Did I Really Just Say That? - Interpreting Edition

Many interpreters work hard at self-improvement, taking lessons, and attending interpreting workshops, whether beginner or advanced, there is always room for development and no one should miss a learning opportunity.

Sometimes, however, some mistakes are too stupid to make, and that is okay. You're in the booth, so immersed in the topic, interpreting like there's no tomorrow like you've got a gun to your head and your life depends on it, everything's going perfectly, and then you hear yourself say something so absurd, so obviously wrong, that your brain practically slams on the emergency brakes.

Did I really just say that? yes, yes, you did... everyone does, but what do you do next?

Mistakes in interpreting are not a measure of your ability. They are just part of the game. Even the most seasoned interpreters make brain farts, lapses and slips of the tongue. The key is to keep calm, carry on, correct yourself subtly and move on—and do so before the client notices.

Let's embrace these moments, understand why they happen and explore ways to minimise them.

The Interpreting Blips We All Make

Interpretation is a high-pressure cognitive workout. No matter how skilled you are, you're likely to fall into some classic traps:

• False friends: Confusing similar-sounding words in different languages (e.g. using 'library' when you mean 'bookstore').

• Literal translations: Translating idioms, or cultural texts and speeches word-for-word, only to realise they make absolutely no sense.

• Grammar brain freeze: Starting a sentence confidently… and mid-way, forgetting how to finish it. More times than often, I have found myself confusing conjugation in French, or starting a sentence using "Nous" (We) and finishing it with "Ils" (They)

• Autopilot errors: A classic autopilot mistake I still make, even after a year in Canada, is translating Ministère as “Ministry” when it’s often “Department” (e.g., Ministère des Finances > Department of Finance). To make things even trickier, Ministers are members of the Cabinet, not a Ministry—a distinction that takes time to internalize. And here’s the kicker: in Canada, "Canadian Ministry" doesn’t mean Ministère Canadien as one might assume. Instead, it refers to the Conseil des ministres, which is commonly known as the Cabinet in both English and French. (Yes, it’s confusing, and yes, I’ve tripped over it more than once!)

Thinking in the wrong language: switching mid-sentence because you're juggling too much. Or having a cultural background and context that dictates the way you think, speak, and therefore interpret.

But to be honest, no interpreter is immune from these blips. The trick isn't to avoid mistakes altogether (impossible!) — it's about recovering smoothly, and pretending like they never happened in the first place!

These slip-ups are inevitable, no matter how experienced you are. Whether it's cognitive overload, overconfidence (guilty!), or stress, mistakes find a way to creep in. Stress, for example, affects beginners and seasoned interpreters in opposite ways. For beginners, nerves keep them hyper-alert, making them extra cautious—which can actually help avoid mistakes. For experienced interpreters, stress can do the reverse, triggering autopilot mode and leading to unexpected blunders. And sometimes, it’s just the heat of the moment—you hear a word, you know exactly what it means, but by the time it reaches your mouth, you say something completely unrelated. One split second, and boom—your perfectly structured sentence crashes and burns.

Making "Did I Really Just Say That?" Interpreting Moments Happen Less

1. Record, Rewatch—Don’t Cringe: Record yourself interpreting and play it back. One of my professors swore by this method—it helps you spot mistakes you didn’t even realize you made, ones that even your boothmate or clients might have missed. It can be cringey to hear yourself say the most out-of-place things but just go with it.

2. Practice with Others—Get Burnt! Join workshops or group practice sessions where you can receive feedback from peers and professionals. Also, don't be afraid to seek brutal honesty—it’s better to hear the truth in practice than to make mistakes in front of a client.

3. Never Trust Fluency Too Much: Just because you’re fluent doesn’t mean mistakes won’t happen. Always stay vigilant: double-check terminology, listen actively, and don’t assume things will “just flow.”

4. Beginners: Your Stress Is Your Superpower: Feeling nervous? Good. That means you’re paying attention.

Follow all the steps and still mess up? Well, you have no choice but to recover gracefully.

Correct yourself naturally—if it’s a minor slip, just rephrase without drawing attention to it. My go-to magic words for smoothly switching sentences or ideas are “Rather” (English), “Plutôt” (French), and "أو بعبارة أخرى" (Arabic). Just keep going with confidence—chances are, no one even noticed. If it’s a bigger mistake, subtly fix it in the next sentence rather than stopping awkwardly. And after the session? Laugh it off. Every interpreter has their “Did I really just say that?” stories.

So own it, fix it, and move on! Interpreting is a high-pressure, high-stakes profession, but at the end of the day, we’re all human. Even the best interpreters make mistakes—it’s part of the process. Don’t dwell on a small blip; move on and finish strong!

Your Turn!

What’s your funniest “Did I really just say that?” moment in the booth? Share in the comments!