Question: What is the difference between sympathy and empathy? Need Assignment Help? Sympathy is awareness of what someone is feeling and trying to do something for them; empathy is feeling what another person is feeling. Empathy can only occur when you have been through a similar situation as a person; sympathy can occur regardless. Empathy is felt very intensely; sympathy can be felt intensely but is not always. Sympathy requires feeling another person's emotional state and perspective; empathy requires awareness of another person's feelings.