Teaspoons to Tablespoons
Convert teaspoons to tablespoons, cups, fluid ounces, and millilitres instantly.
How to use this tool
- Enter teaspoons in the fields above.
- Results update instantly as you type — or click Calculate.
- Read your tablespoons and the full breakdown beneath it.
Formula
Tablespoons = Teaspoons ÷ 3
Cups = Teaspoons ÷ 48
Fluid ounces = Teaspoons ÷ 6
Millilitres = Teaspoons × 4.92892 mL
How it works
In the US system, 3 teaspoons make 1 tablespoon, 48 teaspoons make 1 cup, and 6 teaspoons make 1 fluid ounce. The millilitre equivalent uses the exact US teaspoon definition of 4.92892 mL (one third of a US tablespoon of 14.78676 mL). All conversions follow directly from these ratios.
A common mistake is using a regular spoon from a cutlery drawer instead of a calibrated measuring spoon — kitchen teaspoons and dessertspoons vary widely in volume (3–6 mL) and will not match the standardised 4.93 mL US teaspoon, causing significant errors in recipes that rely on small measured amounts.
Worked example
Convert 3 teaspoons to tablespoons, cups, fluid ounces, and millilitres
- Start with 3 teaspoons.
- Tablespoons: 3 ÷ 3 = 1 tbsp.
- Cups: 3 ÷ 48 = 0.0625 cup. Fluid ounces: 3 ÷ 6 = 0.5 fl oz.
- Millilitres: 3 × 4.92892 = 14.787 mL.
3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon, 0.0625 cup, 0.5 fl oz, and 14.787 mL.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming 4 teaspoons to a tablespoon -- the US standard is 3 teaspoons per tablespoon; using 4 underfills every measurement by 25%.
- Mixing up teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) abbreviations mid-recipe -- a recipe listing "1 T" (tablespoon) converted as if it were a teaspoon triples the volume of that ingredient.
- Using a heaped rather than level teaspoon when the conversion started from a weighed amount -- heaping a teaspoon of baking powder can add 50% more volume than a leveled one.
Key terms
- US teaspoon (tsp)
- The smallest standard US cooking volume unit, equal to 1/3 tablespoon or approximately 4.929 mL.
- Tablespoon (tbsp)
- A US volume unit equal to 3 teaspoons or approximately 14.787 mL.
- Calibrated measuring spoon
- A kitchen tool manufactured to a defined standard volume (e.g., exactly 1 tsp), as opposed to regular cutlery whose capacity is not standardised.
- Metric teaspoon
- A volume unit of exactly 5 mL used in many non-US countries, slightly larger than the US teaspoon of 4.929 mL.
Frequently asked questions
- How many teaspoons are in a tablespoon?
- There are 3 US teaspoons in 1 US tablespoon.
- How many teaspoons are in a cup?
- There are 48 teaspoons in 1 US cup.