The term working language refers to the language used for communication in large multilingual (supranational) organisations such as the UN, NATO or ASEAN. Working languages must be distinguished from official languages: The European Union has 24 official languages (the languages of the member states), but English, French and German are mainly used as working languages. Before the European Court of Justice, for example, proceedings can be conducted in all official languages of the EU, but only French is the official working language.

The working language of an interpreter is the language in which he or she interprets professionally, i.e. mediates orally between two or more other languages. The native language is always one of the working languages.  The other working languages of an interpreter depend on their qualifications and language skills. An interpreter can specialize in one or more working languages depending on their qualifications and experience.

Active and passive languages

When interpreting, a distinction is made between active and passive languages. Active languages are languages that the interpreter understands and speaks. An active language is therefore a language from which the interpreter interprets into another language and into which the interpreter interprets from another language. For example, if an interpreter interprets from German into English and from English into German, both languages are active languages for the interpreter.

Passive languages are languages that the interpreter understands but does not speak or into which they do not interpret. For example, if an interpreter interprets from English into French, but not back into English (from French), then English is a passive language for this interpreter.

A-language, B-language and C-language

In addition to the distinction between active and passive languages, interpreters also differentiate between A-language, B-language and C-language. The A-language and B-language are active languages, while the C-language is a passive language.

• A-language: The A-language is the interpreter's mother tongue. As a rule, interpreters have a mother tongue and therefore an A language. However, there are also interpreters who have grown up bilingually and therefore have two A languages. As every speaker is (intuitively) most familiar with their mother tongue, it is advisable to use interpreters whose A language is the target language of the interpreting (native speaker principle).
• B-language: B-languages are languages that the interpreter understands and speaks. It is an active language which the interpreter uses regularly and which is (almost) as familiar to them as their A language (mother tongue).
• C-language: The C-language is so well understood by the interpreter that he/she fully understands all content and can interpret from this language into his/her A- and B-language.

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