The Spanish version of being a “fifth wheel” on a date is “toca el violin,” which translates to being the one who plays the violin, as in, they provide the background music. In German, there’s a version that translates to, “useless as a goiter.” This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Spanish and German Fifth Wheels”
You know, Grant, earlier we were talking about the expressions third wheel and fifth wheel, meaning an extra person.
And it reminded me of a couple of Spanish phrases.
If you’re talking about somebody who’s a third wheel or a fifth wheel on a date, an extra person, you might say that that person toca el violín. They play the violin. They play the violin or they carry the harp, they carga el arpa, which is, you know, they’re providing the background music.
Right. So the couple’s sitting there having wine and seafood and this person’s standing behind them like the entertainment.
Exactly. Also occurs to me, there’s a wonderful German expression that translates as superfluous as a goiter or useless as a goiter.
Yes.
Überflüssig wie ein Krupp sein.
Oh, that sounds…
Doesn’t that sound like you don’t want to be extra, right?
