Fluent Fiction - Afrikaans: Love Brews in a Wintery Cape Town Coffee Shop
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Story Transcript:

Af: Op 'n koue wintersoggend in Kaapstad, klink die gelag van mense deur 'n klein, gesellige koffiewinkel.
En: On a cold winter morning in Cape Town, the laughter of people rings through a small, cozy coffee shop.

Af: Die winkel is vol houtstoele en rustieke tafels.
En: The shop is full of wooden chairs and rustic tables.

Af: Die geur van vars koffie vul die lug.
En: The smell of fresh coffee fills the air.

Af: Hier is dit altyd knus en warm, ongeag die weer daar buite.
En: Here, it’s always snug and warm, regardless of the weather outside.

Af: Karl, die bibliotekaris, stap die koffiewinkel binne.
En: Karl, the librarian, steps into the coffee shop.

Af: Hy dra 'n dik trui en 'n groot glimlag.
En: He is wearing a thick sweater and a big smile.

Af: Hy het een doel voor oë: om Lize, die vrolike meisie wat hy gereeld hier sien, te beïndruk.
En: He has one goal in mind: to impress Lize, the cheerful girl he sees here often.

Af: Lize sit by haar gewone tafeltjie, met 'n boek voor haar.
En: Lize is sitting at her usual table with a book in front of her.

Af: ‘n Grinnige groet versprei oor haar gesig toe sy Karl sien.
En: A bright grin spreads across her face when she sees Karl.

Af: "Tanya Karl! Hoe gaan dit?" vra sy.
En: "Hi Karl! How are you?" she asks.

Af: "Dit gaan goed, dankie, Lize," antwoord hy.
En: "I’m good, thank you, Lize," he replies.

Af: Sy hart klop vinnig, en sy hande is 'n bietjie sweet.
En: His heart is pounding, and his hands are slightly sweaty.

Af: Hy het 'n plan.
En: He has a plan.

Af: Pieter, die eienaar van die koffiewinkel, leun agter die toonbank.
En: Pieter, the owner of the coffee shop, leans behind the counter.

Af: Hy het 'n glimlag op sy gesig en 'n twinkeling in sy oog.
En: He has a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye.

Af: Hy is gewoond aan Karl se manewales en glimlag altyd vriendelik.
En: He’s used to Karl’s antics and always smiles kindly.

Af: Karl draai na Pieter en sê: "Pieter, kan ek die nuwe koffie masjien gebruik om 'n spesiale koppie koffie vir Lize te maak?"
En: Karl turns to Pieter and says, "Pieter, can I use the new coffee machine to make a special cup of coffee for Lize?"

Af: Pieter lag en knik. "Gaan vir dit, Karl!"
En: Pieter laughs and nods. "Go for it, Karl!"

Af: Karl neem die koffieboontjies en begin die masjien instel.
En: Karl takes the coffee beans and begins to set up the machine.

Af: Hy herinner hom aan die instruksies wat hy iewers gelees het, maar dit voel alles vaag.
En: He recalls the instructions he read somewhere, but it all feels vague.

Af: Hy wil slim lyk, maar diep binne weet hy dit kan misloop.
En: He wants to look smart, but deep down he knows it might go wrong.

Af: Hy sien Lize se nuuskierige blik en voel sy moed sak.
En: He sees Lize’s curious look and feels his confidence waver.

Af: Hy druk die knoppies en draai die knoppies reg.
En: He presses the buttons and turns the knobs correctly.

Af: Skielik, 'n harde "PFFFT!" Koffie spuit oral!
En: Suddenly, a loud "PFFFT!" Coffee sprays everywhere!

Af: Die masjien rook, en 'n klein ontploffing stuur stoom in die lug.
En: The machine smokes, and a small explosion sends steam into the air.

Af: Koffie drup van Karl se trui af.
En: Coffee drips from Karl’s sweater.

Af: Lize se oë rek groot.
En: Lize’s eyes widen.

Af: Sy bars uit van die lag, en selfs Pieter kry nie sy lag gekeer nie.
En: She bursts out laughing, and even Pieter can’t hold back his laughter.

Af: Karl, rooi in die gesig, begin stamel: "Ek is so jammer, Lize. Ek wou net..."
En: Karl, red-faced, starts to stammer, "I’m so sorry, Lize. I just wanted to…"

Af: Maar voor hy klaar kan maak, onderbreek Lize hom.
En: But before he can finish, Lize interrupts him.

Af: "Dis reg, Karl. Ek dink jy het jy keurig probeer," sê sy, steeds giggelend.
En: "It’s okay, Karl. I think you tried your best," she says, still giggling.

Af: Sy staan op en help Pieter die gemors opruim.
En: She gets up and helps Pieter clean up the mess.

Af: Nadat die broom gestuur is, stap Lize na Karl toe.
En: After the mess is dealt with, Lize walks up to Karl.

Af: "Hoekom eet ons nie 'n bietjie middagete saam nie? Net ons twee.
En: "Why don’t we have a bit of lunch together? Just the two of us.

Af: Jy hoef nie altyd alles reg te kry nie; ek hou van jou vir wie jy is."
En: You don’t always have to get everything right; I like you for who you are."

Af: Karl, steeds verbaas, glimlag breëer as ooit.
En: Karl, still in shock, smiles wider than ever.

Af: "Dit sal lekker wees, Lize. Dankie."
En: "That would be great, Lize. Thank you."

Af: Die wintersdag voel sommer warmer met Lize aan sy sy.
En: The winter day feels warmer with Lize by his side.

Af: Vandag het Karl geleer dat egtheid en goeie harte meer tel as kennis oor koffiemasjiene.
En: Today, Karl learned that authenticity and a good heart matter more than knowledge about coffee machines.

Af: En dalk, net dalk, het hy ook iets anders gewen – Lize se hart.
En: And maybe, just maybe, he also won something else—Lize’s heart.


Vocabulary Words:

• cozy: gesellige
• regardless: ongeag
• laughter: gelag
• smell: geur
• goal: doel
• pounding: klop
• sweaty: sweet
• owner: eienaar
• antics: manewales
• nods: knik
• beans: koffieboontjies
• instructions: instruksies
• vague: vaag
• confidence: moed
• waver: sak
• buttons: knoppies
• sprays: spuit
• explosion: ontploffing
• drips: drup
• stammer: stamel
• interrupts: onderbreek
• giggle: giggelend
• clean: opruim
• shock: verbaas
• authenticity: egtheid
• heart: hart
• twinkle: twinkeling
• rustic: rustieke
• suddenly: skielik
• reckless: keuring