June 30, 2025

A Serendipitous Encounter at Cape Town's Waterfront

15 minutes

Fluent Fiction - Afrikaans: A Serendipitous Encounter at Cape Town's Waterfront
Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:
fluentfiction.com/af/episode/2025-06-30-22-34-02-af

Story Transcript:

Af: Die reën het onverwags begin val.
En: The rain started falling unexpectedly.

Af: Net 'n paar minute gelede was die Victoria & Alfred Waterfront vol mense wat gesels en lag.
En: Just a few minutes ago, the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront was full of people chatting and laughing.

Af: Nou het almal na die naaste skuiling gehardloop.
En: Now everyone had run to the nearest shelter.

Af: Onder 'n groot afdak by 'n kafee staan Pieter en Annelie.
En: Under a large awning at a café, Pieter and Annelie stand.

Af: Die reën tik-tik-tik op die seil oor hul koppe.
En: The rain pitter-patters on the canvas above their heads.

Af: Die lug is koud, en die geur van vars seekos sweef in die lug.
En: The air is cold, and the scent of fresh seafood drifts in the air.

Af: Pieter is 'n stil tipe mens, maar hy hou van oomblikke soos dié.
En: Pieter is a quiet type of person, but he enjoys moments like these.

Af: Hy kyk hoe die reën stadig oor die dokke gly, die water donker en geheimenisvol.
En: He watches as the rain slowly glides over the docks, the water dark and mysterious.

Af: Sy kamera hang om sy nek, maar sy vingers huiwer.
En: His camera hangs around his neck, but his fingers hesitate.

Af: Hy is ook 'n bietjie onseker.
En: He is also a bit unsure.

Af: Hy sien Annelie, 'n vrolike meisie met 'n groot glimlag, en sy vurige rooi serp maak 'n helder vlek in die grys dag.
En: He sees Annelie, a cheerful girl with a big smile, and her fiery red scarf makes a bright spot in the gray day.

Af: Lucas het vroeër vir Pieter gesê dat hy moet leer om meer met mense te praat.
En: Earlier, Lucas told Pieter that he should learn to talk more with people.

Af: "Jy weet nooit," het Lucas gesê en sy vriend op die skouer geklop, "jy kan dalk iemand ontmoet wat jou inspireer."
En: "You never know," Lucas said, patting his friend on the shoulder, "you might meet someone who inspires you."

Af: Die vrees vir verwerping is 'n groot berg vir Pieter.
En: The fear of rejection is a large mountain for Pieter.

Af: Sy stem wil nie heeltemal uitkom nie.
En: His voice doesn't quite want to come out.

Af: Maar toe die wind die reën na hulle toe waai en Annelie haar serp stywer om haarself trek, draai sy na Pieter en sê, "Kan jy glo hierdie weer?"
En: But when the wind blows the rain towards them and Annelie tightens her scarf around herself, she turns to Pieter and says, "Can you believe this weather?"

Af: Pieter glimlag en kry uiteindelik sy stem.
En: Pieter smiles and finally finds his voice.

Af: "Nee, ek was nie voorbereid nie," antwoord hy en steek sy hand uit.
En: "No, I wasn't prepared," he replies, extending his hand.

Af: "Ek is Pieter."
En: "I'm Pieter."

Af: "Annelie," sê sy.
En: "Annelie," she says.

Af: Haar handdruk is warm.
En: Her handshake is warm.

Af: "Ek kom van Johannesburg af. Hier vir inspirasie."
En: "I'm from Johannesburg. Here for inspiration."

Af: "Ek is 'n argitek.
En: "I’m an architect.

Af: Ek hou daarvan om foto's te neem van interessante geboue," antwoord Pieter, en neem dan 'n diep asem.
En: I like taking pictures of interesting buildings," Pieter replies, then takes a deep breath.

Af: "Wat van jou kuns?"
En: "What about your art?"

Af: Annelie se oë blink.
En: Annelie's eyes sparkle.

Af: "Ek skilder.
En: "I paint.

Af: Ek is mal oor kleure en die manier waarop hulle meng."
En: I love colors and the way they blend."

Af: En net soos dit begin hulle 'n gesprek wat vloei soos die golwe wat teen die dokke klots.
En: And just like that, they begin a conversation that flows like the waves lapping against the docks.

Af: Hulle praat oor alles, van argitektuur en kuns tot die geskiedenis van die Waterfront.
En: They talk about everything, from architecture and art to the history of the Waterfront.

Af: Pieter voel hoe sy vrese stadig wegsmelt, soos reën wat verdwyn wanneer die son uitkom.
En: Pieter feels his fears slowly melt away, like rain that disappears when the sun comes out.

Af: Sodra die reën begin bedaar, is die lug skoon en helder.
En: As the rain starts to subside, the sky is clear and bright.

Af: Pieter en Annelie staan nog steeds onder die afdak, ver weg van die gedruis van die menigte.
En: Pieter and Annelie are still standing under the awning, far from the hustle of the crowd.

Af: Hulle ruil telefoonnommers uit, vol opgewondenheid oor al die dinge wat hulle saam in die stad kan ontdek.
En: They exchange phone numbers, full of excitement about all the things they can discover together in the city.

Af: Op Jeugdag maak hulle planne om die kunsgalerye van Kaapstad saam te verken, en Pieter voel 'n nuwe selfvertroue wat vroeër vir hom ondenkbaar was.
En: On Youth Day, they make plans to explore the art galleries of Cape Town together, and Pieter feels a new confidence that was previously unthinkable to him.

Af: As hy terugkyk na Lucas, dink hy hoe dankbaar hy is vir dié skop onder sy sitvlak wat hom gehelp het om sy eie berge te klim.
En: As he looks back at Lucas, he thinks how grateful he is for that kick in the pants that helped him climb his own mountains.

Af: Hy het nie net 'n nuwe vriend ontmoet nie; hy het ook 'n nuwe visie oor wat moontlik is, al moet hy hom soms self daarin laat glo.
En: He not only met a new friend; he also gained a new vision of what is possible, even if he sometimes has to let himself believe in it.

Vocabulary Words: