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.
die Leute
people
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Meanings
Leute
people
Refers to a specific group of people who belong together, e.g. employees, family, or friends.
EXAMPLE
Der Chef hat seine Leute für die gute Arbeit gelobt.
The boss praised his people for the good work.
Leute
guys / people
Used colloquially as a direct form of address for a group, similar to 'Leute!' (People!/Guys!) or 'Hey Leute!' (Hey guys!).
EXAMPLE
Leute, hört mal zu, ich habe eine Idee!
Guys, listen up, I have an idea!
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 man
one / you
Man and die Leute can both refer to people in general. Man expresses an impersonal statement, rule, or recommendation, while die Leute usually refers to an imagined or actual group that belongs together. Use man for general statements and die Leute when a group is the focus.
Leute
Die Leute im vollen Bus sollten Rücksicht auf andere nehmen.
The people on the crowded bus should be considerate of others.
man
Man sollte im Bus Rücksicht auf andere nehmen.
People should be considerate of others on the bus.
In real life
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