How to Brief an Interpreter: A Practical Checklist

Interpreters are often asked to walk into a meeting knowing only the date, the address and the language pair. They can still work, but accuracy, fluency and confidence all improve when they know who is speaking, what will be discussed and which terms matter.

This guide explains what to send an interpreter, when to send it, and how to run a short briefing. It applies to business meetings, HR hearings, medical appointments, site visits and conferences. For help choosing the type of interpreting in the first place, see our guide to types of interpreting and how to choose.

Why do interpreters need a briefing?

Interpreters need a briefing because they have to understand a message fully before they can render it in another language. Product names, internal acronyms, technical terms and the relationships between participants are not things an interpreter can guess.

Professional codes treat preparation as part of the job. The AIIC Italia professional standards state that interpreters "shall require that working documents and texts to be read out at the conference be sent to them in advance" and "shall request a briefing session whenever appropriate". The NRPSI Code of Professional Conduct requires registered public service interpreters to "ensure that they understand the relevant procedures of the professional context in which they are working, including any special terminology".

The NRPSI code also says that where an interpreter lacks background knowledge to the point that it would "impair significantly" their work, they should inform the parties and withdraw. A good brief prevents that situation.

What should you send an interpreter before the assignment?

Send anything that will be said, shown or referred to during the session. Use this checklist:

• Agenda and timetable, including breaks, tours and social events.
• Participant list with names, job titles, organisations and correct pronunciation where useful.
• Presentations and slides, even in draft form.
• Speeches or statements to be read out, because read-aloud text is faster and denser than spontaneous speech.
• A glossary of product names, technical terms, acronyms and preferred translations; our guide to translation glossaries and style guides explains how to build one.
• Background documents, such as previous minutes, a contract under negotiation, a policy, a case summary or a product brochure.
• Video or audio that will be played, with a transcript if one exists.
• Practical details: address, room, platform link, dress code, site safety rules and a contact on the day.

Mark anything confidential and share it through a secure channel. Professional interpreters are bound by confidentiality, but you still control how documents travel.

When should you brief an interpreter?

Send the main documents as early as possible, ideally several working days before a meeting and longer for a conference or technical event. Late changes are normal; send updated slides or speeches as soon as they exist, even on the morning of the event.

A short briefing call a day or two before, or a 10 to 15-minute pre-meeting on the day, is often the most valuable part of the preparation. For conferences, the international standard ISO 23155:2022 sets out requirements and recommendations for conference interpreting and, according to ISO, "also serves as reference for users of conference interpreting services".

How to run a briefing call with an interpreter: step by step

1. Explain the purpose. State what the meeting must achieve, for example agreeing delivery terms or investigating a complaint.
2. Introduce the participants. Explain who will speak most, who makes decisions and any relationships the interpreter should be aware of.
3. Go through key terms. Confirm product names, acronyms and how particular terms should be translated.
4. Flag sensitive points. Mention emotional, legal or commercially delicate topics, so the interpreter is not surprised.
5. Agree the mode and practicalities. Confirm consecutive or simultaneous interpreting, seating, microphones, breaks and how the interpreter will signal a request for clarification.
6. Confirm the interpreter's role. Agree that the interpreter will interpret everything said and will not advise, summarise or take part in the discussion.
7. Answer the interpreter's questions. Interpreters often spot problems, such as a missing speech or an unclear acronym, that organisers have not noticed.

How should speakers work with an interpreter on the day?

Speakers make interpreting easier by talking naturally, clearly and to the audience, not to the interpreter. These habits help in every mode:

• Speak in the first person and address the other party directly.
• In consecutive interpreting, pause after two or three sentences; in simultaneous interpreting, keep a steady pace.
• Avoid reading text aloud at speed; if you must, make sure the interpreter has the text.
• Explain or avoid acronyms, puns and culture-specific jokes.
• Give numbers, dates and names clearly, and show them on a slide where possible.
• Let one person speak at a time.

Build the extra time into the agenda. NHS England's guidance for commissioners notes that a consultation with an interpreter needs additional time, "typically double that of a regular appointment", and consecutive interpreting has a similar effect on any meeting.

In healthcare and public services, the interpreter will usually open with a short introduction of their role. NHS England's guidance for commissioners says interpreters "should introduce themselves to all parties at the start of their assignment and explain the purpose of the role (the Interpreter's Declaration)", according to its guidance on interpreting in primary care. Our guide to working with interpreters in healthcare settings covers clinical briefings.

How do you brief an interpreter for different settings?

The core checklist is the same everywhere, but each setting has its own priorities.

Business meetings and negotiations

Share the commercial background, the documents under discussion and the names of products and companies. Agree whether side conversations should also be interpreted. See how to book an interpreter for a business meeting.

HR investigations and disciplinary hearings

Explain the procedure, the allegations in neutral terms, workplace jargon and the names of people involved. Confirm that the interpreter has no connection with anyone in the case. See interpreters for HR investigations and disciplinary hearings.

Conferences and online events

Send speeches, slides and speaker biographies to the whole interpreting team, and share the running order with the technician. For online events, include the platform and test-call details; see our guide to remote interpreting.

Common mistakes when briefing an interpreter

• Sending nothing because the material is "confidential". Share it securely instead; interpreters are bound by professional confidentiality, and you can add an NDA.
• Sending slides but not the speech. Slides show headings; the speech contains the words the interpreter must render.
• Forgetting internal jargon. Terms that are obvious inside your organisation are often the hardest for an outsider.
• Briefing only one member of a team. In simultaneous interpreting, every interpreter in the booth needs the same material.
• Asking the interpreter to take on other duties. NHS guidance says the interpreter "should not be asked to undertake additional/ ancillary duties", and the same principle applies elsewhere.

How TranslationWorks can help

TranslationWorks is a UK-based language services agency that provides professional interpreting and translation with native-speaking linguists in more than 150 languages. When you request a quote, describe the setting, participants and subject, so that we can match an interpreter who speaks the language pair natively and suits the context. TranslationWorks is ISO 17100 certified, ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 registered and Cyber Essentials certified. If your briefing pack includes documents that need translating in advance, our translation services can cover them. See our interpreting services or request a free interpreting quote, which we provide within 24 hours.