German interpreters and translators for manufacturers, law firms, banks, universities, hospitals and families anywhere in the UK, including face-to-face, telephone and video interpreting, certified translation between German and English, and bookings taken 24 hours a day.
- 8,000+ linguists
- 350+ languages
- Bookings 24/7, every day of the year
- Free quotes
German interpreting services
Almost every German speaker can switch to standard German (Hochdeutsch), so a single interpreter can serve a Hamburg buyer, a Viennese lawyer and a Zurich engineer in one room. The differences show up in informal talk. Swiss speakers use their own Alemannic dialects among themselves, which a German from the north may struggle to follow, and Bavarian and Austrian speech has its own sound and vocabulary. For a factory tour or a family matter where people will relax into dialect, tell us the region.
Register matters too. The formal Sie and the familiar du look the same in English as "you", and a good interpreter chooses the right one, especially when a meeting starts formal and ends on first names.
Face-to-face interpreting
The interpreter comes to you: a hospital ward, a courtroom, a council office, a home visit or a business meeting. It is the best choice when people need to read expressions as well as words, or when the conversation is long or sensitive.
Telephone interpreting
The quickest option to set up. It works well for short calls, triage, appointment reminders and quick checks with a client.
Video interpreting
A German interpreter joins by video for remote hearings, consultations and meetings, which helps when there is no interpreter near you.
We also provide medical interpreting and conference interpreting.
Certified German translation
Common German documents include birth and marriage certificates (Geburtsurkunde, Heiratsurkunde), police certificates of good conduct (Führungszeugnis), residence registrations (Meldebescheinigung), school-leaving certificates such as the Abitur or Austrian Matura, and employer references (Arbeitszeugnis). German references are written in a coded style where polite-sounding phrases grade the employee, and we translate the wording faithfully so a UK reader sees what was actually said. Every translator works into their native language: German to English goes to a native English speaker.
Figures use a decimal comma and a full stop for thousands, so 1.250,50 EUR is one thousand two hundred and fifty euros fifty. In passports, ä, ö, ü and ß become AE, OE, UE and SS in the machine-readable line, and we match the passport spelling for names.
- Certified translation of birth, marriage and death certificates, passports, driving licences, degree certificates and bank statements, for the Home Office, courts, universities and employers.
- Legal translation: witness statements, court bundles, contracts and immigration papers.
- Document translation of medical reports, letters, leaflets and patient information.
- Urgent translation when a deadline is close.
- Transcription of German audio and video recordings, with an English translation if you need one.
English to German translation
For German readers we address the reader as Sie in official letters and guidance, and keep du for audiences who expect it, such as young people or some brands. If your readers are Swiss, we write ss throughout, because Switzerland does not use ß; Austrian readers expect Jänner for January in official texts. Public bodies in German-speaking countries also differ on gender-inclusive forms, so tell us your house style or we will use paired forms such as Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeiter.
German court and police interpreters
German comes into UK legal work through commercial litigation and arbitration, cross-border divorce and child arrangements, extradition, probate involving property in Germany or Austria, and criminal cases. For these bookings we choose German interpreters who have worked in legal settings, preferring those who hold the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (Law) or are registered with the National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI). German civil procedure is largely written and led by the judge, so witnesses from Germany may be surprised by live cross-examination; the interpreter keeps every question and answer exact.
How to book a German interpreter
- Tell us about the assignment: the date, time and address, or that you need telephone or video; how long it should last; and what it is for, such as a hospital appointment, a hearing or a business meeting.
- Tell us about the speaker: their country or region and, if you know it, their dialect. Mention any preference for a male or female interpreter.
- Get your quote. We email you a quote, with no obligation to book.
Call 0800 2425 125, email info@uklinguisticservices.co.uk or request a quote online.
About the German language
German is a West Germanic language, spoken mainly in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg. It is an official language of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg and Belgium, and of the European Union.
German is written in the Latin alphabet, with ä, ö, ü and ß.
At the 2021 Census, 46,421 usual residents of England and Wales aged three or over gave German as their main language. The local authorities with the most were the City of Westminster (1,352 people), the London borough of Camden (1,273) and the London borough of Tower Hamlets (1,255). Source: Office for National Statistics.
Before you book: Swiss and Austrian German differ from the German of Germany in speech and in some official and legal vocabulary, so tell us where the speaker or the document comes from.
| Name in German | Deutsch |
|---|---|
| Language family | West Germanic language |
| Where it is spoken | Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg |
| Writing system | Latin alphabet, with ä, ö, ü and ß |
| Language code | de |
| Main language in England and Wales (Census 2021) | 46,421 people |
Related languages
German interpreters near you
We send German interpreters to appointments across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and telephone and video interpreting work wherever you are. Choose a town for its local page.
German interpreter and translator FAQs
How quickly can I book a German interpreter?
We take bookings 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Telephone and video interpreting are usually the quickest to arrange. For a face-to-face appointment, give us as much notice as you can: same-day cover is often possible, but it depends on where you are and how many German interpreters work nearby.
How much does a German interpreter cost?
The price depends on the type of interpreting (face-to-face, telephone or video), how long the appointment lasts, where it is and how much notice you give. We quote before anything is booked, and quotes are free: call 0800 2425 125 or use our online quote form.
Can you certify German translations for a UK visa or immigration application?
Yes. We translate and certify documents such as birth and marriage certificates, passports and police certificates for visa, settlement and citizenship applications. UK Visas and Immigration asks for each translation to confirm that it is accurate and to show the date and the translator's full name, signature and contact details, so tell us when you order that the document is for an immigration application.
Do you provide German interpreters for courts, tribunals and police interviews?
Yes. Tell us the setting when you book, for example a Crown Court trial, an immigration tribunal hearing or a police interview under caution, so we can match a German interpreter with the right legal experience and qualifications.
How many people speak German in the UK?
At the 2021 Census, 46,421 usual residents of England and Wales aged three or over gave German as their main language. The local authorities with the most were the City of Westminster (1,352 people), the London borough of Camden (1,273) and the London borough of Tower Hamlets (1,255). The census asked for each person's main language, so people who speak German at home but gave English as their main language are not in that figure. Scotland and Northern Ireland count languages in their own censuses.
