Rates for interpreting Thread poster: María Peluffo
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María Peluffo 
United States
Local time: 21:04
English to Spanish
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Hello,
Could someone please give me an idea of how much should I charge for interpreting form English into Spanish per hour, half-day, full-day and overtime?
Thank you so much for your help.
Lucía
| | | | Liviu-Lee Roth
United States
Local time: 21:04
Romanian to English
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I would love to answer, but your question is very broad.
What kind of interpreting ? On site (face-to-face), conference, escort, telephonic ? I noticed that you graduated from law school . Is it judicial interpreting in court ? Is it medical ?
For the pair you mention EN>SP you should consult your countrymen, because you cannot compare the rate of an interpreter in the UK or US with the rate for the same pair in, let's say Albania. Cost of living is different, therefore the rates are... See more I would love to answer, but your question is very broad.
What kind of interpreting ? On site (face-to-face), conference, escort, telephonic ? I noticed that you graduated from law school . Is it judicial interpreting in court ? Is it medical ?
For the pair you mention EN>SP you should consult your countrymen, because you cannot compare the rate of an interpreter in the UK or US with the rate for the same pair in, let's say Albania. Cost of living is different, therefore the rates are different.
[Edited at 2009-12-09 04:39 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Giulia TAPPI
France
Local time: 03:04
French to Italian
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| Never done interpreting before? | Dec 9, 2009 |
I do not want to be rude, but when I see your question I wonder if it is the first time you work as an interpreter...
The only thing I can tell you is professional interpreters do NOT charge by hour, and even by half-day. Just by day. Except for interpreting in courts, where the price is set, and still very low (even if it is much better thant it used to be).
For the rest, evrything has been said. It depends if it is simultaneous, consecutive, whispering, escort...Th... See more I do not want to be rude, but when I see your question I wonder if it is the first time you work as an interpreter...
The only thing I can tell you is professional interpreters do NOT charge by hour, and even by half-day. Just by day. Except for interpreting in courts, where the price is set, and still very low (even if it is much better thant it used to be).
For the rest, evrything has been said. It depends if it is simultaneous, consecutive, whispering, escort...The latter is not true interpreting, more like hostess job.
Giulia ▲ Collapse
| | | | Laureana Pavon
Uruguay
Local time: 22:04
Member (2007)
English to Spanish
+ ...
MODERATOR | Professional Translators Association | Dec 9, 2009 |
Hi Maria,
I see that you are in Uruguay. If you are trying to figure out the rates for interpreting in Uruguay, perhaps you should post in the forum "La traducción en Uruguay". I think you'll find better answers to your questions there.
One obvious suggestion is to check with the Uruguayan Professional Translators Association (CTPU).
However, I agree with the previous posters that your question is too broad.
Have you ever interpreted before?... See more Hi Maria,
I see that you are in Uruguay. If you are trying to figure out the rates for interpreting in Uruguay, perhaps you should post in the forum "La traducción en Uruguay". I think you'll find better answers to your questions there.
One obvious suggestion is to check with the Uruguayan Professional Translators Association (CTPU).
However, I agree with the previous posters that your question is too broad.
Have you ever interpreted before? Just make sure that you are properly qualified and prepared for the job. Having worked as an interpreter for many years, I've seen all kinds of things go wrong when interpreters are not fully aware of what they're getting themselves into, specially in the case of simultaneous interpreting (booth or whispering).
If there's anything I can do for you don't hesitate to contact me.
Saludos
Laureana ▲ Collapse
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Liviu-Lee Roth
United States
Local time: 21:04
Romanian to English
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| juvera
Local time: 02:04
English to Hungarian
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| That is not so | Dec 9, 2009 |
Giulia TAPPI wrote:
The only thing I can tell you is professional interpreters do NOT charge by hour, and even by half-day. Just by day. Except for interpreting in courts, where the price is set, and still very low (even if it is much better than it used to be).
Giulia
I have been interpreting for about twenty years, for a great variety of clients and this is the first time I heard someone categorically announcing this. In any case, you should be so lucky!
