intressen

Intressen is a Swedish noun meaning interests, concerns, or hobbies. It is the plural form of intresse, and is used to describe what a person finds engaging or important as well as what a group or society may have at stake.

In everyday language, intressen refers to activities a person enjoys or topics they care about, as in mina intressen är musik och sport. In more formal or political contexts, the word can denote stakes or concerns, such as nationens intressen or företagets ekonomiska intressen, referring to what matters to a country or company in a given situation.

In psychology and education, interests are treated as relatively stable orientations that influence attention, motivation, and choice. They are used in guidance and curriculum planning to help align learning with a person’s preferences. Tools such as interest inventories are employed to identify areas a learner is naturally drawn to, which can support career planning and skill development.

Etymology and cognates: intressen derives from the same root as the French intériеt (from Latin interesse), meaning to be between or to matter. In other Scandinavian languages, similar words exist: Norwegian interresser and Danish interess er, reflecting shared cultural and linguistic roots.

Common phrases include gemensamma intressen (common interests) and intressen och värderingar (interests and values), illustrating how the concept spans personal preference, motivation, and broader strategic concerns.