to interest
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to be interested in
To show curiosity or intellectual interest in someone or something; to want to learn more about something.
Er interessiert sich sehr für moderne Kunst und besucht oft Museen.
He is very interested in modern art and often visits museums.
to interest someone
To awaken someone's attention or curiosity.
Politik hat mich früher nie interessiert, aber das hat sich geändert.
Politics never interested me before, but that has changed.
This verb has two important structures. Either the person is the subject (reflexive: 'Ich interessiere mich für...' — I am interested in...), or the thing is the subject (transitive: 'Das Thema interessiert mich.' — The topic interests me.). Both sentences mean the same thing, but the focus is different.
Ich interessiere mich für Geschichte.
I am interested in history.
When the person actively shows interest, the reflexive form 'sich interessieren' (to be interested) is used. This construction always needs the preposition 'für' followed by the accusative.
Wofür interessierst du dich?
What are you interested in?
When a thing or topic awakens attention, that thing is the subject of the sentence. The person who feels the interest is then the accusative object.
Dieses Buch interessiert mich überhaupt nicht.
This book does not interest me at all.
to care / concern / languish
In negative statements, interessieren and kümmern can have similar meanings. Something does not interessieren someone if it arouses no curiosity or attention. Something does not kümmern someone if it does not worry them or affect them personally; a lack of desire to learn more is not the deciding factor.
Die neue Regel interessiert Tom nicht, weil er nichts darüber erfahren möchte.
The new rule does not interest Tom because he does not want to learn anything about it.
Die neue Regel kümmert Tom nicht, weil sie ihn persönlich nicht betrifft.
The new rule does not concern Tom because it does not affect him personally.
