empathische

Empathische is the attributive form of the German adjective empathisch, meaning empathetic. It is used to describe a person, action, or attitude that shows empathy—the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. In everyday language, it can refer to a person who is able to feel with others, as well as to behavior that demonstrates understanding and consideration.

Grammatically, empathische is the form that appears with feminine singular and neuter singular nouns in the nominative or accusative cases when a determiner marks the gender and number, for example die empathische Frau or das empathische Kind. It also occurs with indefinite determiners in the feminine singular, as in eine empathische Person. The masculine singular and plural forms differ (empathischer for masculine or mixed contexts, empathische in some plural endings), reflecting standard German adjective declension patterns.

The term derives from Empathie, which originates from Greek pathos and has entered German through psychological and social-language use. The adjective empathisch is widely employed in psychology, education, social work, management, and customer service to describe sensitivity to others’ emotions, perspectives, and needs. It underpins practices such as reflective listening, validation, and nonjudgmental communication, often framed as components of empathetic or empathetic-style interaction.

In related terms, empathetic understanding is contrasted with sympathie and with Mitgefühl, highlighting differences between feeling with someone and sharing their emotional state. The concept remains central to interpersonal relationships, therapy, and collaborative work environments.