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'Sympathetic' means understanding and caring about someone's troubles; it does not mean friendly. 'Nice' is the word for pleasant and friendly.
Side-by-side comparison
"Sympathetic" describes someone who shows understanding and support for another person's suffering. Empathetic and compassionate. "She was very sympathetic" = she understood and supported me.
She was very sympathetic when I told her about my problems.
The therapist has a sympathetic manner.
He is not a very sympathetic character in the film.
"Nice" describes someone pleasant, kind, or likeable: easy to get along with. "He's a nice person" = he is pleasant to be around. It is a positive but general word.
Your teacher is very nice.
She is a nice person, always smiling and helpful.
It was nice to meet you.
Common mistake
- •The false friend: "She is a very sympathetic person" does not mean she is fun or likeable, it means she is compassionate and understands others' pain.
- •For pleasant or easy to get along with, use "nice" or "friendly."
Trick to remember it
- •"Sympathetic" comes from "sympathy" (compassion, condolences), it is for someone who feels your pain.
- •"Nice" is simply pleasant or likeable.
Quick rule
Does the person show compassion or understand your pain? "Sympathetic." Are they pleasant, friendly, and easy to get along with? "Nice" or "friendly."
Did you know?
English has many words for pleasant people, each with its own shade: "nice" (generally pleasant), "friendly" (openly sociable), "pleasant" (leaves a good impression), "likeable" (easy to like) and "outgoing" (energetic and sociable). "Sympathetic" is none of these: it describes someone who shows understanding and compassion for another person's trouble. Choosing precisely among these words is one of the things that separates intermediate from advanced English.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
The nurse was so _____ . She understood how scared I was feeling.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
What a _____ day! The weather is perfect and everyone is in a good mood.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
'Currently' means 'at the present time'; 'actually' means 'in reality', not 'nowadays'.
'Sensible' means practical and reasonable; 'sensitive' means easily affected or hurt, in feelings or physically.
"Above" is at a higher level without contact; "over" implies covering, movement, or crossing.
"Actually" corrects or contrasts an assumption; "really" intensifies or confirms.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy