How Many Teaspoons in a Tablespoon?
There are 3 teaspoons in 1 US tablespoon — so half a tablespoon is 1½ teaspoons, and 2 tablespoons make 6 teaspoons. Type any amount below to convert between tablespoons, teaspoons and millilitres.
US customary spoons (tsp 4.93 mL, tbsp 14.79 mL). Metric 5/15 mL spoons are interchangeable with them; the Australian 20 mL tablespoon is not — see the spoon-sizes table below.
Tablespoons to teaspoons chart
| Tablespoons | Teaspoons | Fluid oz | Millilitres |
|---|---|---|---|
| ½ tbsp | 1½ tsp | 0.25 fl oz | 7.4 mL |
| 1 tbsp | 3 tsp | 0.5 fl oz | 14.8 mL |
| 1½ tbsp | 4½ tsp | 0.75 fl oz | 22.2 mL |
| 2 tbsp (⅛ cup) | 6 tsp | 1 fl oz | 29.6 mL |
| 3 tbsp | 9 tsp | 1.5 fl oz | 44.4 mL |
| 4 tbsp (¼ cup) | 12 tsp | 2 fl oz | 59.1 mL |
| 6 tbsp | 18 tsp | 3 fl oz | 88.7 mL |
| 8 tbsp (½ cup) | 24 tsp | 4 fl oz | 118.3 mL |
| 12 tbsp (¾ cup) | 36 tsp | 6 fl oz | 177.4 mL |
| 16 tbsp (1 cup) | 48 tsp | 8 fl oz | 236.6 mL |
Teaspoons to tablespoons
Going the other way, divide by 3. When it doesn't divide evenly, measure the whole tablespoons and add the leftover teaspoons:
| Teaspoons | Tablespoons | Millilitres |
|---|---|---|
| 1 tsp | ⅓ tbsp | 4.9 mL |
| 2 tsp | ⅔ tbsp | 9.9 mL |
| 3 tsp | 1 tbsp | 14.8 mL |
| 4 tsp | 1 tbsp + 1 tsp | 19.7 mL |
| 5 tsp | 1 tbsp + 2 tsp | 24.6 mL |
| 6 tsp | 2 tbsp | 29.6 mL |
| 8 tsp | 2 tbsp + 2 tsp | 39.4 mL |
| 9 tsp | 3 tbsp | 44.4 mL |
| 12 tsp | 4 tbsp (¼ cup) | 59.1 mL |
| 24 tsp | 8 tbsp (½ cup) | 118.3 mL |
| 48 tsp | 16 tbsp (1 cup) | 236.6 mL |
Halving spoon measurements
Because a tablespoon is 3 teaspoons, every half lands on a spoon you actually own:
| Half of… | …is |
|---|---|
| 1 tbsp (3 tsp) | 1½ tsp |
| ½ tbsp (1½ tsp) | ¾ tsp |
| 1 tsp | ½ tsp |
| ½ tsp | ¼ tsp |
| ¼ tsp | ⅛ tsp |
| ⅛ tsp | 1/16 tsp — the “pinch” on mini spoon sets |
Halving a whole recipe? The recipe halving chart does this for every cup and spoon measure at once.
tsp vs tbsp: don't triple the salt
The abbreviations are the real trap: tsp (or lowercase t) is a teaspoon; tbsp, Tbsp or capital T is a tablespoon — three times as much. Misreading one for the other is how a bake ends up with triple the baking soda. When a recipe is ambiguous, the capital letter means the bigger spoon.
Spoon sizes around the world
| Standard | Teaspoon | Tablespoon |
|---|---|---|
| US customary (this page) | 4.93 mL | 14.79 mL (3 tsp) |
| US nutrition labels (FDA) | 5 mL | 15 mL (3 tsp) |
| Metric — UK, EU, Canada, NZ | 5 mL | 15 mL (3 tsp) |
| Australia | 5 mL | 20 mL (4 tsp) |
The US customary and 5/15 mL metric spoons differ by ~1.4% — swap them freely. The UK/AU dessertspoon is 10 mL = 2 tsp. Only the Australian 20 mL tablespoon needs converting: use 4 tsp per Australian tbsp.
