How Many Teaspoons in a Tablespoon?
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How many teaspoons are in a tablespoon?
There are 3 teaspoons in one tablespoon. An exception to this rule appears in Australia, where one Australian metric tablespoon (20mL) equals 4 Australian metric teaspoons (5mL). 1
On the basis of the 3:1 conversion factor, we can say the following:
How many teaspoons in 1 ½ tablespoons?- 1 ½ tablespoons = 4 ½ teaspoons (four and one half)
- ½ tablespoon = 1 ½ teaspoons (one and one half)
- ¼ tablespoon = ¾ teaspoon (three quarters)
- ¾ tablespoon = 2 ¼ teaspoons (two and one quarter)
If you want to convert a number of tablespoons into teaspoons, simply multiply the tablespoon number by 3. As an example, if your recipe calls for 4 tablespoons of self-raising flour, you can instead measure out 12 teaspoons (4 × 3 = 12).
Tablespoons and teaspoons reference chart
Tablespoon to teaspoon conversions
| Tablespoons | Teaspoons |
|---|---|
| ¼ tbsp | ¾ tsp |
| ½ tbsp | 1 ½ tsp |
| ¾ tbsp | 2 ¼ tsp |
| 1 tbsp | 3 tsp |
| 2 tbsp | 6 tsp |
| 3 tbsp | 9 tsp |
| 4 tbsp | 12 tsp |
| 5 tbsp | 15 tsp |
Teaspoon to tablespoon conversions
| Teaspoons | Tablespoons |
|---|---|
| 1 tsp | 0.33 tbsp |
| 2 tsp | 0.67 tbsp |
| 3 tsp | 1 tbsp |
| 4 tsp | 1.33 tbsp |
| 5 tsp | 1.67 tbsp |
| 6 tsp | 2 tbsp |
| 7 tsp | 2.33 tbsp |
| 8 tsp | 2.67 tbsp |
| 9 tsp | 3 tbsp |
| 10 tsp | 3.33 tbsp |
| 11 tsp | 3.67 tbsp |
| 12 tsp | 4 tbsp |
| 13 tsp | 4.33 tbsp |
| 14 tsp | 4.67 tbsp |
| 15 tsp | 5 tbsp |
| 16 tsp | 5.33 tbsp |
| 17 tsp | 5.67 tbsp |
| 18 tsp | 6 tbsp |
| 19 tsp | 6.33 tbsp |
| 20 tsp | 6.67 tbsp |
Different tablespoon and teaspoon sizes
Although tablespoons and teaspoons are commonly used in recipes throughout the world, their mL volume can vary from country to country. This is because whilst the United States uses an imperial unit system, many other countries use the metric system. To add to the confusion, there also exists an old UK imperial tablespoon and an Australian metric tablespoon. When it comes to home recipes, the differences in conversion are quite small. And, providing you're converting a tablespoon and a teaspoon from the same country, you'll likely get the same result anyway.
As an example, a metric tablespoon measures 15mL and a metric teaspoon measures 5mL. So, again there are 3 teaspoons in a tablespoon. The exception (there always has to be one) is with the Australian tablespoon and teaspoon, with an Australian tablespoon measuring 20mL and an Australian teaspoon measuring 5mL, giving a conversion factor of 4.
| Tablespoon (mL) | Teaspoon (mL) | Tbsp to tsp | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 14.79 mL | 4.9289 mL | 3 |
| Metric | 15 mL | 3 mL | 3 |
| UK imperial (old) | 17.76 mL | 5.92 mL | 3 |
| Australian | 20 mL | 5 mL | 4 |
References
- Australian weights & measurement charts. https://www.taste.com.au
For any help with converting between cups, teaspoons, grams, etc, give our cooking converter a try.