Spanish Phrase
Están en una reunión.
Meaning
The sentence tells the listener that a group of people (they) are currently taking part in a meeting. It emphasizes a temporary situation rather than a permanent state.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need to explain the whereabouts of a group, especially in a work or social setting where the meeting makes the people unavailable for other tasks.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Estánenunareunión
Estar (3ª pl.)
‘Están’ is the third‑person plural present of ‘estar’, used for temporary locations or states.
Preposition en
‘en’ introduces the place where someone or something is.
Indefinite article una
‘una’ is the feminine singular indefinite article, matching the gender of ‘reunión’.
Noun reunión
‘reunión’ means ‘meeting’; it is a feminine noun and takes the accent on the í.
🗨In Conversation
¿Dónde están?
Where are they?
Están en una reunión.
They are in a meeting.
✕Common Mistakes
Son en una reunión.
‘Ser’ is not used for temporary locations; use ‘estar’ instead.
Están en una reunion.
The word needs an accent on the í: ‘reunión’. Without it the meaning changes.
Están en una la reunión.
If you refer to a specific meeting already known, use the definite article ‘la’ instead of ‘una’.
↔Alternatives
Se encuentran en una reunión.
They are in a meeting.
Están asistiendo a una reunión.
They are attending a meeting.
Están participando en una reunión.
They are taking part in a meeting.
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking offices, saying ‘están en una reunión’ is a polite way to signal that the people are temporarily unavailable. In some Latin American countries you might also hear ‘están en una junta’, which carries the same meaning but is more colloquial.