Purpose: The purpose of this article is to present a case study of an HRD team from the UK that delivers training to a large public service Hungarian organization with the aid of interpreters and translators. Design/methodology/approach: The article takes the form of a case study. Findings: The article acts to illustrate good and ineffective practices, and practical difficulties inherent in the acts of translation and interpretation within an HRD context. Originality/value: The article helps set the base for best practice in similar situations, and will therefore be useful to practitioners undertaking work through interpreters and translators. Implications for HRD research are also presented.