Overview

Phila.gov uses a combination of human and smart machine translation to translate website content into the following nine languages:

• Arabic
• Haitian Creole
• French
• Portuguese
• Russian
• Spanish
• Simplified Chinese
• Swahili
• Vietnamese

This hybrid approach provides extensive, high-quality translated content to residents whose first language is not English.

Translation feedback

Use this form to rate the translated content on the previous page. Your feedback helps us make improvements to translation quality.

How to get language access support

City department provides services in other languages free of cost when needed and requested by a resident. The way departments serve LEP individuals is outlined in their language access plans.

In addition to bilingual staff, language access services offered by the City may include:

• Interpretation over the phone.
• Interpretation in person.
• Translation of documents.

Have a question that requires a response? Call 311.

• Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday
• Outside Philadelphia: (215) 686-8686
• Interpreters are available for any language.

For emergencies, call 911 and request an interpreter.

Tell the operator your location and the language you need. Do not hang up while waiting for an interpreter.

Request additional assistance

If you feel we’ve been unable to serve you because of language barriers, the Office of Immigrant Affairs may be able to provide additional assistance.

To access this assistance, you must file a formal complaint.

Disclaimer

The City uses professional services to provide quality translations, but we understand that this process cannot always guarantee an exact translation. Please refer to the English version of the site if there are any questions about the accuracy of a translated version.

Further, some site content cannot be translated. This includes applications, graphics, photos, and PDFs.