Simultaneous, consecutive, whispered: which interpreting mode your event needs

In consecutive interpreting the speaker talks first and the interpretation follows. In short exchanges, for example during a police interview or a medical consultation, the interpreter renders each sentence or small segment in turn. For longer passages such as a speech, the interpreter uses a dedicated note taking technique and reproduces several minutes of speech in one go.

The advantage is obvious: no equipment is needed, everyone in the room hears both languages, and the interpreter can ask for clarification when something is unclear. The disadvantage is time. As a rough guide, expect double the duration of a monolingual meeting. For courts, police, hospitals, youth welfare, notaries and registry offices, consecutive is nonetheless the standard, because every word is put on record and accuracy matters more than speed.

In simultaneous interpreting the interpreter speaks at the same time as the speaker, with a delay of only a few seconds. The interpreters sit in a soundproof booth, hear the floor microphone through headphones and speak into their own microphone. The audience selects the desired channel on a receiver. The event loses no time, and several languages can run in parallel.

This is cognitively the most demanding mode and is trained over years in conference interpreting degrees, such as the one I completed at the University of Graz. It is the right choice for conferences, specialist symposia, panel discussions, general assemblies and training sessions with a large audience. For Arabic it is used frequently by international organisations, ministries and on delegation visits.

Whispered interpreting, also known as chuchotage, is simultaneous interpreting without a booth. The interpreter sits next to or slightly behind the person who needs the interpretation and speaks quietly into their ear at the same time as the speaker. This works for one person, with limitations for two. From three listeners onwards it becomes disruptive for everyone in the room and acoustically difficult for the interpreter.

Typical settings are an Arabic speaking delegation member in a German language meeting, a defendant who needs to follow the hearing while others give evidence, or a guest at a formal reception. Whispered interpreting is tiring, because the interpreter works against the room noise without headphones. For assignments of more than an hour we therefore schedule breaks or add a tour guide system.

Video and telephone are not a separate interpreting mode but a different channel. Consecutive interpreting works over Zoom, Teams and similar platforms, and Zoom additionally offers dedicated interpretation channels for simultaneous work, much like a booth. On the telephone only consecutive is possible, because all participants share the same line.

Remote interpreting suits short meetings with authorities, follow up conversations in hospital, initial consultations with clients and anything that comes up at short notice: remote appointments can often be arranged within a few hours. Its limits are poor sound quality, several people speaking at once, and situations in which facial expression and body language carry a lot of weight, for instance psychological consultations or conversations with children.

Simultaneous interpreting at conferences requires an interpreting booth built to ISO standard, either permanently installed in the hall or set up as a mobile booth, plus a sound system with floor microphones, interpreter consoles and receivers with headphones for the audience. This equipment is usually supplied and operated by a conference technology provider. We coordinate the setup with you and the provider, but the equipment hire is a separate item from the interpreting fee.

The tour guide system, often called a PFA or whisper kit in Austria, is the booth's little sister. The interpreter speaks into a portable radio microphone and the listeners wear receivers with earpieces. There is no soundproofing, the interpreter hears the original directly in the room. For site visits, city tours, factory walkthroughs, small group training and delegations of up to around twenty people it is the right solution. In noisy environments and with long speeches the tour guide system reaches its limits, and a booth is the better option.

Simultaneous interpreting can only be sustained at high quality for a limited time. International practice is therefore to staff each language and booth with two interpreters who take turns roughly every 20 to 30 minutes. The colleague who is not speaking keeps listening, notes down numbers and names and helps with terminology. This staffing is not a luxury but the precondition for delivering the same quality in the afternoon as in the first half hour.

A single interpreter is only justifiable for short simultaneous assignments, as a rule up to around 30 to 45 minutes without a break, such as an opening address or a brief press conference. The same applies to whispered interpreting. In consecutive mode one person can work considerably longer, because the pauses while the speaker talks provide recovery, but regular breaks are still sensible on full day assignments.

The following overview helps with the decision. If in doubt, we are happy to advise, because sometimes a combination works best, for instance whispering during the discussion and consecutive for your own contribution.

Good interpreting begins before the appointment. An interpreter who knows the programme, the names and the terminology works more precisely and faster. Everything you send us remains confidential, with a non disclosure agreement on request.