Interesserer

Interesserer is a present tense verb form used in Danish and Norwegian to express that something interests someone or that someone has an interest in something. It can convey two related ideas: to cause interest in another person or to be personally interested in a topic. For example, in Danish and Norwegian you can say “Dette emnet interesserer mig” (This topic interests me) or “Jeg interesserer mig for kunst” (I am interested in art). The sense often depends on whether a direct object or a reflexive construction is used.

In usage, interesserer typically takes an object referring to the matter that arouses interest, or it can be combined with the reflexive pronoun seg to indicate a personal interest. In Norwegian, another common construction is “å interessere seg for noe,” meaning to take an interest in something. The verb is versatile in formal and semi-formal registers, including journalism, education, and business communications.

Etymologically, interesserer derives from the verb interessere, which in turn comes from the French intérer (to interest) and ultimately from the Latin inter (= between) plus esse (= to be), a lineage shared with the English word interest. In Danish and Norwegian, the related noun interesse denotes the concept of interest or stake, while the adjective interessert means interested.

Related terms and contrasts: interesse (noun) is the abstract notion of interest; interessert (adjective) describes being interested; the passive-like or noun forms differ across dialects. Learners should note variation in spelling and usage between Danish and Norwegian, though the core meaning remains similar: to attract attention or to care about something.

Overall, interesserer functions as a common, neutral verb for describing attention and engagement with topics, activities, or matters that matter to someone.