A Classic Bulb offered from €100 purchase 🎁 !
Calabash, mate pot, bombilla… What’s that? The world of mate has its own lexicon , its own vocabulary, and it can quickly become confusing!
So, here is a little dictionary bringing together all the jargon and expressions specific to this drink, in order to make you a perfect matero.
You don't know what a matero is? That's good!
The Bombilla, in addition to being our name, is the essential accessory for drinking mate. It is a metal straw with a filter. It allows you to drink mate without letting the leaves pass through.
“Bomba” is the Portuguese word for “bombilla.”
But it's also the word that defines Brazilian bombillas. They are much larger than bombillas from other countries.
This is probably the most confusing term.
Because mate normally refers to both the drink and the container , while the infused leaves are called " yerba mate ."
If we want to be exact, we can therefore be led to say a sentence like "I drink a mate in my mate by infusing it with yerba mate."
Complicated, right?
So, to simplify, we decided to make a little abuse of language:
Why is the container called a "calabash"?
The container traditionally used for drinking mate is a type of cup hollowed out from a certain type of gourd: the calabash.
To avoid confusion between mate (the drink) and mate (the container), we (as most people do) refer to the mate container as a mate calabash .
There are several types of mate gourds, mainly differentiated by their material.
Learn more: Choosing the best mate gourd
The calabash can also be called a “ mate pot ”, “ mate cup ” or even a “ mate gourd ”.
The "cuia", in Portuguese, is the calabash used in Brazil .
It is much larger than those used in neighboring countries.
The calabash used to drink Tereré .
It is traditionally made from cow horn but now comes in metal or wood.
Natural gourds (made of squash, wood, or bamboo) must be cleaned before first use. This process prepares the container for use. This is called "curing your gourd."
Learn more: How to cure your mate gourd in 5 steps
The mate thermos is the mate lover's greatest companion. It allows them to prepare a mate in seconds at any time of day, and in any location.
Why a " mate thermos"? Because there are thermoses designed to make preparing mate easier with a dedicated pouring spout.
Learn more: How to choose the best mate thermos and where to buy it?
This is a type of bag used to carry the mate and the accessories needed for its preparation (gourd, bombilla, yerba mate and thermos).
The most commonly used name for the leaves used to brew mate. It is sometimes simply called "mate," a misnomer.
There are several types of yerba mate, such as refined mate , green mate and roasted mate .
Learn more: What are the different types of mate?
Scientific name of the yerba mate plant.
Mate is known as " Jesuit tea " because it was the Jesuits who began producing mate in large quantities and spreading it throughout South America.
Mate is also known as “ Paraguay tea ” because it originates from that country.
Mate is sometimes called " Brazilian tea " because of the large quantities of yerba mate produced in that country.
All these terms help to distinguish between the different types of mate. To put them in context, and therefore understand them well, it can be useful to understand the different stages of mate production .
Learn more: How is mate produced?
“Palo” in Spanish means “ branch ” or “ stem .”
There are mates “con palo” or “sin palo” (with or without stems).
Another term for a mate “sin palo”, without stems .
“Polvo” in Spanish means “ powder ” in French.
Used to refer to the powder used in mate. Mates almost always contain powder to give consistency to the infusion.
Using too much powder often means poor quality.
“Smoke” in French. Used to refer to the method of drying mate leaves (with or without smoke).
With or without smoke (in English). This is a statement found on some mate bags.
“Amargo” in Spanish means “ bitter ” in French.
When a mate is “amargo,” it means that it is (very) bitter.
“Sweet” in French. A “dulce” mate is a mate that is less bitter than classic mates.
“Yerba maté canchada” is a raw mixture of yerba maté leaves and branches after cutting.
It is rarely used for consumption. Instead, it is stored in the form of "canchada" before going through the final stages of production.
The “Cebador” is the person who infuses the mate.
A “lavado” mate is a mate that no longer has any flavor after being infused a certain number of times.
This term means “to drink a mate”.
This is the name of the mate commonly consumed in Brazil.
It has a pronounced green appearance and a powdery texture. It is milder than classic mates.
Learn more: Chimarrão: The place of mate in Brazil
Tereré is a cold infusion of mate, particularly popular in Brazil and Paraguay.
Learn more: Tereré: How to prepare cold mate?
Cocido mate is halfway between mate and tea.
It is a simple infusion of mate in a tea bag.
Learn more: How to make a mate cocido?
A matero is simply... A mate lover!
The "ronda de mate," or "mate round," is a group of people who gather in a circle to share a mate drink. The mate is prepared by one person and passed from hand to hand in a counterclockwise direction.
This is an ancient tradition specific to mate, still widely practiced in South America. It is synonymous with conviviality and sharing.
It's very likely that there are other words and/or expressions that have their place in this mate lexicon. If you have one (or more) in mind, we would love to hear from you!
To learn more about mate, discover all our articles on Bombiblog , our blog dedicated to mate .
