Hi Mandaly, what is the difference between t ap and te when t ap is used in the following manner? And why isn't te used instead? Ki jan manman ak papa m t ap santi yo si m t al sèvi nan yon lòt peyi? or Si w t ap viv nan epòk la, eske w t ap fè menm jan ak Pyè? Thanks!

t ap (te ap) or (ta ap) are you used to express the past progressive (te ap) or modal verbs (ta ap). Te is used to express the simple past tense.

Look at your examples below, and their translation, and you'll see why using t ap is more appropriate.

Your example:

Kijan manman ak papa m t ap santi yo si m t al sèvi nan yon lòt peyi?
How would my mother and father have felt if I went to serve in another country?

as opposed to using te

Kijan manman ak papa m te santi yo si m t al sèvi nan yon lòt peyi?
How did my mother and father feel if I went to serve in another country?



And the other example:

Si w t ap viv nan epòk la, èske w t ap fè menm jan ak Pyè?
If you were living in that period, would you do the same as Peter?

as opposed to using te (simple past tense indicator)

Si w te viv nan epòk la, èske w te fè menm jan ak Pyè?
If you lived in that period, did you do the same as Peter?



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