This is the 1788th most frequent Dutch word.
apel
The Dutch word "apel" does not exist in standard Dutch; it may be a misspelling. If you meant "appel," it translates to "apple" in English.
In this sentence, the word 'aap' is used to refer to the animal (monkey).
Ik zie een aap in de boom.
I see a monkey in the tree.
Here, 'aap' again refers to the monkey but emphasizes its characteristic traits such as cleverness.
Een slimme aap probeert de bananen te pakken.
A clever monkey is trying to grab the bananas.
In this context, 'aap' is used metaphorically to describe playful or mimicking behavior.