Fluent Fiction - Slovenian: Amidst the Ballots: Siblings Rekindle at Ljubljana Town Hall
Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:
fluentfiction.com/sl/episode/2025-03-15-22-34-02-sl

Story Transcript:

Sl: Matej je počasi hodil proti Mestni hiši v Ljubljani.
En: Matej walked slowly towards the Town Hall in Ljubljana.

Sl: To je bil tisti čas pomladanskega dne, ko so sončni žarki nežno segrevali zrak, a ga še ni bilo dovolj, da bi odpihnili hladen veter.
En: It was that time of the spring day when the sun's rays gently warmed the air, but it wasn't enough yet to chase away the cold wind.

Sl: Ljubljanska Mestna hiša je bila vedno impresivna, z visokimi stebri in zgodovinsko fasado.
En: The Ljubljana Town Hall was always impressive, with its tall columns and historical facade.

Sl: Znotraj je bila živahna, ljudje so hodili sem ter tja z glasovi, ki so odmevali po hodnikih—dan volitev je prinašal veliko obiskovalcev.
En: Inside, it was lively, people were walking back and forth with voices echoing through the corridors—election day brought in a lot of visitors.

Sl: Matej ni veliko razmišljal.
En: Matej wasn't thinking much.

Sl: Prišel je le oddati svoj glas in hitro oditi.
En: He came just to cast his vote and leave quickly.

Sl: Upal je, da bo vse skupaj potekalo brez posebnih dogodkov.
En: He hoped everything would go without any special events.

Sl: Že dolgo ni srečal sestre Nine, s katero sta bila v sporu.
En: He hadn't seen his sister Nina in a long time, with whom he had been in a dispute.

Sl: To je bil dan, ko je skušal ostati neviden.
En: Today was a day when he tried to remain invisible.

Sl: Ko je Matej stopil v volilno vrsto, je na koncu vrste zagledal Nino.
En: When Matej stepped into the voting line, he saw Nina at the end of it.

Sl: Njegovo srce je poskočilo, a ne iz veselja.
En: His heart skipped a beat, but not out of joy.

Sl: Želel se je obrniti in oditi, a ga je nekaj zadržalo.
En: He wanted to turn and leave, but something held him back.

Sl: Morda dolžnost ali nekaj globljega, kar ni bil pripravljen priznati.
En: Perhaps duty or something deeper that he wasn't ready to admit.

Sl: V naslednjem trenutku ga je Nina zagledala.
En: In the next moment, Nina saw him.

Sl: »Matej,« je rekla presenečeno, in Matej je zaznal mešanico občutkov na njenem obrazu.
En: "Matej," she said, surprised, and Matej noticed a mix of emotions on her face.

Sl: Prišla je bližje, ljudje okoli njiju so se bodrili ali ignorirali situacijo.
En: She came closer, people around them either egged them on or ignored the situation.

Sl: Matej je občutil zmedo in napetost, toda nekaj ga je spotisnilo k ostanku.
En: Matej felt confused and tense, but something nudged him to stay.

Sl: »Živjo, Nina,« je Matej odgovoril tiho in malo ukočeno.
En: "Hi, Nina," Matej replied quietly and a little awkwardly.

Sl: Nista si govorila že več kot dve leti.
En: They hadn't spoken for over two years.

Sl: Preveč ponosa, preveč zamere.
En: Too much pride, too much resentment.

Sl: »Dolgo se nisva videla,« je rekla Nina.
En: "It's been a long time since we've seen each other," Nina said.

Sl: V njenem glasu je bilo več kot le opazka.
En: There was more than just an observation in her voice.

Sl: Bila je želja po povezavi, po obnovitvi.
En: There was a desire for connection, for renewal.

Sl: Medtem ko sta stala v vrsti, so si izmenjala nekaj neugodnih besed.
En: As they stood in line, they exchanged some uneasy words.

Sl: Matej je čutil, kako stare rane znova zaživijo, a tudi nekaj toplega – morda upanje.
En: Matej felt old wounds revive, but also something warm—perhaps hope.

Sl: Razgovor se je poglabljal, postopoma premikajoč od vljudnosti k iskrenim besedam.
En: The conversation deepened, gradually moving from politeness to genuine words.

Sl: »Zakaj sva dovolila, da naju to razdvoji?
En: "Why did we let this divide us?"

Sl: « se je končno vprašala Nina.
En: Nina finally asked.

Sl: Matej je pogledal stran.
En: Matej looked away.

Sl: Težko je bilo priznati napake, toda vedel je, da mora nujno nekaj ukreniti.
En: It was hard to admit mistakes, but he knew he urgently needed to do something.

Sl: »Ne vem,« je dejal tiho.
En: "I don't know," he said quietly.

Sl: »Čas je, da nekaj spremeniva.
En: "It's time to change something."

Sl: «Nina je prikimala in toplina je oplazila njen obraz.
En: Nina nodded, and a warmth touched her face.

Sl: »Greva na kavo po glasovanju?
En: "Shall we go for coffee after voting?

Sl: Morda bi bilo dobro pogovoriti se.
En: It might be good to talk."

Sl: «Matej je okleval, a je globoko v sebi začutil rahlo olajšanje.
En: Matej hesitated, but deep inside, he felt a slight relief.

Sl: Začel je razumeti, da ponos in zamera nista vredna izgube, ki jo je čutil.
En: He began to understand that pride and resentment were not worth the loss he felt.

Sl: »Seveda, mislim, da je čas,« je odgovoril.
En: "Of course, I think it's time," he responded.

Sl: Ko sta se pomaknila proti glasovalni skrinjici, je Matej prvič po dolgem času občutil možnost upanja.
En: As they moved towards the ballot box, Matej felt hope for the first time in a long time.

Sl: Morda jima bo uspelo tokrat začeti znova.
En: Maybe this time they would manage to start anew.

Sl: Morda bo pomlad prinesla ne le novo politično sezono, ampak tudi prelom v njunem odnosu.
En: Perhaps spring would bring not only a new political season but also a turn in their relationship.


Vocabulary Words:

• rays: žarki
• chase away: odpihnili
• impressive: impresivna
• columns: stebri
• facade: fasado
• corridors: hodnikih
• cast: oddati
• dispute: sporu
• invisible: neviden
• duty: dolžnost
• nudge: spotisnilo
• awkwardly: ukočeno
• resentment: zamere
• renewal: obnovitvi
• revive: zaživijo
• politeness: vljudnosti
• genuine: iskrenim
• divide: razdvoji
• mistakes: napake
• urgently: nujno
• admit: priznati
• hesitated: okleval
• relief: olajšanje
• resentment: zamera
• ballot box: glasovalni skrinjici
• hope: upanje
• anew: znova
• turn: prelom
• motivate: bodrili