Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| curioso | /kuˈrjo.zo/ /kuˈrjo.so/ |
| interessato | /in.te.resˈsa.to/ |
curioso is used to describe someone tending to ask questions or wanting to explore or investigate. It can also be used to describe an object or situation that is strange, odd or peculiar.
Which one should you use?
While curioso describes a person's inquisitive nature, interessato often implies being interested in a specific subject or, colloquially, being self-interested.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must agree in gender with the person being described: use the feminine form curiosa for a woman, the masculine plural curiosi for a group of men or a mixed-gender group and the feminine plural curiose when describing a group consisting only of women.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /kuˈrjo.zo/. It has 3 syllables, and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- The word curioso shares a common ancestor with the English word 'curate', as both stem from the Latin 'cura', meaning 'care'.
- In certain contexts, curioso can be used as a noun to describe a bystander or a 'rubbernecker' watching an accident.
- To describe someone as 'nosy' in a derogatory way, Italians often move beyond curioso and use the phrase curiosone, adding a suffix that implies excess.
Examples in context
- È curioso su tutto.He's curious about everything.This sentence is useful for showing how to say someone is curious about everything using curioso.Tatoeba #8850570 by Guybrush88, translation #401022 by FeuDRenais
- Tom è molto curioso.Tom is very curious.This sentence is useful for describing someone as very curious using curioso.Tatoeba #4024338 by Guybrush88, translation #2647499 by CK
- Lei è curioso, vero?You're curious, aren't you?This sentence is useful for asking if someone is curious using curioso.Tatoeba #4394232 by Guybrush88, translation #3818023 by CK
- Sono desideroso di sapere quale sia la tua opinione su questo argomento.I am curious to know what your opinion on this topic is.
- Sono sempre stato assetato di conoscenza, fin da quando ero bambino.I have always been thirsty for knowledge, ever since I was a child.
- Sono davvero curioso di scoprire cosa succederà nel prossimo episodio.I am really curious to find out what will happen in the next episode.
- Perché sei così curioso di sapere dove sto andando?Why are you so curious to know where I am going?
- Sono curioso di vedere come reagirà la mia famiglia alla sorpresa.I am curious to see how my family will react to the surprise.
- È sempre stato incuriosito dall'arte moderna.He has always been intrigued by modern art.
- Sono davvero curioso di capire come risolverai questo problema.I am really curious to see how you will solve this problem.
- 205 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofia and Francesco are discussing a mysterious locked box.
- SofiaCosa c'è in questa scatola?What is in this box?
- FrancescoNon lo so, ma sei proprio curiosa, Sofia.I don't know, but you are really curious, Sofia.
- SofiaSono curiosa di sapere chi l'ha lasciata qui.I am curious to know who left it here.
- FrancescoAnche io sono curioso, proviamo ad aprirla.I am curious too, let's try to open it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “curious” translations and entries curioso, interessato, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries curioso, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