Quick reference
- 1 tbsp = 3 tsp = ½ fl oz = 14.79 mL
- ½ tbsp = 1½ tsp
- 1 tsp = ⅓ tbsp = 4.93 mL
- 2 tbsp = 6 tsp = 1 fl oz = ⅛ cup
- 4 tbsp = 12 tsp = ¼ cup
- 16 tbsp = 48 tsp = 1 cup
- 1 dessertspoon (UK/AU) = 2 tsp = 10 mL
Need a different conversion?
Scaling up from spoons to cups? See how many tablespoons are in a cup (16 — with every cup fraction, including the awkward ⅓ and ⅔). This page measures volume, not weight — a tablespoon of flour and a tablespoon of honey weigh very different amounts, so for grams use the tablespoons to grams converter. The volume converter adds cups, fluid ounces and litres, and the cups to mL page covers international cup sizes. For butter, 1 stick = 8 tablespoons — the butter converter handles sticks, grams and ounces.
Frequently asked questions
How many teaspoons are in a tablespoon?
There are 3 teaspoons in 1 US tablespoon. The same is true of UK, European, Canadian and New Zealand metric spoons (5 mL and 15 mL). The one exception is Australia, where the tablespoon is 20 mL — 4 teaspoons.
How many teaspoons are in half a tablespoon?
Half a tablespoon is 1 1/2 teaspoons. That's the measurement you need most often when halving a recipe — measure 1 teaspoon plus a 1/2 teaspoon.
How many teaspoons are in 2 tablespoons?
2 tablespoons is 6 teaspoons, which is also 1 fluid ounce or 1/8 cup. In general, multiply tablespoons by 3 to get teaspoons.
Does tsp mean teaspoon or tablespoon?
tsp (or a lowercase t) means teaspoon; tbsp, Tbsp or a capital T means tablespoon. Mixing them up triples the amount (or cuts it to a third) — the most common place it hurts is salt, baking soda and baking powder. If a handwritten recipe just says a capital T, read it as tablespoon.
How many milliliters are in a teaspoon and a tablespoon?
A US teaspoon is 4.93 mL and a US tablespoon is 14.79 mL. In practice, recipes treat them as 5 mL and 15 mL — the exact values used by metric spoons and US nutrition labels — and the difference (about 1.4%) is far too small to matter in cooking.
Is an Australian tablespoon different?
Yes. The Australian tablespoon is 20 mL, which is 4 teaspoons — one-third bigger than a US or metric tablespoon. Following an Australian recipe with US spoons? Use 4 teaspoons (or 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon) for each listed tablespoon. Australian teaspoons are the usual 5 mL.
What is a dessertspoon?
A dessertspoon is a UK, Australian and NZ measure of 10 mL — exactly 2 teaspoons, or two-thirds of a metric tablespoon. It sits between the teaspoon and tablespoon and shows up in older British recipes.
Can I use a regular eating spoon instead of a measuring spoon?
Not for anything that matters. Flatware varies a lot — an eating teaspoon can hold anywhere from about half to one-and-a-half times a measuring teaspoon depending on the set. For salt, leaveners and spices, use actual measuring spoons, leveled off.
How much is a dash, a pinch and a smidgen?
There's no official definition, but the mini measuring-spoon sets sold under those names have settled on: dash = 1/8 teaspoon, pinch = 1/16 teaspoon, smidgen = 1/32 teaspoon. In older recipes they simply meant "a small amount, to taste."
How many teaspoons are in 1/4 cup?
A quarter cup is 12 teaspoons, or 4 tablespoons. A full cup is 48 teaspoons (16 tablespoons). See the tablespoons-in-a-cup chart for every cup fraction.
How many teaspoons are in a fluid ounce?
There are 6 teaspoons (2 tablespoons) in 1 US fluid ounce.
How many teaspoons are in a packet of yeast?
A standard US packet of active dry or instant yeast holds 2 1/4 teaspoons (7 g — about 3/4 tablespoon). See the yeast converter to swap between yeast types.