How many teaspoons are in a tablespoon?

There are exactly 3 teaspoons in one tablespoon. This applies to both US and metric measurement systems. 1 US tablespoon = 14.787 mL = 3 US teaspoons (4.929 mL each).

How many teaspoons are in half a tablespoon?

Half a tablespoon equals 1.5 teaspoons. When a recipe calls for half a tablespoon, measure 1 teaspoon plus half a teaspoon.

How many tablespoons are in a cup?

There are 16 tablespoons in one US cup. Since each tablespoon is 3 teaspoons, one cup equals 48 teaspoons.

How Many Teaspoons in a Tablespoon? (3 tsp)

The Quick Answer

There are exactly 3 teaspoons in one tablespoon. This is the single most useful kitchen conversion to memorize.

Kitchen Spoon Measurements

Tablespoons	Teaspoons	Milliliters	Fluid Ounces
0.25	0.75	3.70	0.125
0.5	1.5	7.39	0.25
1	3	14.79	0.5
2	6	29.57	1.0
3	9	44.36	1.5
4	12	59.15	2.0
16 (1 cup)	48	236.59	8.0

Why This Matters

Halving and Doubling Recipes

When halving a recipe that calls for 1 tablespoon, you need 1.5 teaspoons. Without knowing the 3:1 ratio, you might guess incorrectly.

Baking Precision

Baking is chemistry. Adding 1 tablespoon of baking powder instead of 1 teaspoon (a common mistake) triples the leavening agent, potentially ruining the recipe.

Medicine

Some liquid medications specify doses in teaspoons. One teaspoon is about 5 mL. Confusing teaspoons with tablespoons could triple a dose, which can be dangerous for some medications.

Common Kitchen Conversions

1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons
1 cup = 16 tablespoons = 48 teaspoons
1/4 cup = 4 tablespoons = 12 teaspoons
1 fluid ounce = 2 tablespoons = 6 teaspoons

For all cooking conversions, use our volume converter.