Many compound nouns ending in –mann form the plural number with the ending -leute.
Some nouns form the plural number with both the ending -leute and the ending -männer.
The difference is that the ending –leute is used in a generic manner and does not refer to gender, while -männer places more emphasis on gender.
| Examples | plural in -leute | plural in -männer |
| Seemann | Seeleute | ------- |
| Kaufmann | Kaufleute | ------- |
| Bergmann | Bergleute | ------- |
| Feuerwehrmann | Feuerwehleute | Feuerwehrmänner |
| Fachmann | Fachleute | Fachmänner |
| Wachmann | Wachleute | Wachmänner |