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Thread: To interest

  1. #1
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    To interest

    Simple question: I'm pretty sure I understand интересоваться, but what exactly is the function of just интересовать? How does it differ?

  2. #2
    Властелин
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    Интересоваться - to be interested, интересовать - to interest.

  3. #3
    Старший оракул
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    Интересоваться - to be interested
    or "to take an interest in" (something).

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Marcus View Post
    Интересоваться - to be interested, интересовать - to interest.
    Right. But how exactly does that play out in a sentence?

    Is интересовать something like, "to make someone interested"?

    Is it sort of like a stylistic choice then? The difference between, "I am interested in x" and "X interests me"?

  5. #5
    Завсегдатай it-ogo's Avatar
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    Generally yes, verbs ended by -ся (reflexive)are normally equivalent of English passive voice. But in fact sometimes there are additional meanings or nuances.

    For example "интересоваться кем-то" most probably means either "to ask around about someone" or "to show the interest". In perfective (поинтересоваться) it means just "to ask". "Интересоваться чем-то" sometimes means "something is my hobby".
    "Россия для русских" - это неправильно. Остальные-то чем лучше?

  6. #6
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    Some curious things
    -ся it's a reduced transformed form of себя meaning "self"
    интересоваться a very long time ago could be said as итересовать себя or to interest self (in)

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