It entirely depends on the job, the interpreter and the client/agency and maybe on the country how prices are worked out.
Some jobs may be priced as min. X hours plus 15 minutes (or hourly) increments, others can be half a day or a full day. Travelling time maybe added, maybe not. The rates for travelling time can be the same or less. It entirely depends on what the parties agree upon or a particular organisation is offering.
Courts and police usually have set fees in most countries, but these can be arranged in all sorts of ways, like half day/full day or hourly, with different rates for evenings/weekends, etc.
You have to be flexible, negotiate if possible and at the end it is entirely up to you to decide whether a job is worth doing or not.
| | | | Giulia TAPPI
France
Local time: 03:04
French to Italian
+ ...
| Maybe differences between countries | Dec 10, 2009 |
juvera wrote: Giulia TAPPI wrote:
The only thing I can tell you is professional interpreters do NOT charge by hour, and even by half-day. Just by day. Except for interpreting in courts, where the price is set, and still very low (even if it is much better than it used to be).
Giulia I have been interpreting for about twenty years, for a great variety of clients and this is the first time I heard someone categorically announcing this. In any case, you should be so lucky! It entirely depends on the job, the interpreter and the client/agency and maybe on the country how prices are worked out. Some jobs may be priced as min. X hours plus 15 minutes (or hourly) increments, others can be half a day or a full day. Travelling time maybe added, maybe not. The rates for travelling time can be the same or less. It entirely depends on what the parties agree upon or a particular organisation is offering. Courts and police usually have set fees in most countries, but these can be arranged in all sorts of ways, like half day/full day or hourly, with different rates for evenings/weekends, etc. You have to be flexible, negotiate if possible and at the end it is entirely up to you to decide whether a job is worth doing or not.
In France, it works as I said.
You do not "arrange" anything with courts and police, it is a fixed rate per hour.
Travel expenses are paid at the cost they represent; if I travel for interpreting, I get my normal fee for one or more days, and then the price of the plane/train ticket, meals and so on, certainly not another interpreting day!
Giulia
| | | | Liviu-Lee Roth
United States
Local time: 21:04
Romanian to English
+ ...
| juvera is right | Dec 10, 2009 |
Giulia,
I don't know what kind of interpreting you do, but in more than 15 years of interpreting, there were only a few instances when I was paid per day.
At least in the US, there are days when I interpret in the morning for the immigration court, at noon, a short case of DUI (driving under influence) in Criminal Court and in the evening I rush to a hospital for an emergency surgery. Does it make sense to you?
You are right that it depends on the country AND the language pair.... See more Giulia,
I don't know what kind of interpreting you do, but in more than 15 years of interpreting, there were only a few instances when I was paid per day.
At least in the US, there are days when I interpret in the morning for the immigration court, at noon, a short case of DUI (driving under influence) in Criminal Court and in the evening I rush to a hospital for an emergency surgery. Does it make sense to you?
You are right that it depends on the country AND the language pair. If you had the curiosity to open the link I posted, you've noticed different rates for each state within the US. .... and yes, you can arrange with the court administrator your fee. ▲ Collapse
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Giulia TAPPI
France
Local time: 03:04
French to Italian
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| Different kind of interpreting, as you say | Dec 10, 2009 |
lee roth wrote:
Giulia,
I don't know what kind of interpreting you do, but in more than 15 years of interpreting, there were only a few instances when I was paid per day.
At least in the US, there are days when I interpret in the morning for the immigration court, at noon, a short case of DUI (driving under influence) in Criminal Court and in the evening I rush to a hospital for an emergency surgery. Does it make sense to you?
You are right that it depends on the country AND the language pair. If you had the curiosity to open the link I posted, you've noticed different rates for each state within the US. .... and yes, you can arrange with the court administrator your fee.
The kind of interpreting I do is:
simultaneous interpreting for different events, press conferences, conventions...
consecutive interpreting, for firms, formal and less formal business meetings, trainings...
