how to say “blew his cover” in Hebrew

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/נשרף-#.m4a” /]נִשְׂרַף

In English, when we talk about someone’s identity being discovered, we say that they blew their cover. This invokes the image of covers (or disguise) flying off, being blown away with the wind.

In Hebrew, we say that this person was burned – נשרף[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/נשרף-#.m4a” /].

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/נשרף-#.m4a” /]החייל המסתערב נשרף, והמבצע בוטל.

The undercover mistaarev soldier was burned, and the operation was cancelled.

נשרף, meaning literally burned, is a נפעל verb. Its infinitive is להישרף[audioclip url=”hhttps://archive.ulpan.com/nifal/ttps://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/נשרף-#.m4a” /] – to be burned.