Fluent Fiction - Slovenian: Cadet Courage: Facing Fear and Finding Fulfillment
Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:
fluentfiction.com/sl/episode/2025-12-31-08-38-20-sl

Story Transcript:

Sl: Vo zimski večer, Koper je živel v posebnem ritmu.
En: On a winter evening, Koper lived at a unique pace.

Sl: Četudi je hladno, so ladje v pristanišču ponosno stale, kot bi varovale pomorsko akademijo.
En: Even though it was cold, the ships in the harbor stood proudly, as if guarding the maritime academy.

Sl: Medtem ko so okrog vojaške osnove viseli novoletni okraski, je panično vzdušje napolnjevalo zrak - danes je bil namreč dan zaključnih izpitov za kadete.
En: While Christmas decorations hung around the military base, an atmosphere of panic filled the air - today was the day of the final exams for the cadets.

Sl: Matej je stal pred vhodom akademije in globoko dihal.
En: Matej stood in front of the academy entrance, breathing deeply.

Sl: V njegovih mislih je bil kaos - strah pred neuspehom in želja po uspehu sta se prerivala.
En: In his mind, there was chaos - fear of failure and the desire for success wrestled with each other.

Sl: Njegova družina, ki je imela dolgo tradicijo v mornarici, je pričakovala veliko.
En: His family, with a long tradition in the navy, expected much from him.

Sl: Počutil se je, kot da nosi težo sveta na svojih ramenih.
En: He felt as if he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Sl: »Matej, si pripravljen?
En: "Matej, are you ready?"

Sl: « ga je vprašala Nina, njegova dobra prijateljica in sočasno kadetka.
En: asked Nina, his good friend and fellow cadet.

Sl: Njen glas je nosil toplino, ki ga je vedno pomirjala.
En: Her voice carried a warmth that always calmed him.

Sl: »Hvala, Nina.
En: "Thank you, Nina.

Sl: Mislim, da ja.
En: I think I am.

Sl: Samo.
En: Just...

Sl: občutek imam, kot da nisem dovolj dober,« je priznal Matej.
En: I feel like I'm not good enough," Matej admitted.

Sl: Nina se je nasmehnila in mu položila roko na ramo.
En: Nina smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder.

Sl: »Vem, da si živčen.
En: "I know you're nervous.

Sl: A ne pozabi, da ni vse samo o izpitih.
En: But don't forget, it's not all just about the exams.

Sl: Pomembno je, da verjameš v sebe,« mu je rekla.
En: It's important that you believe in yourself," she told him.

Sl: Njene besede so ga nagovorile globoko v srce.
En: Her words spoke to him deep in his heart.

Sl: Ko se je začel izpit, je Matej začutil znova naval živčnosti.
En: As the exam began, Matej felt a fresh wave of nervousness.

Sl: Toda v trenutku, ko je skoraj izgubil nadzor, se je spomnil Nininih besed.
En: But at the moment he almost lost control, he remembered Nina's words.

Sl: Zaprl je oči, vdihnil, in se fokusiral.
En: He closed his eyes, inhaled, and focused.

Sl: Vprašanja so postala jasna, odgovori prav tako.
En: The questions became clear, and so did the answers.

Sl: Po končanem izpitu je Matej odšel ven, da bi videl ognjemet, ki so ga priredili ob novem letu.
En: After the exam was over, Matej went outside to see the fireworks organized for the New Year.

Sl: Stal je tam z Nino in Zalo, njegovo drugo prijateljico, ki mu je nudila podporo skozi vse leto.
En: He stood there with Nina and Zala, his other friend who had supported him throughout the year.

Sl: Skupaj so občudovali svetleče barve na nebu.
En: Together, they admired the bright colors in the sky.

Sl: »Naredil si vse, kar si lahko, Matej,« je rekla Zala ter ga prijateljsko objela.
En: "You did all you could, Matej," said Zala as she gave him a friendly hug.

Sl: V tem trenutku je Matej sprejel resnico.
En: In that moment, Matej accepted the truth.

Sl: Ni bilo pomembno samo to, kaj pričakujejo drugi.
En: It wasn't just about what others expected.

Sl: Pomembno je bilo, kaj si želi sam in da je dal vse od sebe.
En: What mattered was what he wanted for himself and that he had given his best.

Sl: Hvaležen je bil svojim prijateljem za njihovo podporo.
En: He was grateful to his friends for their support.

Sl: Ko je nebo obsijalo zadnji ognjemet, je Matej začutil novo pogum v sebi.
En: As the sky lit up with the last firework, Matej felt a new courage within him.

Sl: Morda bo prihodnost še vedno izziv, a je vedel, da bo vedno imel ravnotežje med delom in samospoštovanjem.
En: The future might still hold challenges, but he knew he would always have the balance between work and self-respect.

Sl: Občutek izpolnitve je bil njegov pravi zmagoslavje tega večera.
En: The sense of fulfillment was his true triumph of the evening.


Vocabulary Words:

• unique: posebnem
• harbor: pristanišču
• maritime: pomorsko
• academy: akademijo
• atmosphere: vzdušje
• exams: izpitov
• cadets: kadete
• entrance: vhodom
• chaos: kaos
• wrestled: prerivala
• tradition: tradicijo
• breathe: dihal
• proudly: ponosno
• decorations: okraski
• panic: panično
• shoulders: ramenih
• nervous: živčen
• believe: verjameš
• nervousness: živčnosti
• fireworks: ognjemet
• support: podporo
• admired: občudovali
• truth: resnico
• respect: samospoštovanjem
• courage: pogum
• fulfillment: izpolnitve
• triumph: zmagoslavje
• challenges: izziv
• balance: ravnotežje
• focus: fokusiral