An interpreter does not simply swap words between two languages. In a solicitor’s office, an asylum interview, a GP consultation or a police station, the quality of the conversation depends on how the professional and the interpreter work together. Most problems are avoidable with a little preparation. This guide brings together what our vetted, trained and qualified interpreters see work best, and turns it into practical steps.

Before the session

Book a professional, and be specific

Patients should always be offered a professional interpreter, and relying on family, friends or unqualified interpreters should be avoided. There is a concrete reason: a patient may be unable to disclose abuse when a family member is interpreting. The same logic applies in legal and public service settings, where impartiality and confidentiality are essential.

When you book, give:

  • the language and, if known, the dialect or region, for example “Kurdish Sorani” or “Sudanese Arabic” rather than “Kurdish” or “Arabic”;
  • the setting and purpose, such as a mental health assessment or a witness statement;
  • the format (on site, video or telephone) and the expected length;
  • any gender preference. In asylum interviews and other sensitive settings, a request for a male or female interpreter made in advance should be met wherever possible, and an appointment is better rearranged than held without it.

Brief the interpreter

A five-minute briefing makes a measurable difference. Explain the purpose of the session, who will be present, any specialist terms or documents you will refer to, and whether the content may be distressing. If you will ask the client to read or sign a document, tell the interpreter in advance, because sight translation of a long document takes time.

Professional interpreters are expected to ask for the conditions they need to interpret effectively, such as suitable seating and adequate breaks, and to disclose any difficulties with dialect or technical terms. A briefing gives them the chance to do both before the client arrives.

During the session

Set the ground rules at the start

Introduce the interpreter and explain their role to the client: they will interpret everything that is said, they are impartial and they are bound by confidentiality. At the start of an asylum interview the interpreter confirms that they are interpreting the correct language or dialect. That is good practice in any setting: a quick check at the start is better than discovering a mismatch halfway through.

Speak to the person, not the interpreter

Look at the client and speak in the first person: “Where were you living last year?”, not “Ask her where she was living”. The interpreter will also use the first person, so the conversation stays between you and the client.

Use short sections and plain language

Pause every sentence or two. Avoid idioms, jokes, double negatives and acronyms. Ask one question at a time. If the answer seems not to match the question, check understanding rather than assuming the client is being evasive: the cause may be a terminology gap, a dialect difference or a question that does not translate neatly.

Expect everything to be interpreted

Professional interpreters interpret truly and faithfully, without adding, omitting or changing anything. Courts and tribunals expect exactly the same. That includes asides, side conversations and remarks you did not intend the client to hear. If you need to discuss something privately with a colleague, step out of the room.

Do not ask the interpreter for opinions

It is tempting to ask “Do you think he is telling the truth?” or “Is that accent really from that region?”. Public service interpreters do not give advice or express opinions, and in asylum work an interpreter must never offer a view on a claimant’s truthfulness, ethnic origin or beliefs. If language or origin is a real question in a case, it needs a separate expert assessment, such as a language analysis report, not an informal view from the interpreter.

Setting-specific points

  • Allow extra time: in consecutive interpreting everything is said twice, so sessions take noticeably longer.
  • Read back key statements, such as a witness statement, through the interpreter before signing.
  • Record the interpreter’s name, language and dialect on the file.
  • If the client and interpreter appear to know each other, stop and check. Interpreters must declare conflicts of interest, and in asylum interviews they must not be acquainted with or related to the claimant.

Healthcare

  • Use a professional interpreter for consent, diagnosis, medication and discharge instructions. Children should never be asked to interpret except when immediate and necessary treatment is required.
  • Face-to-face interpreting is the safest choice for higher-risk clinical conversations. If you are unsure about the format, our guide on choosing between telephone, video and face-to-face interpreting may help.
  • In examinations, agree where the interpreter will stand to respect privacy.
  • Use the teach-back method: ask the patient to explain the instructions in their own words, through the interpreter.

Mental health and safeguarding

  • Brief the interpreter about the possibility of distressing content and allow time to debrief afterwards.
  • Continuity of interpreter can help trust, but check the client is comfortable with the person assigned.

After the session

Thank the interpreter and give feedback, positive or otherwise, through the agency. If something went wrong, such as a dialect mismatch, a technical failure or a concern about conduct, report it promptly so it can be addressed. Good agencies use this feedback to match future bookings better.

SILA Linguists® provides community and public service interpreting and face-to-face interpreters for legal, medical, immigration and police and criminal justice settings, in 350+ languages and dialects. Interpreters of a preferred gender are available on request. Every interpreter is bound by confidentiality, NDAs are available for sensitive work, and personal data is handled in line with UK GDPR. When you book, tell us the language, the dialect if you know it, the setting and the date, and we will match an interpreter with relevant experience.

When a conversation cannot wait for an in-person booking, telephone interpreting is available day and night, all year, and video interpreting suits short follow-ups and remote meetings. Where a person’s origin is disputed in an asylum claim, our language analysis (LADO) reports can help.

The preparation and follow-up described above often involve paperwork and recordings. Our document translation team produces certified translations of statements, medical letters and court papers, each with a signed statement of accuracy accepted by UK authorities, and our transcription service turns recorded interviews and consultations into time-coded transcripts, translated where needed.

SILA Linguists® interpreters are available to legal teams, healthcare providers and public services in the UK, North America, Australia, New Zealand and beyond. Email bookings@silalinguists.co.uk or call +44 (0)333 339 8218.