Interested describes the person having the feeling: "I'm interested in nineteenth-century photography." Interesting describes the thing that produces the feeling: "It was an interesting exhibition." Say "I am interested" about yourself; say "it is interesting" about the book, film or idea.
English builds two adjectives from many emotion verbs — one ending in -ed and one in -ing. The -ed form belongs to whoever feels the emotion. The -ing form belongs to whatever causes it.
So a bored student sits through a boring lecture, and a surprised guest opens a surprising present. Interested and interesting follow exactly the same pattern.
How to use interested
Almost always about a person, and almost always followed by in:
- "She's interested in applying for the role."
- "I'd be interested to hear what he thinks."
- "Are you interested in coming along on Saturday?"
Note the two patterns: interested in + noun or -ing verb, and interested to + hear, know, see, learn.
How to use interesting
About things, events, ideas and people considered as subjects:
- "That's an interesting way of putting it."
- "The second half was more interesting than the first."
- "He's an interesting man — he used to run a circus."
"He is interesting" means other people find him worth attention. "He is interested" means he is the one paying attention.
The test
Ask who is feeling something. If the word describes the one having the experience, use interested. If it describes the source of the experience, use interesting. A blunt version: people are interested, things are interesting.
Watch what happens when you get it backwards. "I am very interesting in this job" tells the recruiter you find yourself fascinating. The sentence you wanted was "I am very interested in this job."
The exception worth knowing
A person can genuinely be interesting — that is not an error, it just means something different. And in formal or legal English, interested has a second sense: having a stake in the outcome. "An interested party" is not someone who is curious; it is someone with something to gain or lose. "The judge must have no interested connection to the case."
One more caution about tone. "That's interesting" said flatly is a well-known British way of signalling doubt or disapproval. If you mean it sincerely, say what made it interesting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it "I am interested in this job" or "I am interesting in this job"?
"I am interested in this job." Interested describes your feeling. "I am interesting" would claim that other people find you fascinating.
Can a person be described as interesting?
Yes. "She's an interesting person" means others find her worth listening to. It is correct — it simply says something about her effect on people, not about what she feels.
Which preposition follows interested?
Use in before a noun or -ing form: "interested in history", "interested in learning Spanish". Use to before hear, see, know or learn: "I'd be interested to know why."