Answer:
"Je n'ai pas pu" and "Je ne pouvais pas" are both French phrases that express the idea of "not being able to" do something, but they are used in different contexts and tenses.
"Je ne pouvais pas" is the imparfait tense of the verb "pouvoir," which means "could not" or "was not able to" in English. It is used to describe a past habitual or ongoing action or state, for example: "Quand j'étais jeune, je ne pouvais pas courir longtemps." (When I was young, I couldn't run for a long time.)
On the other hand, "Je n'ai pas pu" is the passé composé tense of the verb "pouvoir" and it means "was not able to" or "failed to" do something. It is used to describe a specific, completed action in the past that could not be done, for example: "J'ai raté mon train ce matin car je n'ai pas pu me réveiller à temps." (I missed my train this morning because I wasn't able to wake up on time.)
Step-by-step explanation: