how to say “brainwash” in Hebrew
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/שטיפת-מוח-#.m4a” /]שְׁטִיפַת מוֹחַ
The Hebrew word for brain is מוח[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/שטיפת-מוח-#.m4a” /]. Its plural is מוחות[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/שטיפת-מוח-#.m4a” /], which brings us the expression סיעור מוחות[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/שטיפת-מוח-#.m4a” /] – brainstorming (storming of brains).
To rinse or to wash is לשטוף[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/שטיפת-מוח-#.m4a” /], so to brainwash or to rinse a brain is לשטוף מוח[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/שטיפת-מוח-#.m4a” /].
For example:
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/שטיפת-מוח-#.m4a” /]שטפו לי את המוח!
They brainwashed me! (literally, They washed for me, the brain!)
לשטוף is a simple verb whose verbal noun is שטיפה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/שטיפת-מוח-#.m4a” /] – rinsing/washing. Putting together שטיפה and מוח[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/שטיפת-מוח-#.m4a” /] in an “of” relationship (the construct state), we have שטיפת מוח[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/שטיפת-מוח-#.m4a” /] – brainwash, as in:
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/שטיפת-מוח-#.m4a” /]הוא לא עבר שטיפת מוח – הוא סתם מגזים.
He didn’t get brainwashed – he’s exaggerating.
