22 October 2026
How to choose the right interpreter for you
A practical breakdown of simultaneous, consecutive, whispered, and liaison interpreting, and how to tell which one your event needs.
Read the articleConference interpreter & translator · Brussels
Sabrina
Sbaccanti
The language changes. The message doesn’t.
EU-accredited conference interpreter (ACI)
European Parliament, DG SCIC, Court of Justice of the EU
Conference interpreting and translation, precisely
Between Italian, European Portuguese, and English. Based in Brussels, available across Europe, on-site or remote.
What I can do for you
Simultaneous
What most people call simultaneous translation: in the booth, while the speaker talks. For conferences, summits, European Works Councils, and multilingual meetings.
Consecutive and liaison
Beside the speaker, in segments or in short exchanges. For negotiations, site visits, and small meetings.
Remote
On the major remote interpreting platforms, for hybrid and fully online events.
Teams and equipment
For multilingual events, I put together and coordinate the interpreting team, and arrange booths and sound with technical providers I trust. One contact, from start to finish.
Translation and transcreation
Written texts in the right register, from technical reports to advertising campaigns.
Main specialisations
EU affairs
From the first reading to the final vote, with trilogues and delegated acts in between.
Healthcare and pharma
Pharmacology at congress speed, with the abbreviations sorted out beforehand.
Finance and insurance
Basis points, solvency ratios, and IFRS 17 are said quickly and heard once. My job is to make sure they arrive intact.
European Works Councils (EWC)
Plenaries and select committees. Management and employee representatives hear the same words, at the same moment.
Defence
For ministries and industry. Dense terminology; confidentiality goes without saying.
Food and wine
Barolo, Port, and the endless Italian feud over what goes into a ragù: tastings, trade fairs, and cooking, with the right terms for each table.
Institutional and corporate work since 2016
Most of my work is covered by confidentiality agreements: what follows is a selection.
Institutions & politics
- European Parliament
- European Commission
- Presidency of the Italian Council of Ministers
- Italian & Brazilian government ministries
- G7 / G20
- IFAD (United Nations)
- Brazil’s FAO Representation
- European Labour Authority
- Milan Chamber of Commerce
- Sardinia Regional Government
- Italian-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce
- European Committee of the Regions
- European Training Foundation
- JRS (Jesuit Refugee Service)
- Greens/EFA (European Parliament)
- Rockefeller Foundation
Finance & insurance
- World Bank
- Borsa Italiana
- Deutsche Bank
- Allianz Group
- Nexi
- AXA
- Il Sole 24 Ore
- Mastercard
- Klécha & Co
Defence
- Italian Ministry of Defence
- US Army
- Leonardo Elettronica
- GEM Electronics
Medicine & pharma
- Novartis
- Bayer
- GSK
- Doppel
- Angelini
- Sandoz
- CDI
- ViiV Healthcare
- Vital Strategies
- Angels Initiative
- FAST Italia
- SIME (Società Italiana di Medicina Estetica)
Food & beverage
- Bellavista
- Tyson
- Mondelez
- JBS N.V.
- Amerino Brewery
- Three Cents
Industry & manufacturing
- European Pallet Association
- Luxottica
- Corteva
- Tetra Pak
- Magaldi Group
- SAME
European Works Councils
- Smurfit Westrock Europe
- KONE
- TE Connectivity
- Stellantis
Other
- Columbia University
- Google Cloud Summit
- Samsung
- House of Switzerland
- Sightsavers
- Fondation Cartier
- Modere
- GBTimes
- Fabiana Filippi
What clients say
“Working with Sabrina is a real pleasure. In addition to being highly skilled, reliable, and detail-oriented, she handles even the most complex and specialised content with natural ease, tact, and client focus. On multiple occasions, I have relied not only on the quality of her work, but also on her responsiveness, flexibility, and consistently positive, collaborative attitude. She is a professional whose services I would recommend without hesitation.”
PM · Issel Nord
“Don’t hire Sabrina for your projects: she’ll get booked up, and then she won’t be available for us. And we always want her.”
Claudio Nucera · Owner, Quasar Group
“I have worked with Sabrina on numerous occasions where she has been a delight to work with: professional, approachable, and always ready to adapt when issues arise.”
