There are 3 teaspoons in 1 tablespoon. To convert, multiply tablespoons by 3 to get teaspoons, or divide teaspoons by 3 to get tablespoons: 4 tablespoons is 12 teaspoons, and 9 teaspoons is 3 tablespoons. This holds for the US measuring spoons used in recipes, and NIST's capacity table lists the same ratio.
How many teaspoons are in a tablespoon?
NIST's table of common capacity units gives one tablespoonful as 3 teaspoonfuls. The same table shows how the small spoons fit into larger US customary units: 1 fluid ounce is 2 tablespoons or 6 teaspoons, and 1 cup is 16 tablespoons. Multiplying through, 1 cup is 16 × 3 = 48 teaspoons.
The tablespoon and teaspoon are fixed in volume, unlike table cutlery, which varies from set to set. A fluid ounce is the next unit up; see how many ounces in a cup for the larger ladder.
Teaspoon to tablespoon chart
| Teaspoons | Tablespoons | Fluid ounces | Milliliters (NIST, approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 tsp | 1/12 tbsp | 1/24 | 1.23 |
| 1/2 tsp | 1/6 tbsp | 1/12 | 2.46 |
| 1 tsp | 1/3 tbsp | 1/6 | 4.93 |
| 1 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tbsp | 1/4 | 7.39 |
| 2 tsp | 2/3 tbsp | 1/3 | 9.86 |
| 3 tsp | 1 tbsp | 1/2 | 14.79 |
| 4 tsp | 1 1/3 tbsp | 2/3 | 19.72 |
| 6 tsp | 2 tbsp | 1 | 29.57 |
| 9 tsp | 3 tbsp | 1 1/2 | 44.36 |
| 12 tsp | 4 tbsp (1/4 cup) | 2 | 59.15 |
| 24 tsp | 8 tbsp (1/2 cup) | 4 | 118.29 |
| 48 tsp | 16 tbsp (1 cup) | 8 | 236.59 |
The converters teaspoons to tablespoons and tablespoons to teaspoons handle other amounts, and the whole family is collected on the unit converters page.
How many milliliters are in a teaspoon and a tablespoon?
NIST's conversion factors (SP 811, Appendix B.8) give a teaspoon as 4.928922 mL and a tablespoon as 14.78676 mL. Three teaspoons then total 3 × 4.928922 = 14.786766 mL, which agrees with the tablespoon value to the digits listed.
US nutrition labeling uses rounder numbers: under 21 CFR 101.9(b)(5)(viii), a teaspoon means 5 mL and a tablespoon 15 mL for label purposes, and the 3-to-1 ratio is unchanged (3 × 5 = 15). The difference between 14.79 and 15 mL is about 1.4%, small enough that it does not matter for cooking.
How many teaspoons are in common fractions of a tablespoon?
| Fraction of a tablespoon | Teaspoons |
|---|---|
| 1/4 tbsp | 3/4 tsp |
| 1/3 tbsp | 1 tsp |
| 1/2 tbsp | 1 1/2 tsp |
| 2/3 tbsp | 2 tsp |
| 3/4 tbsp | 2 1/4 tsp |
| 1 tbsp | 3 tsp |
| 1 1/2 tbsp | 4 1/2 tsp |
| 2 tbsp | 6 tsp |
Worked examples
Example 1: only a teaspoon is available
A recipe asks for 2 tablespoons of vanilla, but only the teaspoon is clean. 2 × 3 = 6 teaspoons. That is also exactly 1 fluid ounce.
Example 2: mixed amounts
A spice rub needs 4 teaspoons of paprika. 4 ÷ 3 = 1.33 tablespoons, which is 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon. Written the other way, 1 tbsp + 1 tsp = 3 + 1 = 4 tsp.
Example 3: scaling a recipe up
A dressing uses 2 teaspoons of mustard and is tripled for a party. 2 × 3 = 6 teaspoons, which is 6 ÷ 3 = 2 tablespoons.
Example 4: from spoons to a cup
How many teaspoons fill half a cup? Half a cup is 8 tablespoons, and 8 × 3 = 24 teaspoons. In milliliters, 24 × 4.928922 = 118.3 mL, matching half of the 236.588 mL cup.
Example 5: tablespoons to fluid ounces
A drink recipe asks for 3 tablespoons of lime juice. Two tablespoons make 1 fl oz, so 3 tablespoons is 1.5 fl oz, or 9 teaspoons.
How do tbsp and tsp abbreviations avoid mix-ups?
Both spoons are abbreviated in recipes, and the shortened forms can look alike. Writing "tsp" for teaspoon and "tbsp" for tablespoon, with the letters in lowercase, removes most of the confusion. Mixing them up is a 3-fold error, because a tablespoon is three times a teaspoon. This matters most with strong ingredients such as salt, cayenne or baking soda, where tripling the amount changes the result.
How should spoon measures be taken?
- Use measuring spoons, not cutlery. Flatware spoons vary in size and are not standard measures.
- Level the spoon for dry ingredients such as flour or spices by sweeping the straight edge of a knife across the top. A heaped spoon can hold noticeably more than a level one.
- Fill liquids to the brim without overflowing, holding the spoon over a separate bowl.
- Remember the cup chain: 3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon, 16 tablespoons = 1 cup. For every other step up the ladder, see the ounces in a gallon guide.
Spoons and cups measure volume. To convert a spoon of an ingredient into grams, a density is needed, which is why cups to grams lists ingredients one by one. The overview of metric vs imperial units covers the other units that share a name but differ between countries.