Interpreting

Do you need an interpreter but are unsure which type of service is right for your situation? Understanding the key differences is the first step. Here is an overview of the common types of interpreting to help you make an informed choice.

Types of interpreting

• Consecutive interpreting: the interpreter speaks after the speaker has paused. Best for: business meetings, interviews, courtrooms, press conferences.
• Simultaneous interpreting: the interpreter translates in real-time while the speaker is still talking, with only a few seconds of delay. This usually requires specialized interpreting equipment. Best for: conferences, EU institutions, live broadcasts, training events and seminars.
• Whispered interpreting (chuchotage): the interpreter sits directly next to one or two listeners and whispers the translation to them in real-time. Best for: diplomatic meetings, guided visits, court hearings.
• Conference interpreting: the interpreter speaks at the same time as the speaker, with only a few seconds of delay. It requires two interpreters, who are specialised in simultaneous interpreting. Best for: high-stakes conferences, international forums.
• Social interpreting: enables communication between individuals and company representatives or public service providers to ensure access services like healthcare, legal aid, education, and social services. Best for: one-on-one or small group interactions, such as doctor’s appointments, consultations with a lawyer, immigration appointments.
• Over-the-phone interpreting: remote interpretation via a phone call, connecting all parties remotely. Best for: emergency services calls, customer service call centers, healthcare settings.
• Video interpreting: remote interpretation happens over a video platform, allowing all parties to see each other. Best for: webinars, hybrid events, medical consultations, remote business meetings.
  

Which type of service is right for your situation?

Consecutive interpreting

• How it works?

The speaker delivers a few sentences or a short paragraph and then pauses for the interpreter. Then the interpreter, who has been listening to the speaker and taking notes, renders that speech into the target language. This cycle repeats throughout the conversation. 

• Best for…
  • business meetings and negotiations
  • one-on-one interviews
  • legal settings like witness testimonies, notary meetings, or client-attorney meetings
  • presentations of products and services
  • medical appointments and consultations
  • factory tours or on-site inspections
  • press conferences
• Main characteristics
• • Pacing: it usually doubles the time of any meeting, as everything is said twice by the speaker and then by the interpreter.
  • Equipment: no special equipment is needed (like booths or headsets).
  • Interactivity: this service suits for interactive, conversational settings where dialogue flows back and forth.
  • Length: if the event lasts longer than 1 hour, simultaneous interpreting with two interpreters is needed instead.
  • Cost: billed by the hour.

Simultaneous interpreting

• How it works?

The interpreter works in a soundproof booth, listening to the speaker through headphones and speaking into a microphone. Their interpretation is transmitted wirelessly to the audience, who listen on personal headsets tuned to their desired language channel. Due to the extreme mental concentration required, simultaneous interpreters always work in pairs, switching every 20-30 minutes.

• Best for…
  • international conferences, summits, and congresses
  • live television or web broadcasts
  • large corporate presentations
  • training events and seminars with a multilingual audience
• Main characteristics
  • Pacing: as translation is done in real-time, interpreting does not need extra time in the event's schedule.
  • Equipment: requires specialized equipment like soundproof booths, interpreter consoles, transmitters, and headsets/receivers for the audience.
  • Flow: seamless for the audience and does not interrupt the speaker's natural flow. Thus it is ideal for one-to-many presentations.
  • Cost: billed by the hour.

Whispered interpreting (known also by its French name chuchotage)

• How it works?

Whispered interpreting is a form of simultaneous interpreting performed without any electronic interpreting equipment. The interpreter sits or stands right next to a small audience (typically 1-3 people) and whispers the interpretation in real-time as the main speaker is talking. 

• When to use this service?
  • When only one or two people in a larger group need interpretation
  • Diplomatic meetings, guided visits or factory tour
  • Court hearings: if a defendant/witness does not understand the language of the court
  • When a small delegation needs to understand a presentation at a conference but doesn't have headsets
• Main characteristics
  • Pacing: as translation is done in real-time, interpreting does not need extra time in the event's schedule.
  • Equipment: it requires no booths, transmitters, or headsets.
  • Proximity: the interpreter and listeners must be in immediate physical proximity.
  • Acoustics: difficult to perform in noisy environments and the whispering might distract other people nearby.
  • Time: for events lasting longer than one hour, a pair of interpreters is needed.
  • Cost: billed by the hour.

