‘Yerba’ means herb and ‘mate’ is the gourd used to drink yerba mate. So the drink literally means ‘herb in a cup’.
It tastes like strong, earthy, bitter green tea (very addictive flavor!)
(As being a coffee addict, yerba mate is a healthy and satisfying alternative for me;) ) 
bombilla — a small pipe through which you drink mate, tipped with a filter, made of metal-usually silver.
yerba plant
