01
Leute
people
An indefinite number of people; persons in general.
example
Auf dem Marktplatz waren viele Leute unterwegs.
There were many people out and about in the marketplace.
Leute
people
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Only in the plural
The word 'Leute' is a plural word and has no singular form. It is always used to talk about more than one person.
EXAMPLE
Vor dem Geschäft warten schon einige Leute.
Some people are already waiting in front of the shop.
Colloquial style
'Leute' is a very common word in everyday language and informal situations. It is often used for an indefinite group of people.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe gehört, die Leute in dieser Stadt sind sehr freundlich.
I heard the people in this city are very friendly.
As direct address
In colloquial language, 'Leute' is often used as a direct, informal form of address for a group. It usually comes at the beginning of the sentence, followed by a comma.
EXAMPLE
Leute, wir müssen los, der Film fängt gleich an!
Guys, we have to go; the movie is about to start!
Context clue: belonging
In combination with a possessive pronoun (e.g. 'meine' (my), 'seine' (his)), 'Leute' refers to a specific group that belongs to someone, such as family, friends, or employees.
EXAMPLE
Der Firmenchef hat alle seine Leute zu einer Feier eingeladen.
The company boss invited all his people to a celebration.
Compare with
Leute vs Mensch
human / person
'der Mensch' and 'die Leute' both talk about people. 'der Mensch' usually means a single person or humans in general. 'die Leute' is always plural and means several people, often without an exact number. It can also mean a specific group, for example 'die Leute im Büro' (the people in the office) or 'die Leute aus der Nachbarschaft' (the people from the neighborhood). Learners confuse the words because both are very general. For one single person, you say 'ein Mensch'; for several people in everyday language, 'die Leute' often sounds more natural.
Leute
In der Pause sprechen die Leute über das neue Projekt.
During the break, people are talking about the new project.
Mensch
Ein Mensch kann sich irren, auch wenn er viel Erfahrung hat.
A person can be mistaken, even if they have a lot of experience.
In real life
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