It is widely accepted that translation refers to the written word whilst interpreting is best defined as the art of breaking the language barrier between two people or groups of people by orally translating their speech on the spot.

Interpreters in the UK should hold qualifications such as the Master's Degree in Conference Interpreting or the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting. They should also be registered with the National Register of Public Service Interpreters.

Simultaneous interpreting is what you see on TV: the interpreter talks and listens at the same time as the speaker to provide as smooth an experience as possible to the listener and is normally used in larger events, court or online interpreting with MS Teams or Zoom interpretation.

Consecutive interpreting is more suited to small groups, such as business meetings or police interviews. The interpreter takes notes while the speaker talks, then recaps the informations in the other language. It takes longer and is slightly more disruptive, but it requires less equipment.