“TIRAR LA CASA POR LA VENTANA”
In Spanish, when someone spends money without control, they “throw the house out the window”.
This idiom is used to describe a person who makes extraordinary expenses for a special reason or celebration, such as a wedding o a birthday.
This expression comes from the end of the 19th century: it became popular in Spain as a result of the creation of the national lottery in 1763 by king Carlos III. The winners used to throw all their old furniture or belongings away from their houses after receiving their prize. That meant that they had begun a new life since then with new economic possibilities. They would spend their prize on luxuries, starting with renewing the whole house.
In English, the expression “tirar la casa por la ventana” can be translated as “to push the boat out (to the sea)” or “to go all out”.
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- Vamos a tirar la casa por la ventana con la boda de nuestra hija.Vamos a gastar muchísimo dinero
- [We’re going all out for our daughter’s wedding. We’re spending a lot of money!]