Shadi Azari · Project Manager Meetings, Presence Group
“Sabrina took care of the translation of my TEDx talk into English and did an incredible job. The TED team was impressed with the accuracy and attention to detail.”
Francesco Pignatti · Founder & CEO, IronManager
“A totally dedicated interpreter who works very well in a team, with great attention to detail. A pleasure to work with, and one I’d recommend without hesitation.”
Carlo Farrugia · Malta Online Dictionary Limited
“I have been working with Sabrina since 2018 on interpreting, translation and transcription assignments in the financial and insurance field, and I am very satisfied with the working and human relationship that has developed. Besides carrying out her work reliably and precisely, she has proved to be an empathetic collaborator, able to organise and manage complex projects involving several resources, with a high problem-solving capacity.”
Alessandro Fonte · Owner, New Moon Srls
“A very high level of professionalism, competence and reliability are Sabrina’s salient qualities, which I was able to observe at work during the Festival dell’Economia 2023. I greatly appreciated her linguistic skills, her ability to respond constructively to unforeseen events, and her excellent performance in both simultaneous and consecutive interpreting. To complete the picture I would add three more adjectives: kind, collaborative and always punctual. I hope we will have the chance to work together again.”
Urszula Bziuk · Owner, Klarbo
“I contacted Ms Sabrina Sbaccanti by telephone. My first impression was of speaking with a competent, organised, helpful and highly qualified person. It took me a few seconds to decide that she was the person who would perfectly meet my professional requirements. Later, as the relationship developed, I was pleased to see her great professionalism in handling the organisational phase of the interpreting required, from both a technical and a training point of view. Indeed, she asked for an enormous quantity of specific material in order to be as well prepared as possible for the task. If I need an interpreter again in future, Sabrina Sbaccanti is first on the list.”
Massimo Giovannucci · Level 3 World Archery Coach, FITARCO Trainer
“Sabrina is an exemplary professional. She showed great availability and precision, entering fully into the mood of the projects, interpreting the themes to the best effect and guaranteeing an absolutely perfect final product. The collaboration is so positive that we intend to keep entrusting her with our future projects.”
Fabio Sguazzotti · Art Director, Synapsy Events
“For Dr Sabrina Sbaccanti, a reference is an understatement. (…) Precise as a Swiss watch, she stands out not only for her quick, open mind but for her rare humility, and she scrupulously meets deadlines even while juggling several assignments at once.”
Micaela Andreatti · Founder & CEO, Elite Status
“Sabrina Sbaccanti has been a reliable collaborator of ours for many years. She is dependable, detail-oriented, and well-qualified. She has demonstrated great competence and a collaborative attitude, particularly in the field of aesthetic medicine. Working with Sabrina is always pleasant.”
Loredana La Rotonda · Ablio Conference
“Sabrina is a consistently professional interpreter who approaches every task with care. On numerous occasions, we have valued her precise interpreting and her skill in adapting to immediate needs in complex event environments.”
Giulio Monaco · Ablio Conference
“There is the given – the highest language proficiency and the knowledge of protocols and even informal habits it takes dedication to master at any age.
Then there is the good-to-have: a quick intuition of the business needs behind the job and a punctilious application of very recent technological developments which are as necessary as they are rare.
Finally, there is the wishlist, the bonus we dare not hope for: a solar yet down to earth practical stance, a fun and reassuring presence, and the search for excellence through modesty.
Based on my experience, Sabrina has all three.”Martin Esposito · Conference Interpreter
Testimonials translated into English where needed.
Background
What I’ve done, where I trained, and what I’m still working on.
Conference interpreter and translator since 2016. My languages: Italian (A), European Portuguese (A), and English (B). A packed travel calendar means I rarely stay put for long.
I grew up in a military family, so moving wasn’t a choice so much as a schedule: several corners of Italy, then Portugal, where I spent years and went to secondary school, then China and Taiwan, before I finally settled in Brussels.
Away from the booth, I run 10 to 21 kilometres, never travel without a book, and have a podcast habit longer than some careers. I collect cookbooks, and actually cook from them. Wine and craft beer I take seriously enough to own several glasses for what is, strictly speaking, one hobby.
