HearsayFree tool
I need an interpreter card: make one in your language
An "I need an interpreter" card, often called an I Speak card, tells staff at a front desk, clinic or court which language you speak, so they can call the right interpreter. Pick one of 24 languages. The card shows the language's name in its own script, large (Español, العربية, 中文, Українська), with a short request in English for staff. Add your name or appointment number if you like, then show it full screen or print two wallet-size copies. The card has no translated sentences, so there's nothing to mistranslate: staff read the English, and you check that the language name is yours.
Make your interpreter card
Pick your language. The card shows its name in your own script, large, so staff can see which interpreter to call, with a short request in English underneath. Show it on your phone or print two wallet-size copies.
The card asks for an interpreter; it doesn't replace one. Nothing you enter is saved or sent anywhere.
Add this interpreter card to your site
Copy this code into your page. It shows the interpreter card with a credit link to Hearsay.
Show the card. They read it in their language. Answer six quick questions and get phrase cards for your language and your moments, right after checkout.
Get my phrase cardsQuestions
What should an interpreter card say?
Two things: the language you speak, written so you can recognize it, and a clear request in English that staff can act on, such as "I speak Arabic. I need an Arabic interpreter, please." Add your dialect if it matters (for example Cantonese rather than Mandarin), and your name or appointment number so the desk can note it.
What is an I Speak card?
A language identification card. Courts, hospitals and agencies in the US use I Speak cards: one line per language, each written in that language, so a person can point to theirs. Staff then call an interpreter for that language. Courts such as those in California and Utah publish printable versions; see the sources below. This tool makes a single card for your own language that you can carry.
Which languages can I choose?
Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, Turkish, Arabic, Ukrainian, Dutch, Polish, Russian, Romanian, Greek, Czech, Swedish, Danish, Finnish, Hungarian, Korean, Chinese, Hindi, Persian and Vietnamese. These are the 24 languages Hearsay phrase cards cover. For another language, the court I Speak cards linked below list many more.
Do hospitals have to give me an interpreter?
It depends on where you are and who runs the service. In the US, the rule for health programs that receive federal funding from HHS (45 CFR 92.201) says language help must be free of charge, accurate and timely, and that a qualified interpreter must be offered when interpretation is needed. Rules elsewhere differ, so ask the front desk what they offer before your visit.
Should I use a family member or an app instead?
For medical, legal or official conversations, ask for a qualified interpreter. Children, friends and translation apps can miss or change meaning. Phrase cards and translator apps help with everyday moments like ordering food or asking directions, but they don't replace an interpreter.
Is my information saved?
No. The card is made in your browser. Nothing you choose or type, including your name, is saved or sent to us. Print it, or use your browser's print window to save a PDF.
Sources
- Judicial Council of California, Language Access Services: I Speak card
- Utah State Courts: I Speak language identification card (PDF)
- eCFR: 45 CFR 92.201, meaningful access for individuals with limited English proficiency
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Updated October 22, 2026