Argentina: Explore the Language and Culture of Argentina

Exploring the Culture of Argentina

Argentina is rich in both indigenous and European cultures. It’s the origin of the tango. It’s a capital of fútbol. And, its natural wonders are stunning, from the Perito Moreno Glacier, Iguazú Falls, and the Serranía de Hornocal, or Rainbow Mountain.

In the culture of Argentina, mouth-watering asado, or barbeque, is a popular Argentine. It’s even common to spot men dressed as gauchos–Argentine cowboys! Sophisticated and lively Buenos Aires offers a variety of entertainment, from the Avenida 9 de Julio—one of the widest streets in the world—to opera at the world-renowned Teatro Colón, to sipping mate (an energizing herbal brew) with friends. Argentina has large communities of foreign students and immigrants, which speaks to its diverse and ever-evolving cultures.

Study abroad in Argentina Host an Argentinian student in the U.S.

Family Dynamic

In Argentinian culture, it’s common for families to have grandparents living with them at their home. Parents and children tend to have an open relationship in which they discuss their opinions and plans, and the parents usually have the final say. Argentinian parents seem to always emphasize what their children don’t do, or what they do poorly. It’s somewhat normal for Argentinian children to be lectured. This attitude doesn’t represent a lack of trust or respect. On the contrary, in Argentinian culture, it is a sign of attention, and above all, affection and care. Parental decisions are respected and followed, and parents have the last word in family matters.

Teenage Life

Argentine teens have very active social lives, meeting with friends after school and going out to eat, the cinema and dancing on weekends. Friends are around so often in fact, that teens seem to lack much privacy and may consider their friend’s property theirs as well. Most teenagers are a part of sports teams. In Argentinian culture, teenagers are expected to help their parents with chores around the house.

Official Language

Spanish is the official language of Argentina & Uruguay, and many people also speak English, Italian, German, French or Portuguese.

Communication Style

Argentinian people typically favor an indirect communication style where people are expected to implicitly gather meaning. Argentine conversations tend to be highly contextual.

In the culture of Argentina, personal space tends to be limited during conservation, and individuals might touch or stand closely while conversing. Direct eye contact may be interpreted as confrontational unless greetings have already been exchanged.

Argentines are emotive communicators. They tend to ask many personal questions and it can be considered impolite if one does not ask questions. It is also common for Argentines to show their passion or enthusiasm for a topic by interrupting others mid-conversation. Interruptions are viewed as a demonstration of one’s interest, similar to asking many personal questions.

The Argentinian Diet

Argentina is a large and proud cattle raising country, so beef is present at almost every meal. Beef can be found in dishes like parillada (featuring different cuts of beef) or milanesas (breaded fried cutlet), the chivito and empanadas that also reveal the strong influence of Italian cooking styles. Unlike other Latin American cuisine, food is not spicy in this country. Argentines are also known for their love of drinking mate, the local green tea, which is often a social occasion. In the culture of Argentina, people normally have a large lunch followed by a siesta and a large meal late at night, normally after 9:30pm.