Interpreter in Essen – Sworn, On Site, by Video and Phone

Key facts at a glance

• ✓Interpreting in 170 languages and dialects, for example Arabic, Turkish, Kurdish, Ukrainian and Farsi
• ✓Generally sworn interpreters for courts, police and notaries – what most people call a sworn or court interpreter
• ✓On-site assignments in every district of Essen, from Karnap to Kettwig
• ✓Video and telephone interpreting, often on the same day
• ✓No-obligation quote before the assignment – costs are only incurred once you accept

Where in Essen does our agency provide interpreters?

RAGUNATHAN provides interpreters wherever people in Essen need to settle something important without a shared language: at courts and public authorities, in hospitals, at notaries' offices and in companies. Typical settings include:

• Courts: Essen Local Court (Amtsgericht Essen), the local courts in Essen-Borbeck and Essen-Steele, Essen Regional Court (Landgericht Essen) and Essen Labour Court. The Regional Social Court of North Rhine-Westphalia (Landessozialgericht) is also based in Essen.
• Public authorities: the City of Essen immigration office (Ausländerbehörde), the registry office (Standesamt), the job centre (Jobcenter), the youth welfare office (Jugendamt), advice centres and the police.
• Medicine and therapy: informed-consent discussions and ward rounds at Essen University Hospital (Universitätsmedizin Essen) and other hospitals, appointments at doctors' surgeries and therapy sessions.
• Notaries: purchase contracts, wills, powers of attorney and articles of association when one of the parties does not speak German well enough.
• Business and trade fairs: negotiations, company tours and trade fair appointments – for example at specialist fairs such as E-world energy & water at Messe Essen.

For an overview of all areas and types of assignment, see our Interpreting page.

What is a generally sworn interpreter?

A generally sworn interpreter has taken a general oath once. After that, they can invoke this oath before all federal and state courts instead of being sworn in again for every case. This is set out in section 189(2) of the German Courts Constitution Act (Gerichtsverfassungsgesetz).

In North Rhine-Westphalia, generally sworn (allgemein beeidigt) is the official term for interpreters. The legal basis is the federal Court Interpreters Act (Gerichtsdolmetschergesetz) and the North Rhine-Westphalia Justice Act (Justizgesetz NRW). In everyday German, people also say vereidigter or beeidigter Dolmetscher, and in English you will usually see sworn interpreter or court interpreter – as a rule, all of these mean the same thing. The judiciary maintains a public database in which you can look up generally sworn interpreters.

A different term applies to written translations: translators who may certify translations in North Rhine-Westphalia are authorised by the court (ermächtigt). You can read more about this on our page Translation agency for Essen.

When does an interpreter in Essen need to be sworn?

Being sworn matters above all in court and at a notary's office. At public authorities, in hospitals and in companies it is usually not required – what counts there is language skills, subject knowledge, impartiality and confidentiality. The most important cases:

• Court: The language of the court is German. If a party does not speak sufficient German, the court calls in an interpreter. This person takes an oath or invokes their general oath. The court usually appoints the interpreter for the hearing itself. For meetings with your lawyer before the hearing, you book an interpreter yourself.
• Notary: If a party does not understand the language of the deed, the record must be translated – usually by an interpreter. If the interpreter is not generally sworn, the notary is to swear them in, unless all parties waive this (section 16 of the German Notarisation Act, Beurkundungsgesetz).
• Registry office: Many registry offices require an interpreter when you give notice of marriage and at the wedding ceremony if one person does not speak sufficient German. Whether the interpreter must be sworn is decided by the registry office.

Which languages and types of interpreting do we offer in Essen?

RAGUNATHAN interprets in Essen in 170 languages and dialects – from Arabic and Turkish to rare languages such as Tigrinya. These include, for example, Kurdish (Kurmanji and Sorani), Ukrainian, Russian, Polish, Romanian, Farsi, Dari, Pashto, Amharic, Somali and Urdu. We also arrange sign language interpreters.

For Arabic and Kurdish, it helps us to know the country of origin: that way we can find someone who reliably understands the right dialect. For very rare languages, see our page Interpreters for rare languages; for Tamil, there is a dedicated page: Tamil–German interpreter.

Depending on the appointment, we choose the right type of interpreting:

• Consecutive interpreting: with a short delay, section by section – the most common form in court, at public authorities and at the doctor's.
• Simultaneous interpreting: in real time, usually from a booth – for conferences and larger events.
• Whispered interpreting: quietly, right next to one or two listeners, for example on a trade fair tour.
• Liaison interpreting: conversations in both directions, for example at business meetings.

We explain consecutive and simultaneous interpreting in detail on our page Interpreter in Duisburg.

On site, by video or by phone – what suits your appointment in Essen?

For conversations with many participants or a lot of emotion – in court, in hospital or at a wedding – an interpreter on site is usually the best choice. Short conversations can often be interpreted by video or phone, for example an advice appointment at the job centre or a follow-up question at a doctor's surgery.

Video interpreting runs via Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Jitsi, or on request via our own secure video platform. Video and telephone interpreting is often possible on the same day.

For on-site assignments, distances are short: Mülheim an der Ruhr borders directly on Essen. From our office in Mülheim-Styrum, the A40 motorway (Ruhrschnellweg) leads straight to Essen via the Mülheim-Styrum junction. Travel is already included in the quote. Coming from Essen, you can reach us by S-Bahn: lines S1 and S3 run from Essen Hauptbahnhof (central station) to Mülheim (Ruhr)-Styrum station.

How do you book an interpreter for Essen – and what does it cost?

You book an interpreter for Essen in four steps – online, by phone, email or WhatsApp. You know the price before you commit.

1. 01
   Request an appointment

   language, date, time, expected duration and location in Essen – via the form above, by email or WhatsApp.

2. 02
   Receive your quote

   a no-obligation quote – for an on-site assignment including travel, or by video and phone.

3. 03
   The right person

   we select the interpreter by language, dialect, subject area and occasion – generally sworn for courts and notaries.

4. 04
   The assignment

   the interpreter comes to your appointment in Essen or joins by video or phone.

The price depends on four factors: duration, language, location (on site including travel, or by video and phone) and type of interpreting. Simultaneous interpreting for a conference is therefore priced differently from a one-hour appointment at the immigration office.

Request an interpreter for Essen

Why RAGUNATHAN?

• Since 1986

  Experience with assignments at courts, police stations, public authorities and hospitals – in the Ruhr area and throughout Germany.

• Right next door

  Our office in Mülheim-Styrum is in Essen's neighbouring city – short distances to your appointment.

• Over 1,000 language professionals

  Interpreters and translators for 170 languages and dialects.

• Proven quality

  ISO 9001:2015, certified by TÜV SÜD. Owner Ayadurai Ragunathan is a member of the BDÜ – the German Federal Association of Interpreters and Translators.

Questions about your appointment in Essen? Call us on +49 208 99 04 77 (Mon–Fri 8:30 am – 4:30 pm) – our advice is free of charge.