Why is there a recent past and a definite past in Creole? Recent past uses the present while the definite past uses the TE marker?

You know, this in not a slam dunk case where you'll know whether or not you should use "te" to indicate some form of past tense in Creole.
Haitians are just comfortable not using "te" to indicate the past tense whether they're talking about a recent or a "definite" past.

If you want to be sure that people understand that you're talking about the past, go ahead and use the indicative "te" which is the accurate form of the past tense, especially in formal writing.

You'll hear in Creole (mostly in spoken form):

1. Mwen manje deja → I ate already
2. Mwen fèt Okap → I was born Okap
3. M'ap tann ou depi maten → I have been waiting for you since morning.
4. Li mouri setan pase → He died seven years ago
5. Tout bagay byen pase → Everything went well

When these sentences should have had the "te" because they are all past tense.

1. Mwen te manje deja → I ate already
2. Mwen te fèt Okap → I was born Okap
3. M t'ap tann ou depi maten → I have been waiting for you since morning.
4. Li te mouri setan pase → He died seven years ago
5. Tout bagay te byen pase → Everything went well

Ask me anything