An interpreter converts speech in real time at meetings and events, while a translator converts written documents with time to revise, so book an interpreter when people will talk and a translator when a document must exist in another language.
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Author: Paul Dahoon Kim (Founder, MetaPret. Working Korean-English interpreter, ~100 engagements)
Last updated: 2026-10-09
Read time: ~6 minutes
Summary: For business buyers unsure whether to book an interpreter or a translator: how spoken and written work differ, the modes in between, why the skills do not transfer automatically, how mixed jobs split, what you get at the end, and how to word the request.
An interpreter works with speech, in real time: meetings, calls, site visits, negotiations. A translator works with text, with time to research and revise: contracts, decks, manuals, websites. If people will be talking, book an interpreter; if a document has to exist in another language, book a translator. Many business jobs need both, and the two are usually different people.
Who this guide is for
Business buyers who need to work across a language gap and are not sure which professional to book: a foreign company meeting Korean partners, or a Korean company presenting, buying, or selling abroad. The examples are Korean–English; the distinction holds for any language pair.
What makes interpretation different from translation
Speech in real time vs text with revision time
An interpreter hears a sentence once and delivers it seconds later, to people who are waiting. There is no second draft. A translator receives a text, researches terms, writes, and revises before anyone reads it. Interpretation is spoken and gone; translation is a document that can be reviewed, signed, and filed. "The Korean supplier visits next week" is an interpreter job. "The supply agreement needs an English version" is a translator job.
The modes, and where they meet
- Consecutive. The speaker pauses every few sentences and the interpreter renders that segment. Standard for meetings, negotiations, and site visits.
- Simultaneous. The interpreter speaks while the speaker is still talking, usually from a booth with headsets. Used for conferences.
- Whispered (chuchotage). Simultaneous interpretation spoken quietly to one or two listeners, without equipment.
- Sight translation. The interpreter reads a document in one language and speaks it aloud in the other, on the spot: a contract clause at the table, a letter handed over mid-meeting.
Sight translation is the bridge: written source, spoken delivery, no time to revise. It is interpreter work. If a document may come up in the room, send it to the interpreter beforehand. For more on consecutive and simultaneous, see Consecutive vs simultaneous.
Different skills
Interpreting draws on listening under pressure, short-term memory, note-taking, and spoken delivery: pace, tone, and the speaker's degree of commitment. "3억 5천만 원" has to come out as "350 million won" in about a second.
Translating draws on writing, research, and consistency. A defined term in clause 2 of a contract must be the same term in clause 19; one part keeps one name across a 200-page manual. Translators build glossaries and use reference material and translation memory tools for that.
Why one does not guarantee the other
A strong translator may struggle when a speaker runs on for a minute, or produce careful, written-sounding sentences too slowly for a meeting. A strong interpreter may write a contract translation that reads like speech: accurate in substance, loose on defined terms. Some professionals do both well. But skill in one is not evidence of skill in the other, so check the specific work you are booking.
Typical mixed jobs
- Deck translated beforehand, meeting interpreted on the day. A translator prepares the Korean or English deck a week ahead; the interpreter receives both versions, so the terms on screen and the terms spoken match.
- Contract read out at the table. A revised clause appears mid-meeting. The interpreter sight-translates it; the version you sign still needs a written translation.
- Site visit with minutes. The interpreter covers the visit; bilingual minutes are written work and should be booked as such.
What you get at the end
Interpretation leaves no written record unless the session is recorded or someone takes minutes. Agree either in advance, with everyone's consent for recording.
Translation produces a document. Documents for courts, government offices, or registries may need a certified or notarized translation, a separate track whose rules vary by country and receiving office. Confirm local certification requirements with whoever will receive the document.
Where to look
Interpreters and translators often come through the same channels, so say which one you need.
- Language service agencies. Many handle both. Ask whether the person proposed interprets business meetings, not mainly documents.
- Professional associations. National associations keep member directories, often split by interpretation and translation. AIIC, the international association of conference interpreters, lists conference interpreters.
- Referrals. Cross-border lawyers and advisers often know interpreters who have sat in business meetings.
- Platforms. Some list freelancers by language; others source and test candidates per request. Ask how skill is checked and whether you see the result before you choose.
For an interpreter, confirm the person is eligible to work where the meeting takes place.
How to check skill before booking
A résumé listing "translation and interpretation" does not show which one the person does well. Test the work you are booking.
- Use speech. A minute or two from your field, with figures, names, and one hedged statement.
- Test both directions. Many interpreters are stronger in one.
- Play it once and record. No replay, no preparation time.
- Add a short clause to sight-translate if documents will come up.
- Score against a rubric. Content fidelity, target-language fluency, and delivery. Have a bilingual colleague check every number.
For a full walkthrough, see How to verify an interpreter's skill before hiring.
What to send beforehand
Most mismatches start with the request. "Korean translator needed for a visit" often reaches someone who does document work. Describe the activity, not the job title.
- Activity and mode. "Consecutive interpretation for a two-hour meeting," not "a translator." Say if documents may be read out.
- Setting. In-person or remote, city, dates, number of participants.
- What you need at the end. Nothing written, minutes, or a translated document (book that separately).
- Preparation material. Agenda, attendees, slides in every language you have, the glossary your translator used, and any document likely to be read out.
A short briefing call before the meeting is worth more than any document.
How MetaPret handles an interpretation request
MetaPret's per-request matching is for spoken interpretation; MetaPret is not a translation agency.
When you submit a request with the language pair, field, city, dates, and format, MetaPret builds a short interpretation test from that engagement's field, covering both directions of the pair. Candidates are sourced and tested for the city and dates of each request. Each passage plays once, and each recording is scored in each direction on three axes: content fidelity, target-language fluency, and delivery.
Assignment runs in this order: eligibility to work at the location, availability on the dates, then the interpretation test. On a private comparison page, you see each candidate whose test was confirmed, under a pseudonym, with their scores. Names appear after you pick one. Open requests are posted on the MetaPret board.
Verified supply is deepest in Seoul today; verification travels to wherever your meeting is. The full method is published at How MetaPret tests.
FAQ (FAQPage schema)
Q: What is the main difference between an interpreter and a translator?
A: An interpreter converts speech in real time, in meetings, calls, and events. A translator converts written text, with time to research and revise. Book by the activity: talking needs an interpreter, a document needs a translator.
Q: Can a translator interpret at my meeting?
A: Yes, if they also interpret. The skills differ: interpreting needs listening, memory, and spoken delivery under time pressure. Test the candidate on speech before booking.
Q: Who reads a contract aloud in another language during a meeting?
A: The interpreter. That is sight translation. Send the document in advance, and arrange a written translation separately for the version you sign.
Q: Will I get a written record from an interpreter?
A: Not by default. Arrange recording with everyone's consent or assign someone to take minutes, and agree this beforehand.
Q: Does MetaPret offer translation?
A: MetaPret's per-request matching is for spoken interpretation. MetaPret matches interpreters and tests each candidate on an interpretation passage from your field before you choose.
About the author
Paul Dahoon Kim is the founder of MetaPret and a working Korean-English interpreter with around 100 professional engagements across military intelligence, international cooperation, and corporate business interpretation. He still personally takes on a small number of high-stakes engagements every quarter to stay current with the field.
About page · Contact: cs@metapret.net · LinkedIn