SPANISH MINDSET

Mate is the most traditional herbal infusion drink in Argentina that you must try as soon as possible before you visit Argentina.

You’ve probably already heard about mate, the first image you saw here. Basically, mate is a tea, very much like coffee. In fact, it even has a somewhat similar taste because mate is very bitter. Essentially, mate is a tea. It is like any other tea, but served in a cup –calabaza– like you can see below. It can also be served in something called a mate cup with the yerba (herbs) inside. It gives you a lot of energy, so we can say it’s very similar to coffee.

Mate is basically an Argentinian drink that everybody here in Argentina has. It’s kind of like tea, like matcha. We could also say it’s like coffee, but lighter. I’d say it’s somewhere between tea and coffee.

What are the Mate Elements?

Here in this image below, you can see the «Calabaza» (pumpkin) or also known just as «Mate». Here we add the «Bombilla« (straw), the «Yerba Mate» (mate herbs) and the hot water from the «Termo» (thermos).

Mate as a social ritual

Mate is the perfect excuse to talk, to meet with your friends. Everyone in Argentina does this.

We also have something called merienda, which is basically afternoon snack time — usually around 5:00 p.m., give or take an hour. That’s when most people have mate, either alone or with friends.

Remember: while that’s dinner time in the U.S. or Europe, here in Argentina (and Uruguay), that’s mate time or merienda time. So it’s super important to understand this part of our culture!

You will not like it the first time:

As I told you above, mate is a super energizing drink. It’s also super bitter, and you have to get used to it. Otherwise, you might not like it.

But how do you start to like it?

You just have to keep trying — again and again — until one day, you feel like,
“Wow, this is the best drink ever.”

You get used to the taste — and then you love it.

A very important detail

Another thing to know is that we share the same bombilla (the straw) with everyone. If you’re with five or ten friends, you’ll share it.

You pour some water, drink, and pass it to the next person (usually to your right).
Then they drink, and pass it again. You keep going around the mate circle. You might be thinking:

“That’s awful!”
“Why do you do that? That’s disgusting!”

But here in Argentina, that’s just the tradition. Everyone does it, and no one cares. There’s no problem with illness or anything like that. Of course, be smart — know who you’re sharing with. That’s my advice.

But yes, we share it — and it’s part of what makes mate so special. If you don’t like that idea, you can just keep your own mate and drink it alone.

Click here if you want to learn How to Make a Mate.