Where law and language meet

Interpreting means the oral transfer of oral text from a source language into a target language.
Translating means the written transfer of a written text from a source language into a target
language.

The price of a translation basically depends on the length and difficulty of the source text. In Austria, the costs of translation are usually calculated on the basis of the number of standard lines in the finished translation. One standard line consists of 55 characters, including spaces.

Frequently, I charge a flat fee on the basis of the number of standard lines and/or the estimated time needed to complete the translation. This means you are guaranteed transparent costs.

Please note: The shorter the text is, the longer the time needed for order processing is, seen in proportion to the time needed for translating. The more expert knowledge and time is needed for a translation, the higher the price will be.

Contact me for a non-binding price quote.

The time required for a translation depends on the quality, difficulty and length of the source text.

The rule of thumb is: 1 A4 page of average text length = approx. +/- 2 hours total time needed.

Please consider that it usually takes a few days before I can begin translating your text because I must complete other translations beforehand.

Contact me for a non-binding estimate of the delivery time.

Interpreting services are calculated based on the number of hours needed. The duration of the interpreting assignment, travelling time to the place where the interpreting services are needed, and waiting time, where applicable, are taken into account. Preparation time for the interpreting assignment (e.g. compiling specialist terminology, rehearsing the text to be sight-translated, reading background information) is also included.

Contact me for a non-binding price quote.

A certified translation bears the certification clause as well as the stamp and the signature of a generally sworn and court-certified interpreter. Thereby, the conformity of the translation with the original text is confirmed (“certified”).

Certified translations are required for submissions to courts and authorities and may only be prepared by specially trained, examined and certified translators (see below, “What is a court interpreter?”).

The full title is “generally sworn and court-certified interpreter”. Court interpreters are authorised to interpret in court and at authorities and to prepare certified translations.

This authorisation is acquired by taking an examination and is valid for five years.

By proving regular assignments as an interpreter and translator for courts and authorities and by completing continuing professional development activities, renewal for another five years is possible (“recertification”).

The strict examination, professional experience and continuing professional development guarantee the high quality of the work of court interpreters.

No. A notary is not authorised to certify a translation. A notary can certify the conformity of a copy with the original document, for example.

The conformity of a translation with the original text can only be certified by a sworn interpreter (“court interpreter”, “generally sworn and court-certified interpreter”, see above, “What is a certified translation?”).

If the translation has to be presented in a foreign country (non-EU country), additional superlegalisation or an apostille may be required (see below, “Do I need superlegalisation of the certified translation?”).

If the translation has to be presented in a foreign country (non-EU country), additional superlegalisation or an apostille may be required.

To clarify whether and in which form superlegalisation or an apostille has to be obtained, call the diplomatic mission of the country in which the translation is to be used.

For further information, visit this link.

If you need superlegalisation of the certified translation by a regional court (Landesgericht), please note: You will receive superlegalisation of a certified translation that I have prepared exclusively
from the Eisenstadt Regional Court (Landesgericht Eisenstadt). This is the court in whose judicial district I am registered as a court interpreter.

When you contact me (with the contact form, by email or by telephone), you will receive further information on which details and documents are required for a quote. In any case, please email to me the document to be translated (if possible in WORD format, or a scan in PDF format in the case
of certificates) and your contact details.

I can only quote a price and delivery time if I have already had the opportunity to look at the text to be translated.

For a quote, you do not need to come to my office.

After I have examined the text to be translated and after you have sent the required details, I am happy to prepare a non-binding offer for you.

By accepting the offer within the set period, you place the order. As soon as I have completed the translation, I will send it to you by email or mail, as agreed, or I will call you to arrange for a date and time when you can pick up the translation.

Please bear in mind that I am often away from my office on interpreting assignments and therefore
the office is not continuously staffed. Please make sure you call before visiting my office.

No! Knowledge of two languages is not sufficient to be able to translate/interpret. Likewise, it is not sufficient to have two hands to be able to play the piano. Put in other words: Would you run a Michelin-starred restaurant just because you know how to cook?

Professional translators have the required skills and use special techniques that they have ideally acquired in a university degree programme in translation studies.

This guarantees that the translation can be used for professional purposes.

The difference between the use of a language by lay persons and by language experts can be recognised by the effect of a translation: Would you like to make a ridiculous or a competent impression?

A person who comes across as having language competence also comes across as professionally competent. For this reason, get your translations done by a professional to ensure your success!

Under certain circumstances, yes. That is, if the translation is reviewed and edited by me. However, in most cases this is more time-consuming and thus more expensive than a professional translation done by me (see above, “I know German. Can I do the translation myself?”).

Yes, but not well enough. Maybe you know the saying, “You get what you pay for”. Machine translation by Google Translate, DeepL, ChatGPT, etc. does not result in the high quality guaranteed by human translation. If your reputation and success are at stake, rather trust a professional translation by a language (and legal) expert.