Conference interpreting

Conference interpreters are specialists who are masters of simultaneous interpreting. They must have deep subject matter expertise in the conference topic (e.g., medicine, finance, law, technology, media and governance). The place of event needs to have interpreting equipment or portable interpretation booths and headsets need to be rented if the venue is not already equipped.

• When to use this service?
  Any high-stakes conference, symposium or international forum.
• Key aspects of this type on interpreting service
  The key differentiator between regular simultaneous interpreting and conference interpreting is the level of expertise required and being able to work under pressure in order to provide seamless translation. Conference interpreters are expected to handle complex subject matter terminology flawlessly in real-time. This is the highest tier of interpreting. 

Social Interpreting (also community interpreting or public service interpreting)

• How it works?

It focuses on facilitating communication between private individuals and organizations providing services to ensure access to essential services like healthcare, legal aid, education, and social services. This service is used to bridge language barriers in crucial one-on-one or small group interactions within a community.

• When to use this service?
  • For one-on-one or small group interactions
  • Doctor’s appointments, hospital emergency rooms and physical therapy
  • Police interviews, consultations with a lawyer and immigration appointments
  • Meetings at a social security office, unemployment agency or child protective services
  • Parent-teacher conferences, student registration and meetings with school counselors
• Main characteristics
  • Communication: in-person or remote. 
  • Accuracy: while the topics may not be technically complex and professional interpreting experience is not required, still the interpreter must help with accurate translations while also being impartial. 
  • Cultural sensitivity: social interpreters must navigate not just language but also cultural differences (e.g. clarify cultural misunderstandings).
  • Confidentiality: confidentiality is essential due to the private nature of the interactions.

Over-the-phone interpreting (OPI)

• How it works?

A remote service that connects you with an interpreter via phone call. It is usually an on-demand type of service, available 24/7, and connects you to an interpreter in under a minute. The interpreting mode used is almost always consecutive.

• When to use this service?
  • Customer service call centers (for banks, insurance, and utilities)
  • Emergency services call
  • Simple doctors appointment scheduling or follow-up calls in a healthcare setting
• Main characteristics
  • Communication channel: audio only. The interpreter has no visual cues (body language, facial expressions), which can make communication more challenging.
  • Accessibility: extremely fast and convenient for immediate and unscheduled needs.
  • Cost: usually billed by the minute.

Remote interpreting (video remote interpreting, VRI)

• How it works?

A remote service that connects parties via a video platform (like Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Zoom, or a video interpreting app on a tablet or computer). Instead of being in a booth at an event, the interpreter works from a remote location. It is typically used for consecutive interpreting. But can also be used for simultaneous interpretation.

• When to use this service?
  • Webinars, online meetings or hybrid events
  • Medical consultations where seeing the patient is important
  • Remote business meetings or legal consultations where face-to-face interaction is preferred but not physically possible
• Main characteristics
  • Communication channel: audio and video. Visual context provides context that regular over the phone service lacks, improving accuracy.
  • Technology: requires a stable internet connection and a device with a camera for all parties. This is crucial to avoid technical issues during the meeting.
  • Cost: billed by the hour or minute.

Here is a summary table outlining the main differences between the interpreting services

Main language pairs

• Estonian–English–Estonian
• Estonian–Russian–Estonian
• English–Russian–English
• Finnish–Estonian–Finnish
• Finnish–Russian–Finnish
• German–Estonian–German
• French–Estonian–French

We also offer interpreting services in many other widely spoken European and world languages – feel free to contact us to inquier about your languge pair.

Keep in mind that the client also plays an important role when it comes to interpreting services. We recommend booking the interpreter well in advance and sharing any relevant information and materials with the interpreter before the event. 

Check out our blog for more tips on what to consider when ordering interpreting services.

If you need interpreting equipment, we can also help with that.

For advice, contact our project managers or send a request using the form on this page.