Frequently asked questions

We provide professional simultaneous interpreters in Dubai for all 6 UN official languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish), as well as German, Italian, Portuguese and many others. Most major language pairs are available locally in the UAE. For rarer combinations, interpreters may need to be brought in from abroad or work remotely.

This depends on the language pair, and different interpreters may charge different rates based on their market positioning. But average rates start from a minimum of AED 2,250 per interpreter per day (Arabic to English) to more than AED 5,000 per interpreter per day for rarer languages (Chinese, Japanese and Korean to English). Seasonality also plays a role - at times of highest demand (from October to December) you may have to pay a premium because availability is very limited.

Simultaneous intepretation is one of the most challenging tasks a human brain can be tasked with. Simultaneous interpreters actually perform three processes at the same time: 1) listening, 2) processing, and 3) speaking, without any pauses in between. This requires the degree of concentration and cognitive load not known to most people. Thus the interpreters ALWAYS work in pairs, in 20-30 minute shifts to maintain accuracy, concentration and quality. This is standard professional practice worldwide.

Simultaneous interpretation allows participants to hear the translation in real time through headsets, without interrupting the speaker. It is used for conferences, large meetings and multilingual events. Consecutive interpretation requires the speaker to pause regularly while the interpreter renders the message. This method is suitable for small meetings or negotiations but significantly increases the duration of the event. For conferences and formal events in Dubai, simultaneous interpretation is generally the preferred solution.

As early as possible. During peak conference seasons in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, availability becomes limited. For major events, booking 2–4 weeks in advance is recommended. For high-profile conferences or rare language pairs, earlier booking is advisable.

Yes. SounDXB provides both professional conference interpreters and simultaneous interpretation equipment in Dubai, including Bosch systems, soundproof booths, receivers and conference audio infrastructure. This ensures full technical compatibility and a streamlined setup for multilingual events.

In most cases simultaneous interpreters do not have hourly rates and usually use daily and half-daily rates. This is because regardless of the duration of the event, the interpreter will have to prepare just as thoroughly and spend just as much time getting to the venue and back, which may mean hours in traffic in the UAE. What's more, taking a job even for a couple of hours means that the interpreter is very unlikely to be able to take another job on the same day.