diff --git a/django/template/base.py b/django/template/base.py
index 0dec9940ab..078be8b383 100644
--- a/django/template/base.py
+++ b/django/template/base.py
@@ -694,9 +694,10 @@ class FilterExpression:
 
         self.filters = filters
         self.var = var_obj
+        self.is_var = isinstance(var_obj, Variable)
 
     def resolve(self, context, ignore_failures=False):
-        if isinstance(self.var, Variable):
+        if self.is_var:
             try:
                 obj = self.var.resolve(context)
             except VariableDoesNotExist:
diff --git a/django/templatetags/i18n.py b/django/templatetags/i18n.py
index 8c123c7dd5..607ceb6aea 100644
--- a/django/templatetags/i18n.py
+++ b/django/templatetags/i18n.py
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ class TranslateNode(Node):
         self.message_context = message_context
         self.filter_expression = filter_expression
         if isinstance(self.filter_expression.var, str):
+            self.filter_expression.is_var = True
             self.filter_expression.var = Variable("'%s'" %
                                                   self.filter_expression.var)