Fluent Fiction - Croatian: Misfortune to Victory: Petar's Coffee Stain Fix
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Story Transcript:

Hr: Jednoga sunčanog jutra, Petar je žurio kroz uske ulice Zagreba.
En: One sunny morning, Petar hurried through the narrow streets of Zagreb.

Hr: Nije imao običaj kasniti, a pogotovo ne na tako važan sastanak.
En: He wasn't in the habit of being late, especially not for such an important meeting.

Hr: Njegovo srce je lupalo, dok je provjeravao zadnji put dokumente u svojoj aktovci.
En: His heart was pounding as he checked the documents in his briefcase one last time.

Hr: Bio je spreman.
En: He was ready.

Hr: Ulica je bila živa, ljudi su se gurali na tržnici Dolac kupujući svježe voće i povrće.
En: The street was bustling, with people jostling at the Dolac market to buy fresh fruits and vegetables.

Hr: Petar nije imao vremena za razgledavanje, iako ga je miris pečenih kestena mami da se na tren zaustavi.
En: Petar didn't have time to look around, although the smell of roasted chestnuts tempted him to pause for a moment.

Hr: No, misao na sastanak s direktorom firme ga je gurala naprijed.
En: However, the thought of the meeting with the company's director pushed him forward.

Hr: Prije nego što je zakoračio u uredsku zgradu, odlučio je ući u maleni kafić.
En: Before stepping into the office building, he decided to stop by a small café.

Hr: "Samo brzi espresso," pomisli Petar.
En: "Just a quick espresso," thought Petar.

Hr: Ivana, simpatična konobarica koju je već dobro poznavao, mu se nasmiješila.
En: Ivana, the friendly waitress whom he already knew well, smiled at him.

Hr: "Uobičajeno?
En: "The usual?"

Hr: " pitala je.
En: she asked.

Hr: Petar je samo klimnuo glavom, premišljajući o sastanku.
En: Petar just nodded, thinking about the meeting.

Hr: Ivana mu je donijela kavu, a Petar je zahvalio i brzo podigao šalicu.
En: Ivana brought him the coffee, and Petar thanked her and quickly lifted the cup.

Hr: U tom je trenu njegov prijatelj Ante ušao.
En: At that moment, his friend Ante walked in.

Hr: "Petre!
En: "Petar!"

Hr: " povikao je Ante veselo i udario ga po ramenu.
En: Ante called out cheerfully and slapped him on the shoulder.

Hr: Šalica se zatresla u Petrovim rukama i kapljice vruće kave su se prosule po njegovim svijetlim hlačama.
En: The cup shook in Petar's hands and hot coffee spilled on his light trousers.

Hr: "Hoćeš me uništiti?
En: "Are you trying to ruin me?!"

Hr: " viknuo je Petar, no više od šoka nego od ljutnje.
En: Petar shouted, more from shock than anger.

Hr: Ante je pocrvenio i ispričao se.
En: Ante blushed and apologized.

Hr: Ivana je odmah dotrčala s krpom, ali mrlja je već počela sušiti i tamniti.
En: Ivana immediately rushed over with a cloth, but the stain had already started to dry and darken.

Hr: Sastanak je bio za 15 minuta, a Petar je stajao s flekom na hlačama kao pečatom nesreće.
En: The meeting was in 15 minutes, and Petar stood there with a stain on his trousers like a mark of misfortune.

Hr: "Što ću sada?
En: "What am I going to do now?!"

Hr: " pomislio je u očaju.
En: he thought in despair.

Hr: Ante se uručio: "Imam ideju.
En: Ante stepped in, "I have an idea.

Hr: Slijedi me.
En: Follow me."

Hr: "Zajedno su odjurili do trgovine u obližnjoj ulici.
En: Together, they rushed to a store in the nearby street.

Hr: Ante je bez oklijevanja kupio crnu kemijsku olovku i dao je Petru.
En: Without hesitation, Ante bought a black ballpoint pen and gave it to Petar.

Hr: "Oboji mrlju.
En: "Color over the stain.

Hr: Ako to učiniš pažljivo, jedva će se primijetiti," rekao je Ante.
En: If you do it carefully, it will hardly be noticeable," Ante said.

Hr: Petar je zastao, gledajući u olovku, a zatim u svoje hlače.
En: Petar paused, looking at the pen and then at his trousers.

Hr: "To je ludost," pomislio je.
En: "This is madness," he thought.

Hr: Ali, nije imao bolju ideju.
En: But he didn't have a better idea.

Hr: Pažljivo je obojio mrlju dok nije postala jedva vidljiva.
En: He carefully colored over the stain until it became barely visible.

Hr: Izgledalo je smešno, ali na sreću, danas je nosio tamni sako koji mu je prekrivao veći dio hlača.
En: It looked ridiculous, but fortunately, he was wearing a dark jacket today that covered most of his trousers.

Hr: Ulazeći na sastanak, osjećao se kao da nosi veliku tajnu.
En: Entering the meeting, he felt like he was carrying a big secret.

Hr: Direktor ga je pogledao i upitao: "Petre, spremni ste?
En: The director looked at him and asked, "Petar, are you ready?"

Hr: " Petar je duboko udahnuo i klimnuo glavom: "Spreman sam.
En: Petar took a deep breath and nodded, "I'm ready."

Hr: "Sastanak je prošao bolje nego što je Petar mogao zamisliti.
En: The meeting went better than Petar could have imagined.

Hr: Predstavio je svoj projekt jasno i uvjerljivo.
En: He presented his project clearly and convincingly.

Hr: Direktor je bio impresioniran Petrovim radom.
En: The director was impressed with Petar's work.

Hr: Čak je dobio i povišicu!
En: He even got a raise!

Hr: Kasno popodne, Petar je sjedio na klupi u parku Zrinjevac, gledajući djecu kako igraju nogomet.
En: Late in the afternoon, Petar sat on a bench in Zrinjevac Park, watching children play soccer.

Hr: Smiješio se dok je gledao svoje flekave, ali herojske hlače.
En: He smiled as he looked at his stained, but heroic, trousers.

Hr: "Uvijek će biti malih iznenađenja," pomislio je.
En: "There will always be little surprises," he thought.

Hr: "Ali najvažnije je ostati miran i pronaći rješenje.
En: "But the most important thing is to stay calm and find a solution."

Hr: " I tako je Petar, sretan i zadovoljan, nastavio uživati u svojem danu, zahvaljujući svojoj snalažljivosti i crnoj kemijskoj olovci.
En: And so, Petar, happy and content, continued to enjoy his day, thanks to his resourcefulness and the black ballpoint pen.


Vocabulary Words:

• morning: jutro
• hurried: žurio
• streets: ulice
• late: kasniti
• meeting: sastanak
• heart: srce
• pounding: lupanje
• checked: provjeravao
• documents: dokumente
• briefcase: aktovci
• ready: spreman
• bustling: živa
• jostling: gurali
• market: tržnica
• fruits: voće
• vegetables: povrće
• pause: zaustavi
• tempted: mamiti
• thought: pomislio
• director: direktor
• pushed: gurala
• forward: naprijed
• decided: odlučio
• stop by: uđe u
• café: kafić
• espresso: espresso
• smiled: nasmiješila
• asked: pitala
• nodded: klimnuo
• thank: zahvalio