Court or hospital interpreting is very marginal.
It is certainly different in the US if you say so, but I insist in France you do not arrange your fee when working in courts.
| | | | juvera
Local time: 02:04
English to Hungarian
+ ...
| Let me elaborate, Giulia | Dec 10, 2009 |
juvera wrote:
Courts and police usually have set fees in most countries, but these can be arranged in all sorts of ways, like half day/full day or hourly, with different rates for evenings/weekends, etc.
It doesn't mean that "you arrange" the rate, it means that the arrangements of different organisations differ.
For example in the UK courts pay half a day or a full day, on the other hand some police forces pay by the hour, others pay a minimum fee of - say - three hours, then every quarter of an hour. The latter method is frequently used by solicitors, social services and health organisations as well.
On the other hand, travelling time is a factor; for example today I travelled five and a half hours return for 3 hours interpreting, and I certainly would not have done it without paid travelling time.
I negotiate when interpreting for companies, for whatever the event happens to be.
I grant you, conference interpreting is never less than half a day, and even that is very rare. The fee is arranged per day, plus hourly rate in case of overtime. Travelling time is negotiated, within reason.
Maria, you have to enquire about the rates in Uruguay. We can give you some ideas about the various methods how the interpreter’s time may be calculated, but the actual fee really depend on the prevailing rates in your country.
| | | | Laureana Pavon
Uruguay
Local time: 22:04
Member (2007)
English to Spanish
+ ...
MODERATOR | I'm in Uruguay | Dec 10, 2009 |
So I know.
Check with the CTPU (professional translators association). They establish minimum rates, and I think they're exactly what you're looking for.
Laureana
| | | | | Type of interpreting | Dec 11, 2009 |
When I moved to Australia, I discovered community interpreting (assigments at hospitals, courts, police stations, social services...),which is usually paid by the hour and is virtually non existent in France and Japan, where interpreters do almost exclusiveley business or conference interpreting and are mostly paid by the day.
In community interpreting, the interpreter usually interprets after a couple of sentences. He is not expected to be able to deliver a perfect speech after ta... See more When I moved to Australia, I discovered community interpreting (assigments at hospitals, courts, police stations, social services...),which is usually paid by the hour and is virtually non existent in France and Japan, where interpreters do almost exclusiveley business or conference interpreting and are mostly paid by the day.
In community interpreting, the interpreter usually interprets after a couple of sentences. He is not expected to be able to deliver a perfect speech after taking notes for twenty minutes, and he is not expected to be able to interpret simultaneously (even though he often has to switch to sim at the court or during a mental health assessment).
You need to clarify the type of interpreting you are doing, and where. Are you asking for rates in Uruguay, in South America, or in the US? ▲ Collapse
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Liviu-Lee Roth
United States
Local time: 21:04
Romanian to English
+ ...
since I"ve worked the whole spectrum of interpreting in the US, there are different rates.
For conferences, official delegation, high profile federal criminal cases that lasted over 2 weeks, I was paid between $ 480 - 600 / day.
For immigration cases, if I have to travel over 100 miles I get paid between $350-400/day + all expenses (plane, bus, train, taxi, hotel)
For any other cases if it is through agency I get paid $35-50/hr. minimum 2-3 hrs.
For cases where the court ... See more since I"ve worked the whole spectrum of interpreting in the US, there are different rates.
For conferences, official delegation, high profile federal criminal cases that lasted over 2 weeks, I was paid between $ 480 - 600 / day.
For immigration cases, if I have to travel over 100 miles I get paid between $350-400/day + all expenses (plane, bus, train, taxi, hotel)
For any other cases if it is through agency I get paid $35-50/hr. minimum 2-3 hrs.
For cases where the court requests my service directly, I charge $75/hr min. 2-3 hrs.
For travel, the standard in the US is $12.50/hr and $.45-50/mile +tolls & parking.
OPI (over-the-phone-interpreting) ranges between $.30-1.00/minute.
I hope I covered almost everything. ▲ Collapse
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