August 15, 2025

Old Flames and New Beginnings: A Reunion in Split's Heart

14 minutes

Fluent Fiction - Croatian: Old Flames and New Beginnings: A Reunion in Split's Heart
Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:
fluentfiction.com/hr/episode/2025-08-15-22-34-02-hr

Story Transcript:

Hr: Vrući kolovoški dan polako je prelazio u večer dok su se sunčeve zrake lomile o staro kamenje Dioklecijanove palače.
En: The hot August day slowly transitioned into evening as the sun's rays broke over the old stones of Dioklecijanova palača (Diocletian's Palace).

Hr: Mnoštvo je promicalo kroz ulice Splita, pripremajući se za proslavu Velike Gospe.
En: A crowd moved through the streets of Split, preparing for the celebration of the Feast of the Assumption.

Hr: Među njima su bili i Nikola i Jelena, bivši prijatelji iz djetinjstva koji su se ponovno sreli nakon mnogo godina.
En: Among them were Nikola and Jelena, former childhood friends who had met again after many years.

Hr: Nikola, sada uspješni poduzetnik, hodao je polagano.
En: Nikola, now a successful entrepreneur, walked slowly.

Hr: Razgledao je oko sebe, nostalgično promatrajući poznate prizore svog rodnog grada.
En: He looked around, nostalgically observing the familiar sights of his hometown.

Hr: Srce mu je igralo zbog povratka, ali osjećaj nesigurnosti ga je pratio.
En: His heart leapt with joy at returning, but a sense of uncertainty followed him.

Hr: Pitao se hoće li Jelena primijetiti njegov uspjeh ili će ga smatrati samo dijelom prošlosti.
En: He wondered if Jelena would notice his success or consider him just a part of the past.

Hr: S druge strane, Jelena je bila ozbiljna.
En: On the other hand, Jelena was serious.

Hr: Pripreme za blagdan bile su zahtjevne, a susret s Nikolom probudio je mnoga sjećanja.
En: Preparations for the holiday were demanding, and meeting Nikola stirred many memories.

Hr: Zamišljeno je gledala starog prijatelja.
En: She thoughtfully watched her old friend.

Hr: Nije bila sigurna što točno očekivati.
En: She was unsure of what exactly to expect.

Hr: Nikola uvijek je bio ambiciozan, ali njegovo trenutno ponašanje bilo je pokriveno nekom nesigurnošću.
En: Nikola had always been ambitious, but his current behavior was cloaked in some insecurity.

Hr: Dok su hodali uskim uličicama palače, Nikola pokušava držati opušteni ton.
En: As they walked through the narrow alleys of the palace, Nikola tried to maintain a relaxed tone.

Hr: "Znaš, Jelena, uspjeh je... pa, kompliciran.
En: "You know, Jelena, success is... well, complicated.

Hr: Nekako, nisam siguran je li me usrećio."
En: Somehow, I'm not sure if it has made me happy."

Hr: Dodir zvona iz katedrale sv. Dujma ispunio je zrak, prekidajući šutnju među njima.
En: The chime of the bells from the katedrala sv. Dujma (Cathedral of St. Domnius) filled the air, interrupting the silence between them.

Hr: Jelena ga pogleda, osmijeh joj zaigra na licu.
En: Jelena looked at him, a smile playing on her face.

Hr: "Nikola," reče polako, "novac i uspjeh nisu uvijek mjera sreće.
En: "Nikola," she said slowly, "money and success are not always the measure of happiness.

Hr: Veze koje gradimo - to je ono što nas oblikuje."
En: The bonds we build—that's what shapes us."

Hr: Nikola se na te riječi osjećao olakšano.
En: Nikola felt relieved by those words.

Hr: "Znaš, nedostajao mi je ovaj dio mene," priznao je, gledajući u gradske zidine koje su svjedočile njegovom odrastanju.
En: "You know, I missed this part of myself," he admitted, looking at the city walls that witnessed his growing up.

Hr: Kako su sunce i dalje lagano tonulo iza horizonta, Nikola i Jelena su dogovorili ponovno druženje, večeras, na proslavi Velike Gospe.
En: As the sun continued to gently dip below the horizon, Nikola and Jelena agreed to meet again later that evening at the celebration of the Feast of the Assumption.

Hr: Pojavio se zvuk glazbe i smijeha iz daljine, dok je Split oživio u slavlju, pod zvjezdanim nebom.
En: The sound of music and laughter emerged from afar as Split came alive in celebration under the starlit sky.

Hr: Ovaj povratak nije bio samo povratak u grad, već povratak njemu samome kroz sjećanja i veze koje nikada nisu izblijedjele.
En: This return was not just a return to the city, but a return to himself through memories and bonds that never faded.

Hr: Nikola se osjećao zahvalnim, shvaćajući da svoje korijene ne treba zaboraviti, već ih njegovati kao najvrijedniji dio svog putovanja.
En: Nikola felt grateful, realizing that he shouldn't forget his roots but nurture them as the most valuable part of his journey.

Vocabulary Words: