Simpático

Simpático is an adjective used in Portuguese and Spanish to describe a person or demeanor that is friendly, pleasant, or agreeable. In everyday speech it typically denotes someone who is kind and easy to get along with, as in “Ele é muito simpático” or “Ela parece tão simpática.” The opposite is antipático (antipática in Spanish), used for someone who is unpleasant or disagreeable. The term can also function as a noun in casual usage, for example referring to a likable person.

Etymology and cognates: Simpático derives from Latin sympathicus, via French sympathique and into Spanish simpático and Portuguese simpático. The root path- comes from Greek pathos, meaning feeling or suffering, and the prefix sym- signals together or with. The related noun forms include simpatía/simpatia, meaning sympathy or liking, while simpatizante can mean a person who feels affinity.

Scientific and technical usage: In biology and medicine, simpático refers to the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system, as in sistema nervoso simpático. This technical sense is distinct from the everyday use related to personality, though both share the same root concept of shared feeling or response. Phrases such as “resposta simpática” describe physiological reactions associated with this system.

Usage notes: While similar to the English “sympathetic,” in everyday Romance-language use simpático emphasizes social warmth rather than emotional concern, which in English can carry broader connotations. The term is common in clinics, education, media, and casual conversation across Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking regions.