mate

[ˈmat̪e]

/[ˈmat̪e]/ noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

The verdict

“mate” is a regularly-used Spanish word, ranked #3,719 in Spanish word frequency and used as a noun.

#3,719
frequency rank, Spanish
4
letters
5
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Infusión de yerba mate consumida como bebida estimulante. Tradicionalmente, se sirve en un pote hecho de calabaza seca y se bebe con una bombilla metálica. Es común en la gastronomía de Argentina, ...

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

mate vs max
50% similar
mate vs may
50% similar
mate vs mit
50% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for mate
PropertyValue
Headwordmate
LanguageSpanish
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈmat̪e]
Letters4
Frequency rank#3,719
Misspellings tracked5
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “mate” sits in Spanish frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). mate lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The Spanish entry for mate is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈmat̪e]. Corpus data places it at rank #3,719 in overall Spanish word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 5 likely wrong-spelling variants for mate, with forms such as "amte", "maet", and "matte". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "max", "may", "mit", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

No borrowing history is documented for this entry, so its spelling is best explained by sound-to-letter mapping rather than etymology. The correct Spanish form is mate, spelled M-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Infusión de yerba mate consumida como bebida estimulante. Tradicionalmente, se sirve en un pote hecho de calabaza seca y se bebe con una bombilla metálica. Es común en la gastronomía de Argentina, Brasil, Paraguay, Uruguay y Bolivia (Tarija).
  2. 2
    Por extensión, bebida obtenida de remojar en agua cualquier hierba aromática.
  3. 3
    Recipiente elaborado a partir de una calabaza, de asta, metal u otro material donde se toma la infusión.
  4. 4
    (Lagenaria siceraria) Planta de la familia de las Cucurbitáceas, cuyas calabazas son usadas para crear vasos para tomar mate₁.
  5. 5
    Cabeza (parte corporal).
  6. 6
    Por metonimia, capacidad de pensamiento y de juicio.
  7. 7
    Semilla o poroto con que juegan los muchachos.^([cita requerida]).

Synonyms

té de jesuitasté del Paraguayaguaagüitainfusióntétecitocalabaza vinaterajícaroporongomatecalabaza de peregrinocalabaza vinateracapallu de Chileguada de Chilebuleacocotechocobangañocaletre

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: amte,maet,matte,mmate,mtae

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of mate - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

amte2maet2matte1mmate1mtae2
Edit distance from "mate"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 Spanish corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "mate"?
"mate" is spelled M-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈmat̪e].
What does "mate" mean?
As a noun, "mate" means: Infusión de yerba mate consumida como bebida estimulante. Tradicionalmente, se sirve en un pote hecho de calabaza seca y se bebe con una bombilla metálica. Es común en la gastronomía de Argentina, ...
What words are commonly confused with "mate"?
"mate" is commonly confused with "max", "may", "mit". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "mate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "mate" is [ˈmat̪e]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "mate" come from?
"mate" is a Spanish word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “mate”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct Spanish spelling is M-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈmat̪e] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “max” - see the side-by-side comparison. mate vs max
  • Browse more Spanish words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Spanish words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list