How many mL in a tablespoon
A US tablespoon is 14.79 milliliters: type tablespoons, pick the spoon standard, get milliliters.
1 tbsp
14.79 mL
US cup of 236.6 mL
How this is measured
Exact by definition: 1 US cup = 8 US fl oz = 236.5882365 mL; 1 tbsp = 1/16 cup, 1 tsp = 1/48 cup. Source: NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C.
How many mL in a tablespoon
1 tablespoon (abbreviated tbsp) equals 14.79 milliliters in US measure. NIST Handbook 44 gives the definition: the measuring tablespoon is 3 teaspoons and ½ fluid ounce exactly, 1/16 of the 8-fluid-ounce US cup, and the US cup is 236.6 milliliters, so one US tablespoon is that ÷ 16. For nutrition labels, US law (21 CFR 101.9) sets the tablespoon at 15 mL, and a metric measuring spoon is 15 mL too (NIST Special Publication 430). The converter switches between these spoon sizes under "Cups and spoons" and shows milliliters under 100 to two decimal places.
Tablespoons to mL conversion chart
A quick reference: tablespoon counts in milliliters for each standard.
US customary spoons by NIST; the 15 mL tablespoon and 5 mL teaspoon of US nutrition labels and metric spoons; the usual Australian 20 mL tablespoon; imperial spoons as 1/16 and 1/48 of the imperial cup.
| Tablespoons | US (mL) | Label and metric (mL) | Australian (mL) | Imperial (mL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ½ tbsp | 7.39 mL | 7.5 mL | 10 mL | 8.88 mL |
| 1 tbsp | 14.79 mL | 15 mL | 20 mL | 17.76 mL |
| 2 tbsp | 29.57 mL | 30 mL | 40 mL | 35.52 mL |
| 3 tbsp | 44.36 mL | 45 mL | 60 mL | 53.27 mL |
| 4 tbsp | 59.15 mL | 60 mL | 80 mL | 71.03 mL |
| 5 tbsp | 73.93 mL | 75 mL | 100 mL | 88.79 mL |
| 6 tbsp | 88.72 mL | 90 mL | 120 mL | 106.5 mL |
| 8 tbsp | 118.3 mL | 120 mL | 160 mL | 142.1 mL |
| 10 tbsp | 147.9 mL | 150 mL | 200 mL | 177.6 mL |
| 12 tbsp | 177.4 mL | 180 mL | 240 mL | 213.1 mL |
| 16 tbsp | 236.6 mL | 240 mL | 320 mL | 284.1 mL |
How to convert tablespoons to milliliters
Multiply the tablespoons by the milliliters in one tablespoon of your standard. 2 US tablespoons are 29.57 milliliters, which is 1 fluid ounce; 8 tablespoons, half a cup, are 118.3 milliliters; 16 tablespoons are a full cup, 236.6 milliliters. With 15 mL spoons, 2 tablespoons are 30 milliliters and 8 tablespoons 120 milliliters. A milliliter is a cubic centimeter (NIST Handbook 44), so the same numbers read as cc or cm³. For 4 tablespoons or more a measuring cup is quicker: 4 tablespoons are ¼ cup.
US, metric and imperial tablespoons
The four cup and spoon standards the converter uses across the site, with the milliliters in each measure and where each is defined:
| Standard | Cup | Tablespoon | Teaspoon | Defined in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US customary | 236.6 mL | 14.79 mL | 4.93 mL | NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C |
| US label (nutrition facts) | 240 mL | 15 mL | 5 mL | 21 CFR 101.9 (US nutrition labeling) |
| Metric | 250 mL | 15 mL | 5 mL | NIST Special Publication 430, Household Weights and Measures |
| Imperial | 284.1 mL | 17.76 mL | 5.92 mL | Weights and Measures Act 1985 (UK), Schedule 1 |
The difference between a US tablespoon and a 15 mL tablespoon is small for one spoon and grows with the count: 10 tablespoons are 147.9 milliliters in US spoons and 150 milliliters in 15 mL spoons. An Australian tablespoon holds 20 mL, four teaspoons, so 2 Australian tablespoons are 40 milliliters; pick "Australian" under "Cups and spoons" and the converter uses the 20 mL spoon with the 250 mL cup.
mL to tablespoons
The reverse, milliliters to US spoons, with the spoons to fill:
US customary spoons, 1/48 and 1/16 of the US cup. ≈ marks the nearest measure you can fill.
