Fluent Fiction - Afrikaans: Dream Chasers: Love & Ambition in Johannesburg
Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:
fluentfiction.org/dream-chasers-love-ambition-in-johannesburg

Story Transcript:

Af: Die ysige Johannesburg-wind waai deur die strate.
En: The icy Johannesburg wind blows through the streets.

Af: Uit die lug getuig donkertjies van 'n naderende storm.
En: Tiny dark clouds in the sky foreshadow an approaching storm.

Af: In 'n hoë gebou skuif Elize haar bril op.
En: In a high-rise building, Elize adjusts her glasses.

Af: Sy is nou 'n maand in Johannesburg.
En: She has now been in Johannesburg for a month.

Af: Elize is 'n ywerige projekbestuurder wat onlangs van Kaapstad af verhuis het.
En: Elize is a diligent project manager who recently moved from Cape Town.

Af: Sy mis haar ou stad, maar het groot drome vir haar nuwe posisie.
En: She misses her old city but has big dreams for her new position.

Af: Thabo sit stil in sy klein kantoor op dieselfde vloer.
En: Thabo sits quietly in his small office on the same floor.

Af: Hy is 'n IT-spesialis.
En: He is an IT specialist.

Af: Stil en fokus.
En: Quiet and focused.

Af: Tog droom hy stilletjies van sy eie tegnologie-maatskappy.
En: Yet, he secretly dreams of his own technology company.

Af: Die lewe in die korporatiewe omgewing is besig en dikwels onpersoonlik.
En: Life in the corporate environment is busy and often impersonal.

Af: Dae word langer, werkure verminder nie, en die druk bly hardnekkig.
En: Days become longer, work hours do not decrease, and the pressure remains relentless.

Af: “Ek het hierdie behoefte om meer mense te leer ken,” dink Elize.
En: “I have this need to meet more people,” Elize thinks.

Af: Sy het gehoor van ‘n stapklub by die kantoor.
En: She heard about a hiking club at the office.

Af: “Ek het nie baie tyd nie, maar dalk is dit die moeite werd.”
En: “I don’t have much time, but maybe it’s worth it.”

Af: Thabo, aan die ander kant, wil eers nie deelneem nie.
En: Thabo, on the other hand, is reluctant to participate at first.

Af: Dis sy vriend wat hom die laaste skop gee.
En: It’s his friend who gives him the final push.

Af: “Kom, Thabo, jy kan nie altyd in jou kantoor sit nie.
En: “Come on, Thabo, you can’t always sit in your office.

Af: Dit sal goed wees vir jou.”
En: It’ll be good for you.”

Af: Op 'n koue Saterdagoggend ontmoet hulle vir die eerste keer by die staproete.
En: On a cold Saturday morning, they meet for the first time at the hiking trail.

Af: Die natuurreservaat is pragtig.
En: The nature reserve is beautiful.

Af: Die wind voer die geur van dennebome.
En: The wind carries the scent of pine trees.

Af: Die koue wind knaag aan hul gesigte.
En: The cold wind nips at their faces.

Af: Elize stoei met haar gedagtes.
En: Elize wrestles with her thoughts.

Af: Sy wil ekselleer, maar die eensameskap begin haar weeg.
En: She wants to excel, but the loneliness is beginning to weigh on her.

Af: Terselfdertyd kyk Thabo na die grond, onseker oor hoe om selfvertroue te vind om sy drome te volg.
En: At the same time, Thabo looks at the ground, unsure of how to find the confidence to pursue his dreams.

Af: Die groep beweeg saam deur die bome, maar skielik begin donderweer rommel.
En: The group moves together through the trees, but suddenly thunder starts to rumble.

Af: Reën begin stort en hulle hardloop na 'n klein houtkajuit.
En: Rain begins to pour, and they run to a small wooden cabin.

Af: Deurweek en koud vind Elize en Thabo hulself alleen in die kajuit.
En: Soaked and cold, Elize and Thabo find themselves alone in the cabin.

