The TR Company

SYMPATHETIC

4/11/19 SYMPATHETIC

Sympathetic is a “false friend” for speakers of certain languages, including Spanish. It does not usually mean the same as, for example, simpático, sympathique, sympathisch, or sympatisk.

• The people in my office are all very nice/ pleasant/ easy to get on with. (NOT . . . are all very sympathetic.)

Sympathetic usually means “sharing somebody’s feelings” or “sorry for somebody who is in trouble.”

•             I’m sympathetic towards the strikers.
•             She’s always very sympathetic when people feel ill.