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A enfermeira é simpática.

A enfermeira é simpática.
The nurse is friendly.
From Lesson 48:Expressing obligation (ter de)·Portuguese (Portugal)

Breakdown of A enfermeira é simpática.

ser
to be
simpático
nice
o enfermeiro
the nurse

Questions & Answers about A enfermeira é simpática.

Does simpática mean sympathetic?
No, simpática is a false friend. It actually means friendly, nice, or pleasant. If you want to say someone is sympathetic or understanding, you would use a word like compreensiva.
Why use é instead of está for is?
We use é (from the verb ser) because being friendly is considered a regular personality trait of this nurse. If we used está (from the verb estar), it would imply she is just acting friendly right now as a temporary mood or behavior.
How would this sentence change if the nurse were a man?
You need to change the article, the noun, and the adjective to their masculine forms. The sentence would become: O enfermeiro é simpático.
How would I change this sentence to say that the nurse HAS TO be friendly?
To express obligation, you use tem de (has to) followed by the infinitive (original, unconjugated) form of the verb. Since é comes from the verb ser (to be), the sentence becomes: A enfermeira tem de ser simpática.

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