Since 2016
Over 550 meetings as a freelance conference interpreter
EU accreditation
DG SCIC, European Parliament, Court of Justice of the EU
Education
MA in Interpreting and Translation, UNINT, Rome
Teaching
UNINT (2018–2019, 2020–2021), University of Milano-Bicocca (2024)
CPD
40+ continuing professional development courses
Remote interpreting
The major platforms, in regular use
Talks
University of Nottingham, techforword’s Direct Client Summit, and Meet the Translator
Currently
The AIS sommelier course: swirling, sniffing, and studying.
Questions, answered
If you are organising an interpreted event, the essentials fit on one page: “Before you book an interpreter”. Documents and timing, comparing quotes, the day itself, and the room and the sound.
Simultaneous or consecutive? And is simultaneous translation the same thing?
In simultaneous, the interpreter works from a booth or a platform while the speaker talks: the choice for conferences, multilingual events, and tight schedules. In consecutive, the speaker pauses and the interpreter delivers each segment, which suits negotiations, visits, and small meetings. As for the name, simultaneous translation and live translation are what most people search for; simultaneous interpreting is what the profession calls it, because the work is on the spoken word. It is the same service. Apps help on holiday; for a meeting that matters, you need interpreters. The guide to choosing an interpreter covers each mode.
Simultaneous
Consecutive
0time
The speakerThe interpreter, on air
Why do interpreters work in pairs, and can you put the team together?
Because simultaneous interpreting demands a level of concentration nobody can sustain for hours on end. AIIC professional standards provide for at least two interpreters per booth, and in practice they take turns every 20 to 30 minutes. Taking turns is what keeps the quality consistent until the last speaker. For multilingual meetings, I put together the booths with colleagues I work with: relay where a language needs it, and one person to call for the whole team. The same goes for AV providers and event agencies running the production. Send me the programme and I’ll size the team to the languages, the length, and the subject.
Which languages do you work in?
Italian and European Portuguese are both my A languages, and English is my B, so I work in both directions between all three: Italian and Portuguese, Portuguese and English, Italian and English. These are the languages of my EU accreditation. For an audience from Brazil, I can recommend a Brazilian colleague, and if your event needs other languages as well, colleagues I work with.
How much does simultaneous translation cost, and what does the quote include?
Simultaneous translation, or live translation, is priced by the day, and three things set the figure: how many interpreters you need (at least two interpreters per booth), the length of the event, and any travel. Booths and equipment, if needed, are quoted separately, and I can help you choose the technical supplier. And recording, live streaming, or later reuse must be agreed in advance and carry a surcharge, typically around 30% of the fee, because an interpretation can be protected by copyright and related rights, and my terms of service govern its use. Every quote is free and tailored: send me the date, venue, languages, and programme, and I’ll reply within 24 hours on working days.
How far in advance should I book an interpreter?
Ideally two to three weeks ahead; earlier in spring and autumn, when conferences pile up, and for multi-day events or several languages. Short notice is still worth a message: if I’m free, we’ll find a way, and the sooner the materials arrive, the better the preparation.
Can I send drafts or confidential documents?
Yes, and you should. Drafts and work in progress are fine: rough and early beats polished and late. For confidential material, I am glad to sign an NDA, or to work from an anonymised briefing. Either way, send what you have as soon as you have it.
Booth, portable system, or remote?
A soundproof booth remains the best option for conferences, but small groups and site visits can work with a portable system (bidule) or a remote interpreting platform. Remote suits hybrid and fully online events, and works best with good microphones, a stable connection, and a technical check before the day. It depends on the room, the audience, and the languages; when remote makes sense, and when it doesn’t, is covered in the guide to choosing an interpreter.
What’s the difference between an interpreter and a translator?
An interpreter works with the spoken word, live; a translator with the written one. The skills overlap, the deadlines less so: an interpreter has seconds, a translator has days. I do both.
Notes from the booth
Longer pieces on how interpreting works in practice, and why it matters more than it seems.
info@sabrinasbaccanti.com
The fastest route: I reply within 24 hours on working days.
+39 340 603 1641
When I’m in the booth, I can’t answer. For enquiries, email is more reliable.