Difference between están and estén

Question

What is the difference between están and estén? I ran into estén in a machine translation. I can not seem to find an example.

Answer 1

Estan and estén are both third person plural present tense of estar (to be).

Here are some examples from the SD site

Sample sentences on SD

The difference between them is that estén is the subjunctive mood. The subjunctive mood is something that you learn that adds polish to your Spanish. It is used far more extensively than the rare occasions in English. Many people are first introduced to it when they learn commands as formal commands and negative informal commands use the present subjunctive form of the subjunctive.

In the examples I want that, we hope that, it is important that and what a pity that all trigger the subjunctive.

If you are still new to Spanish concentrate on other things, like verb tenses, vocabulary and pronunciation, you will be understood, but you will eventually be ready to explore the subjunctive. In the present tense with an ar verb you use the endings for an ER verb except first person is the same as 3rd person for example gustar in third person becomes guste/ gusten and you use the first person as your root.

This is a point you in the right direction, please ask if you need to know more.

Ahhh... and now I see why the machine triggered that version. I typed in a sentence that started with "I hope they". Thanks! - creagan, Sep 20, 2017

If you want a little more info see the thread N K M has linked to below - Mardle, Sep 20, 2017

Answer 2

This is a previously discussed thread from 01 September 2017. estén and están ?

Thanks. I searched for it and came up with nothing. Probably dorked the search somehow.. - creagan, Sep 20, 2017

I hadnt seen it nor did I search I just answered your question. It sometimes more effective to use a search engine including the word Spanishdict in your terms rather than the site tool However NKM is brilliant at it. - Mardle, Sep 20, 2017