The Mate in Argentina

A bitter infusion that brings people together? That exists! It’s called mate.

Mate is a hot beverage mainly consumed in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, and Brazil.

What makes it so special? Find out in this YouTube video from our channel Spanish With Latin ELE.

We interviewed Argentine Spanish teacher Melany Di Leva, creator of Easy Argentine Spanish, to explore:

What mate is and how it’s prepared
Benefits of this infusion
The ronda de mate, Argentina’s unique social ritual

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More About Mate

Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) is a plant native to South America and traditionally consumed as a hot infusion. Indigenous peoples were the first to drink it, and it was later adopted by European settlers.

Some benefits of mate include:

• It contains caffeine, which boosts alertness and concentration.
• It has polyphenols, antioxidants that help slow cellular aging.
• It’s a source of vitamins A, B1, B2, and C.

Mate in Argentina

As you’ll learn in the interview, yerba mate is deeply rooted in Argentine daily life.

It’s not only a morning energy boost but a way people connect and socialize.

Argentinians enjoy a ronda de mate where people sit together and share one mate. One person, the cebador, prepares and pours the mate, then passes it around.

Drinking from the same gourd is part of the bonding experience — it’s about friendship and trust.

Argentina is also the world’s main producer and exporter of yerba mate, making it an important part of its economy.

Yerba Mate Vocabulary

Here are some useful Spanish words related to mate:

• Cebar el mate: to pour hot water into the mate gourd
• El cebador: the person who prepares and serves mate in a group
• La bombilla: the metal straw used to drink mate
• La matera: a bag used to carry mate, yerba, and thermos
• La ronda de mate: the ritual of sharing mate in a group

Basic Steps to Prepare and Drink Mate

Mate is traditionally prepared in a gourd, also called a mate, often made from pumpkin. Here are the basic steps:

1. Fill the mate three-quarters full with yerba.
2. Cover the top, turn it upside down, and shake to remove excess dust.
3. Tilt the yerba to one side and pour warm water (about 70-80°C / 160°F) into the empty space.
4. Insert the bombilla and start sipping.

It’s simple, traditional, and deeply social.

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Connect with Melany

Visit her website: https://easyargentinespanish.com/

Listen to her podcast Easy Argentine Spanish, available on all major listening apps.