| Milliliters | Teaspoons | Tablespoons | Measure to fill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 mL | 0.203 tsp | 0.0676 tbsp | ≈ ¼ tsp |
| 2 mL | 0.406 tsp | 0.135 tbsp | ≈ ¼ tsp + ⅛ tsp |
| 2.5 mL | 0.507 tsp | 0.169 tbsp | ≈ ½ tsp |
| 5 mL | 1.01 tsp | 0.338 tbsp | ≈ 1 tsp |
| 7.5 mL | 1.52 tsp | 0.507 tbsp | ≈ 1 tsp + ½ tsp |
| 10 mL | 2.03 tsp | 0.676 tbsp | ≈ 2 tsp |
| 15 mL | 3.04 tsp | 1.01 tbsp | ≈ 1 tbsp |
| 20 mL | 4.06 tsp | 1.35 tbsp | ≈ 1 tbsp + 1 tsp |
| 25 mL | 5.07 tsp | 1.69 tbsp | ≈ 1 tbsp + 2 tsp |
| 30 mL | 6.09 tsp | 2.03 tbsp | ≈ 2 tbsp |
| 45 mL | 9.13 tsp | 3.04 tbsp | ≈ 3 tbsp |
| 60 mL | 12.17 tsp | 4.06 tbsp | ≈ ¼ cup |
How to measure a tablespoon with a measuring spoon
When a recipe calls for a tablespoon, use a measuring spoon, filled to the brim for liquid and scraped flat for dry ingredients: liquid and dry ingredients take the same milliliters, only the weight changes (see tablespoons to grams). NIST Handbook 44 calls the tablespoon and teaspoon imprecise units and rounds their metric equivalents to the nearest milliliter, so a recipe that says 15 mL and one that says 1 tablespoon ask for practically the same amount. Household spoons from the cutlery drawer are not measuring spoons, and their size is not defined anywhere we can cite.
Tablespoons, teaspoons and fluid ounces
The US measures are fixed fractions of each other (NIST Handbook 44): 1 tablespoon equals 3 teaspoons, 2 tablespoons equal 1 fluid ounce, and 16 tablespoons equal 1 cup. A US teaspoon (abbreviated tsp) is 4.93 milliliters; in metric measure 1 teaspoon is 5 mL. The teaspoons to mL page has its own chart.
Questions
How much is a tablespoon in mL of liquid?
14.79 milliliters in a US measuring tablespoon, 15 milliliters in a metric or US label tablespoon. A tablespoon of liquid and of a dry ingredient hold the same milliliters.
Is a tablespoon 15 mL or 20 mL?
The US label and metric tablespoons are 15 mL, and the US customary tablespoon is 14.79 milliliters. An Australian tablespoon is 20 milliliters, four 5 mL teaspoons. If a recipe is Australian, measure with a 20 mL spoon or with 4 level teaspoons.
Is one tablespoon 10 mL?
No. 10 mL is 2.03 tsp, about two-thirds of a US tablespoon (0.676 tbsp).
How do I measure 15 mL at home?
Fill one measuring tablespoon: a metric spoon holds exactly 15 mL, a US spoon 14.79 mL. Without a tablespoon, 3 level measuring teaspoons are the same volume.
How many mL is 3 tablespoons?
44.36 milliliters in US spoons, 45 milliliters in 15 mL spoons.
How many tablespoons is 30 mL?
2.03 tbsp in US spoons and exactly 2 tbsp in 15 mL spoons.
Sources
- 21 CFR 101.9 (US nutrition labeling)
- NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C
- NIST Special Publication 430, Household Weights and Measures
- Weights and Measures Act 1985 (UK), Schedule 1
- How many mL in a teaspoonA US teaspoon is 4.93 milliliters: type teaspoons, pick the spoon standard, get milliliters.
- Cups to mL converterA US cup is 236.6 mL: type cups, pick the cup your recipe uses, get milliliters.
- mL to cups converterA US cup is 236.6 mL: type milliliters, get cups and spoons for the cup your recipe uses.
- How many teaspoons in a tablespoon3 teaspoons make 1 tbsp: type teaspoons, get tablespoons and the spoons to fill.
- Tablespoons to cups converterA US cup is 16 tbsp: type tablespoons, get the cups and spoons to fill.
- Grams to cups converterPick the ingredient, type the grams and get US cups and spoons, with the fill method the weight assumes.