Difference between Están & Nosotros [First Person Pronouns]

Question

Can 'Están' be used by the speaker to refer to himself and another [First person pronoun]? If yes, why not use 'Nosotros' instead? Are both correct?

• 'Están almorzando' / 'Nosotros almorzando' = We are eating lunch ////
• 'Están corriendo por el parque' / 'Nosotros ... ' = We are running through the park ////
• 'Están comprando peces' / 'Nosotros ...' - We are buying fish ////

---

--- Also, // Is 'pez' the singular form of 'peces' ? // // What is the proper way to use 'por' ? `(I think it could be translated as 'through', 'at' or 'during') //

Thanks.

Answer 1

Estan cannot be used to refer to yourself. It's not a pronoun, and it's not first person. It's the 3rd person plural form of the verb estar.

Nosotros is a pronoun. But you cannot use nosotros together with the gerund forms of the verbs as you used them. (almorzando, corriendo, comprando)

For that you would need estar again, this time in 1st person:

Estamos almorzando. (We are eating)

Estamos corriendo. (We are running)

Estamos comprando. (We are buying)

Or in first person

Estoy almorzando. (I am eating)

etc. This is known as the present progressive tense.

Yeah, I felt that 'están' was incorrect, but I saw it used by a speaker referring to himself in a Rosetta Stone clip. I guess they made a mistake there. Thanks Goyo - sensu123, Jul 28, 2010

Answer 2

El pez is the singular of los peces.

por and para

I think I found the distinction I was looking for. 'Pez' is a living fish, while 'Pescado' is a food fish - sensu123, Jul 28, 2010