Couldn't we also say "Estamos ocho en total"?
That wouldn't work. It's tricky to know when to use "ser" and "estar" but in this case "estamos" does not apply.
So if you are at a restaurant and we say we are eight in total, it is somos?
Yep!
Why is it not "en toto"?
It's just not :)
I was under the impression that "toto" was one of the Spanish words for "total." Is that incorrect? And if "toto" is a real word for "total," then would "en toto" be an acceptable translation (even though Duo doesn't recognize it)?
"toto" is not a Spanish word.
Oh. Okay.
Actually "Toto" is how small children call the vagina in some regions of Spain. But is slang it's not in the dictionary :-)