork with the skill.

  1. #10Somali19 freelancers · 🇸🇴 #7Top 53%
  2. #13English to Somali Translation26 freelancers · 🇸🇴 #9Top 50%
  3. #16Somali to English Translation29 freelancers · 🇸🇴 #10Top 55%
  4. #131Immigration Document Translation318 freelancers · 🇸🇴 #1Top 41%
  5. #244Business Translation487 freelancers · 🇸🇴 #1Top 50%
  6. #309Academic Translation720 freelancers · 🇸🇴 #3Top 43%
  7. #422Document Translation854 freelancers · 🇸🇴 #2Top 49%
  8. #603Legal Translation1,249 freelancers · 🇸🇴 #6Top 48%