Halving a recipe, scaling up a spice rub or using a set of measuring spoons that is missing a size all come down to the same fact: one tablespoon is three teaspoons. This converter does that multiplication, adds the milliliter and fluid-ounce equivalents and shows which spoon combinations make up common cup measures — useful when the ¼-cup measure is in the dishwasher.
How to use the tablespoons to teaspoons converter
- Enter the number of US tablespoons (tbsp). Halves and quarters work as decimals (0.5, 0.25).
- Read the answer in teaspoons, plus milliliters, fluid ounces and cups.
- When the result is not a neat spoon size, the nearest ⅛ teaspoon is shown.
- The tables below list cup measures in spoons and compare tablespoon sizes in different countries.
Tablespoons to teaspoons formula
In US customary units the relationships are exact: 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons = ½ fluid ounce = 14.78676478125 mL, and 16 tablespoons make a cup. Metric spoon sets keep the same 3-to-1 ratio but round the sizes to 15 mL and 5 mL.
Worked example
A chili recipe that serves 4 calls for 2 tablespoons of chili powder, and you are scaling it to serve 6.
Scale: 2 tbsp × 6/4 = 3 tbsp.
In teaspoons: 3 × 3 = 9 tsp — or simply 3 level tablespoons.
For the original 2 tbsp: 2 × 3 = 6 tsp = 1 fl oz = 29.6 mL.
Going down instead: a ⅔-scale batch needs 2 × ⅔ = 1⅓ tbsp, which is 4 teaspoons exactly — easier to measure than one and a third tablespoons.
Cup measures in spoons
| Measure | Tablespoons | Teaspoons | Spoon combination |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/16 cup | 1 | 3 | 1 tbsp |
| 1/8 cup | 2 | 6 | 2 tbsp |
| 1/4 cup | 4 | 12 | 4 tbsp |
| 1/3 cup | 5.33 | 16 | 5 tbsp + 1 tsp |
| 1/2 cup | 8 | 24 | 8 tbsp |
| 2/3 cup | 10.67 | 32 | 10 tbsp + 2 tsp |
| 3/4 cup | 12 | 36 | 12 tbsp |
| 1 cup | 16 | 48 | 16 tbsp |
Tablespoons around the world
| Tablespoon | Volume | Teaspoons |
|---|---|---|
| US customary | 14.79 mL | 3 |
| Metric (UK, Canada, New Zealand) | 15 mL | 3 |
| Australian | 20 mL | 4 |
The Australian difference matters for strong ingredients. A recipe from an Australian source asking for “1 tablespoon of baking soda” means 20 mL — a third more than a US tablespoon. Use 1 US tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon to match it. Older British recipes sometimes used larger dessert-spoon and tablespoon sizes too, so modern metric spoons are the safest reference.
Measuring tips
- Level, not heaped. Recipes mean a level spoon unless they say “heaping”; sweep the excess off with a knife.
- Pinch and dash are not standardized, but many modern measuring sets define a dash as ⅛ teaspoon and a pinch as 1/16 teaspoon.
- Medicine: use the dosing cup or syringe supplied with the product rather than a kitchen spoon, whose size varies widely.
For larger kitchen volumes, use cups to mL, and to convert spoons of a specific ingredient to grams, try the cooking converter.
Frequently asked questions
How many teaspoons are in a tablespoon?
Three in US, UK, Canadian and New Zealand measuring sets. Australia is the exception: its tablespoon is 20 mL, which holds four 5 mL teaspoons.
How many teaspoons is half a tablespoon?
1½ teaspoons. Half of 3 teaspoons is 1.5, which you can measure with a 1-teaspoon and a ½-teaspoon spoon.
How many mL is a tablespoon?
A US tablespoon is 14.79 mL (half a US fluid ounce). Metric tablespoons are 15 mL, and US nutrition labels also round to 15 mL. The Australian tablespoon is 20 mL.
How many tablespoons are in a quarter cup?
Four tablespoons, or 12 teaspoons. A full US cup holds 16 tablespoons, so a third of a cup is 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon.