sympatiske

Sympatiske is a Danish adjective used to describe people, behavior, or things that are pleasant, friendly, or capable of arousing sympathy. It conveys warmth, approachability, and a generally positive impression. The word is used both of individuals and of actions, for example: en sympatisk person (a sympathetic person) and mennesker er sympatiske (people are sympathetic).

Etymology and cognates: Sympatiske derives from the same root as the English sympathetic, with historical borrowings into Danish via French sympathy "sympathique" or German "sympathisch." The Danish form is part of a wider Nordic pattern in which Norwegian and Swedish use similar forms (sympatisk/sympatiske). The underlying root is ultimately Greek, from a combination of sun (with) and pathē (feeling).

Usage and inflection: Sympatisk is the base form used for singular nouns, while sympatiske is the plural or predicative form in masculine and feminine contexts. Examples: et sympatisk menneske (a sympathetic person), et ægte menneske vs de sympatiske mennesker (the sympathetic people). In a sentence: Det var sympatisk af dig (That was kind of you) illustrates a common figurative use meaning kind or thoughtful.

Nuance: Sympatiske emphasizes likability and warmth rather than technical kindness or politeness alone. It is broadly positive and often used to describe social ease, empathy, and genuine affability, but can also describe appealing or agreeable things, such as a sympatisk tilbud (a favorable offer) in some contexts.

See also: sympathy, empathy, venlighed.