How to Brief an Interpreter in the UAE: What to Send
The Short Answer
To brief an interpreter well, send the agenda, the documents that will be discussed, a list of names and titles, and any technical terms or acronyms — ideally three to five working days before the assignment, and at the latest the day before. Add a short call for complex or legal matters. An interpreter who has seen the material renders it accurately and at speed; one who meets it for the first time in the room has to guess at names, numbers and jargon.
This applies whether you have booked a consecutive interpreter for a board meeting, a legal interpreter for a hearing or a team of simultaneous interpreters for a conference. Interpreters work under professional confidentiality, so sharing material in advance is normal practice; see our guide to interpreter confidentiality and NDAs if you need a signed agreement first.
What to Send: The Briefing Pack
| Item | Why the interpreter needs it | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Agenda and running order | Shows the topics, the order and who speaks when | Mark sessions that will be fast or technical |
| Names, titles and organisations | Names are the most common interpreting error, especially across Arabic and Latin scripts | Give the spelling used in official documents and how each name is pronounced |
| Documents to be discussed | Contracts, reports, claims, slides: the interpreter can read figures and clauses before they come up | Send the version that will be on the table, not an old draft |
| Glossary of terms and acronyms | Your organisation’s in-house terms and product names have no dictionary entry | Include the Arabic term you prefer where one exists |
| Speeches and speaker notes | Prepared speeches are read fast; a copy lets the interpreter keep pace | Send them even if the speaker will depart from the text |
| Videos and quotations | Clips and quoted text are hard to interpret cold | Send the link or transcript, and say whether it will be interpreted or subtitled |
When to Send It
- When you book: the date, times, venue or platform, the language pair, the setting and the number of participants. This decides the mode and the team; see consecutive vs simultaneous vs whispered interpreting.
- Three to five working days before: the agenda, names list, documents and glossary.
- The day before: final slides, speeches and any last-minute changes to the running order.
- On the day: a printed agenda and participant list in the room, and a few minutes with the main speaker if possible.
Briefing for Different Settings
Business meetings and negotiations
Tell the interpreter what you want to achieve, which points are sensitive and which figures are confidential. Share the term sheet or draft contract, so numbers and defined terms are rendered consistently.
Court hearings, prosecution and notary appointments
Send the case file summary, the claim or charge, the names of the parties and witnesses, and any documents a party will be asked about. Arabic is the language of the record, so the interpreter also needs the Arabic spelling of names. See our guides to remote court hearing interpretation and interpreters at the police and Public Prosecution.
Conferences and events
Send the programme, speaker biographies, presentations and speeches. Agree how late changes will reach the booth, and tell the technician which sessions have videos or audience questions. For the cost side, see conference interpretation cost in the UAE.
Medical appointments
Share the reason for the visit, earlier reports and the medication list, with the patient’s consent. See hospital interpreters and patient consent.
Common Briefing Mistakes
- “The interpreter is a professional, they don’t need anything.” Professionals prepare. Without material they are slower and less precise.
- Sending everything at midnight before the event. A 200-slide deck sent late is barely more useful than none.
- No names list. A wrongly heard name in a hearing or a signing can cause real problems later.
- Forgetting the speaking style. Tell the interpreter if a speaker talks very fast, uses dialect or reads from notes.
- Not saying what is confidential. Mark it, and agree before the day how documents will be returned or deleted.
A Five-Minute Pre-Meeting Check
- Introduce the interpreter and explain their role to everyone present.
- Agree how speakers will pause (for consecutive) or where the microphones are (for simultaneous).
- Confirm pronunciation of the main names.
- Ask participants to speak to each other, not to the interpreter, and in the first person.
- Agree a signal for the interpreter to ask for a repetition or clarification.
How early should I brief an interpreter?
Three to five working days before is a good target for the agenda, names and documents. Final slides and speeches can follow the day before.
Is it safe to send confidential documents to an interpreter?
Professional interpreters work under confidentiality, and you can ask them to sign an NDA before you send anything. Mark sensitive material and agree how it will be deleted afterwards.
What if I have no documents to share?
Send the agenda, the names and roles of participants and a short description of the subject. Even a one-page summary helps.
Should I prepare a glossary?
Yes, if your field uses in-house terms, product names or acronyms. Include your preferred Arabic terms if you have them.
Do interpreters need a briefing for a short meeting?
A short meeting still has names, figures and terms. A ten-minute call and a one-page note are usually enough.
Can the interpreter translate my documents in writing too?
Interpreting is spoken. If you need documents translated for a court, authority or counterparty, order a written translation separately.
How SWLT Helps
When you book an interpreter with us, we tell you what material the interpreter needs for your setting and handle the briefing with you. We provide consecutive, simultaneous, legal, medical, business and escort interpreting in Arabic, English and other languages, and conference equipment with technicians. See our interpreting services.
Disclaimer
This article is general information about interpreting and the language side of the matter. It is not legal advice. Laws and procedures change; confirm current requirements with the court, authority or employer concerned and take advice from a lawyer on your own case.
Book an Interpreter
Tell us the date, the languages, the setting and how many participants will attend. Smart World Legal Translation – Sole Proprietorship L.L.C. (SWLT) is a UAE Ministry of Justice-licensed legal translation company in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, led by Dr. Hani Elimam. Our federal accreditation is accepted across the UAE, including by Dubai Courts, and we hold exclusive interpretation contracts with the UAE Federal Courts and the Federal Public Prosecution. Interpreting and equipment are quoted on request, based on the language, date, duration, setting and mode. Message us on WhatsApp (+971 50 864 8439), email info@swlt.ae, or use our contact page.