mL to Tsp Converter — Milliliters to Teaspoons

How to convert milliliters to teaspoons

Divide the milliliters by 4.92892:

tsp = mL ÷ 4.92892

15 mL ÷ 4.92892 = 3.04 tsp. A U.S. teaspoon is defined as 1/6 of a U.S. fluid ounce, which works out to 4.92892159375 mL. The result also shows tablespoons and fluid ounces. To go the other way, use tsp to mL.

mL to teaspoons chart

Milliliters (mL)	Teaspoons (tsp)
0.5 mL	0.1014 tsp
1 mL	0.2029 tsp
1.25 mL	0.2536 tsp
2 mL	0.4058 tsp
2.5 mL	0.5072 tsp
3 mL	0.6087 tsp
4 mL	0.8115 tsp
5 mL	1.014 tsp
7.5 mL	1.522 tsp
10 mL	2.029 tsp
15 mL	3.043 tsp
20 mL	4.058 tsp
25 mL	5.072 tsp
30 mL	6.087 tsp
50 mL	10.14 tsp
100 mL	20.29 tsp

Labels round a teaspoon to 5 mL

U.S. nutrition labels and medicine packaging treat 1 teaspoon as 5 mL and 1 tablespoon as 15 mL. The rounding is 1.4%, too small to matter in cooking, which is why a 5 mL metric measuring spoon can stand in for a U.S. teaspoon. If you only need a kitchen answer, divide milliliters by 5: 20 mL is 4 teaspoons, 7.5 mL is 1 1/2 teaspoons.

Milliliters	U.S. teaspoons	Label teaspoons (5 mL)
2.5 mL	0.51 tsp	1/2 tsp
5 mL	1.01 tsp	1 tsp
10 mL	2.03 tsp	2 tsp
15 mL	3.04 tsp	3 tsp (1 tbsp)
30 mL	6.09 tsp	6 tsp (1 fl oz)

Medicine is dosed in milliliters

The FDA asks makers of liquid over-the-counter medicine to include a dosing device marked in the same units as the directions, and pharmacies now write liquid doses in milliliters. Kitchen teaspoons are not standard — a tableware teaspoon can hold anywhere from about 2.5 to 7 mL — so a dose read off a label in mL should be measured with the oral syringe or cup from the box, not converted to spoons. This page converts units only and does not give dosing advice.

Extracts, oils and recipes in milliliters

Baking recipes from Europe give vanilla, food coloring and flavorings in milliliters, while U.S. measuring spoon sets stop at 1/8 teaspoon (0.62 mL). Amounts below that — 0.25 mL of an essential oil, say — are measured in drops; a standard dropper releases about 20 drops per milliliter of water, though thick oils give fewer, larger drops. For yeast and baking powder in metric recipes, the amount is usually given in grams, not milliliters, so weigh it instead of converting to spoons.

Milliliters, tablespoons and ounces

Three teaspoons make a tablespoon (14.79 mL), and two tablespoons make a fluid ounce (29.57 mL). For larger amounts, see mL to oz and mL to liters. Recipes from the UK and Australia already use 5 mL teaspoons, so their spoon measures and the metric amounts agree.

Frequently asked questions

How many teaspoons is 5 mL?

1.01 U.S. teaspoons; labels treat 5 mL as 1 tsp.

How many teaspoons is 10 mL?

2.03 teaspoons — about 2 tsp.

How many teaspoons is 15 mL?

3.04 teaspoons, which is about 1 tablespoon.

How many teaspoons is 2.5 mL?

0.51 teaspoon — about half a teaspoon.

How many mL is a teaspoon?

4.93 mL exactly in U.S. measure; 5 mL on labels and metric spoons.

Should I measure medicine with a teaspoon?

No. Use the dosing cup or syringe that comes with the medicine; kitchen spoons vary widely in size.