FÜD
Translators › Interpreting
Interpreters for court, authorities & conferences.
Court-sworn interpreters and consecutive or simultaneous interpreting for appointments at German authorities, notaries, negotiations and conferences — matched to occasion, language and field, confidential and on time.
- On-site & remotein person & video
- Sworn interpretersfor court & authority
- Domain terminologyprepared
- 4.6 · Trustpilot
Consecutive, simultaneous and liaison interpreting · for court, registry office, notary and conference · preparation with your materials · interpreters sworn in under Section 189 GVG
In short
Interpreting is spoken language — in real time.
Interpreting renders the spoken word; translation renders the written text. Anyone who has to run a court hearing, a notarial recording, an appointment at an authority or a conference across languages needs an interpreter — for written documents, the certified translation is the right route. We assign the right assignment instead of mixing the two.
At the FÜD, depending on the occasion, court-sworn interpreters, authority and conference interpreters work — consecutively (in sections) or simultaneously (near real time). We choose language, field and mode to fit the appointment and handle content confidentially under the GDPR. Related written legal documents we translate as part of our legal translation.
Where we interpret
Occasions we cover.
Court & law
- Court hearings
- Questioning & hearings
- Sworn interpreters
Authorities & notary
- Registry office & marriage
- Notarial recordings
- Offices & immigration authority
Business
- Negotiations & meetings
- Audits & training
- Trade fairs
Mode
- Consecutive interpreting
- Simultaneous interpreting
- Liaison / whispered
Consecutive, simultaneous or by video
Which mode of interpreting suits your appointment.
The right mode depends on the occasion, the number of participants and the venue. This overview places the options; the specific recommendation we tailor to your appointment.
| Mode | How it runs | Equipment | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consecutive | in sections, after the speaker | none | authority and court appointments, notarial recordings, negotiations — roughly doubles the length of the appointment |
| Simultaneous | almost at the same time as the speaker | booth or portable system; usually two interpreters taking turns | conferences and events; concentration drops after about 30 minutes |
| Liaison / whispered | quietly, for one or two people, in sections | none or a mobile whisper system | small meetings, plant tours, side conversations |
| Remote interpreting (video/RSI) | joined via a video platform | stable connection, platform access | distributed participants, short-notice or international appointments |
For court, notaries and many authorities we provide sworn interpreters (Section 189 GVG). The written counterparts are handled by our legal translation.
In court, every word counts — in real time.
That is why: sworn interpreters, the right mode and the correct field, matched to the appointment.
How we prepare the assignment
Well briefed, safely interpreted.
Tell us the occasion, language, venue, date and duration — we choose the interpreter that fits by field and qualification and the right mode (consecutive, simultaneous, liaison). For court, notaries and many authorities we provide sworn interpreters.
For a smooth run, a short briefing with terminology, names and documents helps; sensitive content we handle confidentially under the GDPR. Where simultaneous equipment is required, we clarify that in advance. Related written documents — contracts or certificates, say — we translate to match on request.
Expertise in detail
Where interpreting fails — and how we prevent it.
In interpreting it is not language alone that decides, but the right mode, the right qualification and clean preparation. These seven pitfalls can make an appointment fail or run needlessly expensive — an experienced interpreter and good scheduling head them off. How each is handled always depends on the occasion, language and venue.
| Pitfall | Why it is critical | How the FÜD solves it |
|---|---|---|
| Wrong mode chosen | Simultaneous without a booth is technically impossible with a group; consecutive in front of a large audience doubles the running time. The wrong mode blows the schedule or the budget. | We choose consecutive, simultaneous, whispered or liaison interpreting in advance, by occasion, participant count and venue — not on the day. |
| Court/authority without a sworn interpreter | For court hearings and many authority appointments the procedure requires a generally sworn-in interpreter (Section 189 GVG). A non-sworn language helper can render the appointment unusable. | For court, notary and authorities we provide interpreters sworn in under Section 189 GVG with the right language combination. |
| Neutrality & role breached | Relatives or partisan helpers summarise, smooth over or advise. That distorts the statement and makes a record challengeable. | An independent interpreter renders verbatim and completely, takes no side and adds no explanations of their own. |
| No briefing, no terminology | Technical terms, proper names, file references and abbreviations cannot be hit reliably without preparation — especially in medicine, technology and law. | We ask in advance for a glossary, names and documents and prepare the terminology of the appointment specifically. |
| Fatigue in simultaneous mode | Concentration in simultaneous mode drops after about 30 minutes; a single interpreter over hours means a rising error rate. | From about one hour of continuous simultaneous work, two interpreters work in roughly 30-minute turns. |
| Equipment underestimated | Without a booth or a tour-guide system, clean simultaneous interpreting is impossible; remote interpreting (RSI) breaks up without a stable connection and good sound. | We clarify in advance whether a booth, a mobile tour-guide system or an RSI platform is needed and match the equipment to venue and participant count. |
| Dialect & register missed | Standard language instead of a dialect, or the wrong register (authority vs. everyday), leads to misunderstandings — for instance across Arabic, Kurdish or Persian varieties. | We assign the interpreter by language variety, region and occasion so register and dialect fit the appointment. |
For the appointment we provide the sworn interpreter; the written counterparts — the certificate for a registry office or notary, say — are produced by a translator authorised by a court (ermächtigter Übersetzer) as a certified translation, related legal texts by our legal translation.
From practice
Three appointments, three modes.
How an interpreting assignment at the FÜD runs in practice — from the enquiry through the briefing to the appointment.
Specialist conference, simultaneous
Starting point: An international convention with around 200 guests runs in German and English; the talks should be understandable for everyone without pauses.
Process: Two simultaneous interpreters per language direction work in the booth in roughly 30-minute turns; for the workshop rooms we provide a mobile tour-guide system. Talks and glossary we review in advance.
Result: The conference runs bilingually in real time, with no time lost — equipment and interpreting team matched to room size and programme.
Court & notary, sworn, consecutive
Starting point: For a hearing at the local court and a subsequent notarial recording, an Arabic-speaking interpreter is needed.
Process: We provide an interpreter sworn in under Section 189 GVG who renders consecutively, verbatim and neutrally; file references, names and technical terms we clarify in the briefing in advance.
Result: The statements are rendered completely and on the record; the accompanying certificate is enclosed as a certified translation.
Business negotiation, consecutive
Starting point: A purchasing team negotiates with a Chinese supplier in a small group about prices, technology and delivery terms.
Process: A liaison interpreter renders consecutively in both directions, knows the terminology from purchasing and technology, and works under an NDA on request.
Result: Both sides negotiate as equals; figures, deadlines and commitments are clear to everyone — with no language barrier at the table.
Quote & price
Individually calculated, bindingly quoted.
Interpreting assignments we calculate by occasion, language, duration, venue and mode. Give us the appointment — we propose the right interpreter and a binding price.
| Interpreter chosen to fit | ✓included |
| Assignment by occasion & field | ✓included |
| Confidentiality under the GDPR | ✓included |
| Preparation from your briefing | ✓included |
Interpreting is billed by effort, not by standard line: depending on duration as an hourly, half-day or day rate, plus travel and — for simultaneous work — equipment and a second interpreter. We name the binding fixed price after a brief review of your appointment. Prices at a glance →
FAQ
Interpreting — frequently asked questions.
What is the difference between interpreting and translation?
Do I need a sworn interpreter for court or a notary?
Consecutive or simultaneous — which suits my appointment?
Which languages do you interpret in?
How quickly can you provide an interpreter?
Is what is said treated confidentially?
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