Sven Otto was born in Meißen, Germany, in 1970 and lives in Vienna.

He graduated in Russian, Polish and translation studies and Library and information sciences, both at Humboldt University Berlin. Since 2001 he has been working as a journalist, translator and editor, since 2021 also as librarian at the Albertina art museum in Vienna. He is co-funder and co-owner of nov-ost.info, a news agency specialised in business news in Central and Eastern Europe.

During a three-years' stay in Ventspils (2005-2008) and later during residencies at the International Writers’ and Translators’ House, including the language programme for literary translators, he learnt Latvian.

His literary translations from Polish and Latvian (mainly fragments to present to publishers) include works from Wojciech Pestka, Māris Bērziņš, Alberts Bels, Lauris Gundars, Jānis Jaunsudrabiņš, Laima Kota, Zigmunds Skujiņš, Osvalds Zebris and Andris Kalnozols.