curious.
/ˈkjʊriəs/ adjective
Wanting to know more, and happy to ask the question that shows you don't yet.
It’s all in the nuance.
Interested is a state; curious is an appetite — an interested person listens, a curious one asks the next question.
inquisitiveasks a lot of questions; can tip into nosy
interestedpaying attention; passive by comparison
nosycurious about things that aren't your business
Hear it in context.
At work
“I'm curious what made you pick that architecture; walk me through the trade-offs.”
In a story
“He was a curious child, the kind who took the clock apart to see where the ticking lived.”
Take it into your day.
Open one conversation today with 'I'm curious —' and then ask something you actually don't know the answer to.