Interessi

Interessi is the Italian noun used in the plural to describe things that a person or group cares about, enjoys, or is curious about, such as hobbies or personal concerns. It can also refer to the set of aims or concerns that guide a person, organization, or country, for example in discussing professional goals or national policy.

In finance, interessi denotes interest or returns on capital. It appears in phrases like tasso di interesse (interest rate), interessi attivi (interest income), and interessi passivi (interest expenses). The calculation of interest can involve simple or compound methods, with compound interest often described in Italian as interessi composti. The term also covers the amount paid on loans or received from investments over time.

Interessi are also used in political and legal contexts to describe the goals or priorities that influence decisions or negotiations, such as the national interests (interessi nazionali) of a state. In everyday language, one might speak of personal interests (interessi personali) or professional interests when discussing priorities, activities, or commitments.

Etymology traces interessi to the Latin intersesse, meaning to matter or to be between, reflecting how the term came to describe things that are of importance or concern to someone. The Italian usage encompasses both concrete financial meaning and broader social, political, and personal senses.