The culture of Argentina is as varied as the country's geography and mix of ethnic groups.

Modern Argentine culture has been formed and influenced by European immigration. Buenos Aires is undeniably the most European city in South America, due both to the prevalence of people of European descent (mostly Italian and Spanish) and to conscious imitation. There are also some Amerindian influences, particularly in the fields of music and art.

Buenos Aires and other cities show a mixture of architectural styles imported from Europe. In the case of older settlements (and of older preserved neighborhoods within cities), modern styles appear mixed with colonial features, relics from the Spanish-ruled past.

Museums, cinemas and galleries are abundant in all the large urban centers, as well as traditional establishments such as literary bars, or bars offering live music of a variety of genres.

The best-known element of Argentine culture is probably their music and dance, particularly Tango. In modern Argentina, tango music is enjoyed in its own right, especially since the radical Ástor Piazzolla redefined the music of Carlos Gardel. It must be noted that while tango refers mostly to a particular dancing music for foreigners, the music together with the lyrics (often sung in a kind of slang called lunfardo) are what most Argentines primarily mean by tango. Tango lyrics can be considered a kind of poetry.

Argentines are extremely involved in sports. Fútbol (soccer) is more of a national obsession than a game. Argentina won the World Cup in 1978 and 1986 and the gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics for men's soccer, and the exploits of Diego Maradona have kept fans, paparazzi and columnists busy for the past 20 years. Tennis, rugby and field hockey are also important and Argentina won gold at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens for men's basketball. The great Formula One driver, Juan Manuel Fangio was Argentinian.

Argentina's official language is Spanish (here usually named castellano). Most Argentines live in the area of the Río de la Plata basin (which extends north from Buenos Aires along the Paraná River), and the dialect spoken in this area (Rioplatense Spanish) is also recognized in the rest of the country.