Af: Die stilte is aanvanklik ongemaklik, maar uiteindelik begin hulle gesels.
En: The silence is initially awkward, but eventually, they start talking.

Af: “Waarom het jy Johannesburg toe gekom?” vra Thabo.
En: “Why did you come to Johannesburg?” asks Thabo.

Af: Elize glimlag flou.
En: Elize smiles faintly.

Af: “Nuwe begin.
En: “A new beginning.

Af: Nuwe geleenthede.
En: New opportunities.

Af: Dit is moeilik om weer van vooraf te begin.”
En: It’s hard to start over.”

Af: Thabo knik.
En: Thabo nods.

Af: “Ek verstaan.
En: “I understand.

Af: Ek het groot drome, maar ek weet nie of ek dapper genoeg is om dit na te jaag nie.”
En: I have big dreams too, but I don’t know if I’m brave enough to chase them.”

Af: Hulle gesels vir ure, deel hul vrese en aspiraties.
En: They talk for hours, sharing their fears and aspirations.

Af: Die storm raas buite, maar binne voel die warmte van 'n nuwe vriendskap.
En: The storm rages outside, but inside, they feel the warmth of a new friendship.

Af: Met elke woord word die ys tussen hulle minder.
En: With every word, the ice between them melts.

Af: Uiteindelik breek die storm.
En: Eventually, the storm breaks.

Af: Die son breek deur en hulle stap terug na die groep, maar iets het verander.
En: The sun peeks through, and they walk back to the group, but something has changed.

Af: Hulle weet nou, hulle is nie alleen in hul stryd nie.
En: They now know they are not alone in their struggles.

Af: In die weke daarna, begin Elize en Thabo mekaar gereeld sien.
En: In the weeks that follow, Elize and Thabo start seeing each other regularly.

Af: Sy help hom om 'n plan vir sy maatskappy te maak.
En: She helps him to create a plan for his company.

Af: Hy help haar om 'n balans te vind tussen werk en lewe.
En: He helps her to find a balance between work and life.

Af: Stadig maar seker groei 'n romantiese band tussen hulle.
En: Slowly but surely, a romantic bond begins to grow between them.

Af: Elize vind vertroosting en steun in Thabo se kalm manier.
En: Elize finds comfort and support in Thabo’s calm manner.

Af: Thabo, aan die ander kant, kry moed uit Elize se selfvertroue.
En: Thabo, on the other hand, gains courage from Elize’s confidence.

Af: Hulle loop elke dag die pad van hul drome saam.
En: Together, they walk the path of their dreams every day.

Af: Johannesburg is nou nie meer so koud en eensame nie, en in die pragtige stad vind hulle hul eie manier om te blom.
En: Johannesburg is no longer so cold and lonely, and in the beautiful city, they find their own way to flourish.

Af: Met elke stap vorentoe, weet hulle, hulle is nou sterker as ooit.
En: With every step forward, they know they are now stronger than ever.

Af: Elize guur die stad met nuwe oë, met Thabo aan haar sy, die reis is net die begin.
En: Elize sees the city with new eyes, with Thabo by her side, the journey is just the beginning.


Vocabulary Words:

• icy: ysige
• foreshadow: getuig
• approaching: naderende
• diligent: ywerige
• impersonal: onpersoonlik
• relentless: hardnekkig
• reluctant: wil eers nie
• trail: staproete
• reserve: natuurreservaat
• nips: knaag
• excel: ekselleer
• thunder: donderweer
• rumbles: rommel
• soaked: deurweek
• cabin: houtkajuit
• awkward: ongemaklik
• faintly: flou
• opportunities: geleenthede
• brave: dapper
• chase: na te jaag
• fears: vrese
• aspirations: aspirasies
• raiges: rammel
• melts: smelt
• breaks: breek
• confidence: selfvertroue
• balance: balans
• comfort: vertroosting
• support: steen
• flourish: blom