Where does the word yerba mate come from?
This is a little complicated, but once you get it down, you’ll sound like an expert! Let’s take the words one at a time. The word yerba (pronounced yair-buh) is Spanish for “herb.” When Argentines refer to the loose herb before it is brewed into a tea, they call it simply “yerba.” Try the following sentence: “I went to the Park Slope Co-op in Brooklyn and picked up a pound of EcoTeas yerba.” The word mate (pronounced mah-tay) comes from the Guarani language, and it means “gourd.” The Guarani (pronounced wa-ra-nee) people are the original Native American inhabitants of the yerba mate growing region, which includes Paraguay, southern Brazil, and northern Argentina. Try this phrase: “Welcome to Buenos Aires. Before we go out dancing, would you like to share a mate?” The beverage made from yerba mate is also called mate.
