How many mL in a teaspoon?
1 tsp = 4.93 mL
rounded to 5 mL on labels · 1/3 Tbsp · 1/6 fl oz
Converter
Other cup standards
US cups: 0.021 · nutrition-label cups (240 mL): 0.021 · metric cups (250 mL): 0.02 · UK fluid ounces: 0.17
A US teaspoon holds 4.93 mL, which labels and dosing cups round to 5 mL. It is a third of a tablespoon and the smallest spoon most recipes name outright. Below it come 1/2, 1/4 and 1/8 tsp, which hold about 2.5 mL, 1.2 mL and 0.6 mL.
Metric recipes often list small amounts as 2.5, 5, 10 or 15 mL. Read those as 1/2 tsp, 1 tsp, 2 tsp and 1 Tbsp. For baking soda, salt and yeast, where a small error shows in the result, level each spoon with a straight edge instead of guessing at a heap.
| Teaspoons | mL (exact) | mL (label) |
|---|---|---|
| 1/8 tsp | 0.62 | 0.63 |
| 1/4 tsp | 1.23 | 1.25 |
| 1/2 tsp | 2.46 | 2.5 |
| 3/4 tsp | 3.7 | 3.75 |
| 1 tsp | 4.93 | 5 |
| 1 1/2 tsp | 7.39 | 7.5 |
| 2 tsp | 9.86 | 10 |
| 3 tsp | 14.79 | 15 |
| mL | Teaspoons | Tablespoons |
|---|---|---|
| 1 mL | 0.2 | 0.07 |
| 2 mL | 0.41 | 0.14 |
| 2.5 mL | 0.51 | 0.17 |
| 5 mL | 1.01 | 0.34 |
| 7.5 mL | 1.52 | 0.51 |
| 10 mL | 2.03 | 0.68 |
| 15 mL | 3.04 | 1.01 |
| 20 mL | 4.06 | 1.35 |
| 30 mL | 6.09 | 2.03 |
Teaspoons and medicine
A teaspoon from the silverware drawer can hold noticeably more or less than a measuring teaspoon. When a medicine calls for 5 mL, use the dosing cup or syringe that comes with the medicine, not kitchen spoons.
Teaspoons in larger measures
- 3 tsp = 1 Tbsp
- 6 tsp = 2 Tbsp = 1 fl oz
- 12 tsp = 1/4 cup
- 48 tsp = 1 cup
More combinations are in spoons in a cup.
Questions
Is 5 mL a teaspoon?
Yes, for kitchen use. A US teaspoon is 4.93 mL, and 5 mL is the rounded figure used on labels and dosing cups.
How many teaspoons is 10 mL?
About 2 tsp (2.03 US teaspoons).
How many mL in 1/2 teaspoon?
About 2.5 mL (2.46 mL exactly).
How many teaspoons in 20 mL?
About 4 tsp, which you can measure as 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp.
By Alton Vieira · Updated . Sources: US customary units: NIST Handbook 44 · nutrition-label cup: FDA 21 CFR 101.9. How we calculate.