interesado
/een-teh-reh-SAH-doh/
interested
Showing curiosity or attention: being 'interesado' (interested).
📝 In Action
Mi hijo está muy interesado en la historia de los dinosaurios.
A2My son is very interested in the history of dinosaurs.
¿Estás interesado en venir a la fiesta este sábado?
A2Are you keen on coming to the party this Saturday?
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'Interesado' with Prepositions
When you say what you are interested IN, you almost always use the preposition 'en' (in): 'Estoy interesado en el libro'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing up 'Interesado' and 'Interesante'
Mistake: "El libro es muy interesado. (Incorrect)"
Correction: El libro es muy interesante. (Correct). 'Interesado' describes the person feeling the interest; 'interesante' describes the thing that causes the interest.
⭐ Usage Tips
Matching Gender and Number
Remember to change the ending to match the person or thing you are describing: 'interesado' (masculine singular), 'interesada' (feminine singular), 'interesados' (masculine plural), 'interesadas' (feminine plural).
When someone is 'interesado' (self-interested), they are motivated solely by personal gain.
interesado(adjective)
self-interested
?motivated by personal gain
selfish
?negative connotation
,greedy
?focused on money
📝 In Action
Ella no te ayuda por amistad, es solo una persona muy interesada.
B1She doesn't help you out of friendship, she's just a very self-interested person.
El abogado solo aceptó el caso porque era muy interesado en el dinero.
B2The lawyer only took the case because he was very motivated by the money (greedy).
💡 Grammar Points
The Tone Shift
Unlike the first meaning ('curious'), this meaning describes a negative character trait. When used alone to describe a person, 'interesado' almost always implies they are only looking out for themselves.
⭐ Usage Tips
Context is Key
If someone says 'Juan es un interesado,' they are criticizing him for being selfish or materialistic, not complimenting his curiosity.
An 'interesado' (interested party) is a person involved in a legal or formal process.
interesado(noun)
interested party
?a person involved in a legal/formal process
stakeholder
?someone with a vested interest
,applicant
?formal term for someone applying for something
📝 In Action
Los interesados tienen tres días para presentar sus alegaciones.
C1The interested parties have three days to present their claims.
La lista de interesados en la beca se publicará mañana.
B2The list of applicants for the scholarship will be published tomorrow.
💡 Grammar Points
Adjective Used as a Noun
This definition is essentially the adjective 'interesado' being used as a noun to mean 'the person who is interested.' It is usually preceded by an article (el, la, los, las).
⭐ Usage Tips
Plural Usage
In formal notices, you will often see 'Los interesados...' (The interested parties...) as a heading, addressing everyone involved in the process.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: interesado
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'interesado' with a negative meaning?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'interesado' have two opposite feelings—positive (curious) and negative (greedy)?
This happens because the core idea of 'interest' can go two ways. If you have an interest in a subject, it's good (curious). But if you have an interest only in personal profit or money, it’s often seen as a negative character trait (greedy/selfish).