Here the interpreter is in the same room as the conference participants and translates the speaker's words after he has finished, in other words, consecutively, into the target language. For this purpose the interpreter will either listen to a whole speech in the one language which he then reiterates in the target language or the speaker's talk will be divided into sections of between three and 12 minutes, meaning that the speaker must pause after a completed passage and wait for the interpreter to do his job. When planning a conference, it is important to remember that consecutive interpreting, even if only into one language, will practically double the time required. Due to this time lag, consecutive interpretation is generally suitable only for smaller events with short addresses which need to be interpreted into one language only, such as product presentations, ceremonies or press conferences.
As with simultaneous interpretation, this method requires an extremely high level of concentration. When dealing with long speeches, it is advisable for the interpreter to have a colleague on standby to give him a break from time to time.