First, call me or contact me using the contact form or e-mail. If you've never used interpreting services before, I'll explain how interpreting works and what needs to be arranged before the event to make sure it runs smoothly.

I'll need to know in what context you need interpreting, where it will take place, who it's intended for, and how many people you expect to attend. Based on that, I'll advise you on what kind of interpretation would be suitable for your event. I'll use this information to advise you on the type of interpreting you need for your event. I'll also let you know in advance the estimated price for the type and length of interpreting, and send you a contract for the provision of interpreting services.

If we agree to work together, I'll need more detailed information and materials from you (exact programme, speeches and presentations, etc.) so that I can adequately prepare for the event and thus provide you with the best possible service. Of course, all information and materials are confidential and will remain between us!

On the day of the event, I'll go to the venue well in advance to find out about any changes to the programme and to check that everything is ready at the venue. For conference interpreting and remote interpreting, I'll need to do a technical test before the event to make sure everything is working properly, and the audience can hear the interpretation.

I'll send you an invoice after the event, and I would be grateful if you could give me some feedback.

Ideally, 1–2 weeks in advance. This depends on the type of interpretation and the length of the event. For some events, it's necessary to provide interpreting equipment, a second interpreter and perform a technical test.

Interpreters also need to prepare for the event. We'll ask you to send us all materials related to interpreting (programme, speeches, etc.), ideally 7 days in advance, but no later than 3 days before the day of the event.

No, it isn't. But I need to know in advance because some types of interpreting require special equipment and another interpreter. So please let me know at the beginning of our collaboration so that the event can run smoothly and according to plan.

Interpreting is a mentally and physically demanding activity. The interpreter gets tired quickly (especially during simultaneous interpreting), his concentration decreases, he processes information more slowly, he makes mistakes, the quality of the interpretation decreases and the interpretation becomes more and more uncomfortable for the listener. This is why it's good to have a colleague with whom the interpreter alternates and who helps him/her during the interpretation (writes down names, numbers, abbreviations, or looks up terminology).

Because the final price of interpreting depends on many factors. The type of interpreting, the number of interpreters, the difficulty, and length of the whole event, the location of the event…

No, all the materials you provide me with before the interpretation serve only for terminological and thematic preparation. By providing them, I can better interpret the speakers. I can prepare glossaries and learn the necessary terminology. The interpretation will then be smoother, more pleasant for you as a listener, and won't contain inaccurate terminology.

If you want to play a pre-recorded video, film, or other audiovisual recordings during the presentation, I need to see it in advance (preferably with a dialogue list) and know which passage you want to play and for what purpose. The same applies for texts that speakers read. Give these to your interpreters well in advance, otherwise the videos or speed-read speech may not be interpreted. Or the interpreters will try to interpret them, but you probably won't be satisfied with the result…

I consider all materials that you provide me with prior to the interpretation to be confidential. I follow the interpreter's code of ethics of the Czech Union of Interpreters and Translators. 

If you cancel the interpretation 3 working days before the start of the event or less, you'll pay 50% of the agreed standard rate if it was an event lasting one working day or less; and 100% of the agreed standard rate if the event was to last longer than one working day.

If you cancel the interpretation less than 24 hours in advance or on the day of the event, you'll be charged 100% of the agreed standard rate.

The standard rate for interpretation is determined individually according to various factors (type of interpretation, length, travel costs, etc.). You can always find it in the contract for the performance of interpreting services, which we fill out and sign together at the beginning of cooperation, and/or in the order confirmation by e-mail.

In addition, you also cover all demonstrable costs associated with the preparation of the event (travel expenses, transport, accommodation, insurance, if the event is held abroad, etc.).  

When we agree on interpreting, I can't accept other jobs at that time. In the event of a cancelled interpretation, the cancellation fee will cover the lost profit.

— Speak at a natural pace. If you're a faster talker, slow down. Don't read a prepared speech. And if you already want to read it, give it to the interpreter well in advance so that they can prepare it as well.

— Speak into the microphone (especially if you are being interpreted simultaneously, because otherwise the interpreter won't hear you in the soundproof booth and the audience won't therefore hear any interpretation).

— Pronounce carefully.

— Try not to use a plethora of jokes, puns and abbreviations, as the interpreter won't most likely have time to interpret them at that speed. Many jokes are untranslatable, the interpreter won't thank you for them, and they probably won't reach your listeners. 

Yes, but only with the interpreter's prior consent! If you want to record an interpreted online webinar or perhaps the whole conference and then share it on the Internet, let the interpreter know. The interpreter has the right to refuse recording. The result of the interpretation is intended for immediate consumption by the listeners on the spot.

An additional fee is charged for recording the interpretation, since the result of interpreting is an intellectual property of the interpreter.

Why? Many factors influence interpretation. E.g. with remote interpretation, the sound quality may deteriorate, participants lose their internet connection or don't use a headset, and it's difficult to understand them, and therefore some sections are difficult to interpret, or are even uninterpretable. This is then also reflected in the performance of the interpreter, who tries to create a coherent, meaningful contribution from these hard-to-understand passages in a time crunch.

So what to do if the interpreter doesn't want to be recorded? You can film the event without interpretation and then have the video subtitled or dubbed.

Not yet. However, I can recommend one of my colleagues who does.

First, call me or contact me via the contact form or e-mail. I'll need to know what topic the translation is about, how long it is, in what format you'll be sending it in, when it's due and in what language and form. I also need to know who it is for and what purpose it will serve.

When you send me the text to be translated, I'll have a quick look at it and let you know when I'll be able to complete the translation and the estimated price (the final price is based on the final number of characters in the translation, converted to standard pages). For translations shorter than 1 standard page, I always charge 1 standard page.

If we agree to work together, we'll fill out a translation contract together (mainly in the case of longer translation jobs) and/or confirm all the important information about the job by e-mail (in the case of shorter translations). Then I'll start working on the translation. The translation will then be checked by a proofreader (native EN/DE speaker) and I'll incorporate any changes made. When I'm done, When I'm finished, I'll send you the translation and an invoice. I'd be happy to receive feedback.

Translators charge by the standard page. A standard page (SP) is a page of 1800 characters including spaces, which corresponds to approximately 250 words.

The resulting price of the translation depends on many factors:

— the type of translation

— expertise and focus

— the language from which it is being translated

— the language into which it is being translated

— the length of the translation / number of standard pages

— the format in which I receive the source text or audiovisual material to be translated

— the delivery date (normal vs. express translation)

— the number and type of revisions/corrections

— the method of delivery (electronic or postal)… 

Typically, a translator translates approximately 6 standard pages per day, depending on the difficulty of the subject and terminology.

If I haven't started translating yet, you'll only pay a cancellation fee equal to the hourly rate. If you cancel a translation I'm already working on, you'll pay for the part of the translation that was translated before you cancelled the order. If it's a larger job, the exact cancellation conditions will be specified in the translation contract we sign together at the beginning of our collaboration.

Not yet. However, I can recommend one of my colleagues who does.