About the Tablespoons to Teaspoons Converter
This tablespoons to teaspoons converter switches between tablespoons, teaspoons and milliliters, and also shows the amount as a fraction of a cup. Pick the spoon system your recipe uses — US customary, metric or Australian — because the tablespoon is not the same size everywhere.
Use it when a recipe calls for tablespoons but you only have a teaspoon handy, when scaling a recipe down (1/2 tbsp is 1 1/2 tsp), when converting a metric recipe to US spoons, or when you need milliliters for a measuring syringe or jug.
In the US and most metric countries a tablespoon is 3 teaspoons. In Australia a tablespoon is 20 ml, which is 4 teaspoons. These are level measuring spoons, not the cutlery spoons used for eating, which vary widely in size.
With the default inputs, the teaspoons is 6 tsp. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the tablespoons to teaspoons converter
- 1Enter the amount.
- 2Choose whether it is in tablespoons, teaspoons or milliliters.
- 3Pick the spoon system your recipe uses.
- 4Read teaspoons at the top, plus tablespoons, ml and cups.
Formula and method
A US tablespoon is half a US fluid ounce, exactly 14.78676478125 ml, and a US teaspoon is a third of that, 4.92892159375 ml. Metric spoons round these to 15 ml and 5 ml, keeping the 3-to-1 ratio. Australia uses a 20 ml tablespoon with the same 5 ml teaspoon, so 1 tbsp = 4 tsp there.
The converter turns your amount into milliliters using the chosen system, then divides by the teaspoon, tablespoon and cup sizes. Cups use the US cup (16 tbsp) for US measures and the 250 ml cup otherwise.
- tbsp
- Tablespoons
- tsp
- Teaspoons
- ml
- Milliliters
Worked examples
2 US tablespoons of olive oil
2 × 3 = 6 teaspoons. In volume that is 2 × 14.79 = 29.57 ml, which is 1 fl oz or 1/8 cup.
1 Australian tablespoon
Australian tablespoons hold 20 ml, so one equals 20 ÷ 5 = 4 teaspoons.
15 ml of vanilla in US spoons
15 ÷ 4.929 = 3.04 tsp, or 15 ÷ 14.787 = 1.01 tbsp — so a 15 ml metric tablespoon is very close to a US tablespoon.
Frequently asked questions
How many teaspoons are in a tablespoon?+
There are 3 teaspoons in a US or metric tablespoon. In Australia, where the tablespoon is 20 ml, there are 4 teaspoons in a tablespoon.
How many ml is a teaspoon?+
A US teaspoon is 4.93 ml and a metric teaspoon is exactly 5 ml. The difference is under 2%, so either is fine for cooking.
How many ml is a tablespoon?+
A US tablespoon is 14.79 ml, a metric tablespoon is 15 ml and an Australian tablespoon is 20 ml.
What is half a tablespoon in teaspoons?+
Half a US or metric tablespoon is 1 1/2 teaspoons (about 7.4–7.5 ml). Half an Australian tablespoon is 2 teaspoons (10 ml).
How many tablespoons are in a cup?+
A US cup holds 16 tablespoons (48 teaspoons). A 250 ml metric cup holds about 16.7 metric tablespoons or 12.5 Australian tablespoons.