Streetwise Hebrew #444 Sorry, It Slipped My Mind
Nov 25, 2025
Dive into the intriguing meanings of the Hebrew word for 'escape' and its various uses. Discover quirky phrases like 'I peed myself' while learning about the concept of smuggling, including fruits and even arms from Syria. Explore brain drain in Israel and the fun phenomenon of escape rooms. Guy shares insights from David Grossman's book and discusses everyday idioms, making Hebrew both entertaining and educational. Tune in for a playful language adventure!
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Livroach Means 'To Escape From'
- The Hebrew verb לברוח (livroach) means to escape and is commonly used with the preposition מ־ (mi-).
- Guy illustrates this with the literal question form "ממה הם בורחים?" showing how Hebrew frames fleeing as 'from what'.
Examples From Literature And Child Talk
- Guy references David Grossman's book translated as "Woman Flees a Message" to show the verb in literary use.
- He also notes the child-language phrase "ברח לי פיפי" meaning "I peed myself," often shortened to "ברח לי".
From 'Slipped My Mind' To 'Brain Drain'
- The phrase "Oy, barach li me-ha-rosh, slicha" literally means "it escaped from my head," used for "it slipped my mind."
- The verbal noun בריחה (bricha) denotes an escape and extends to figurative uses like brain drain.
