US teaspoons to US tablespoons converter

How to convert teaspoons to tablespoons

Divide US teaspoons by 3: tbsp = tsp ÷ 3. So 6 tsp = 2 tbsp and 1 tsp = ⅓ tbsp. Use it when a scaled-up recipe piles up teaspoons. The ratio holds for US and 15 mL metric spoons; an Australian 20 mL tablespoon holds 4 teaspoons.

Whole tablespoons plus leftover teaspoons

A result such as 2.667 tbsp can't be measured with spoons. Divide by 3 instead and keep the remainder in teaspoons:

• 5 tsp = 1 tbsp + 2 tsp
• 8 tsp = 2 tbsp + 2 tsp
• 10 tsp = 3 tbsp + 1 tsp

Only multiples of 3 come out as whole tablespoons. Any remainder of 1 or 2 stays in teaspoons.

Teaspoons to tablespoons chart

The repeating decimals are exact thirds: 0.333333 is ⅓ tbsp, one teaspoon, and 0.666667 is ⅔ tbsp, two teaspoons.

Scaling a recipe up

• Tripling 2 tsp of vanilla gives 6 tsp, which is 2 tbsp: two spoonfuls instead of six.
• Quadrupling 1½ tsp of salt also gives 6 tsp, or 2 tbsp.
• 48 tsp is 16 tbsp, exactly one US cup, so large totals are easier in tablespoons to cups.

Which spoons the ratio fits

A US tablespoon is exactly 3 US teaspoons: 14.78676478125 mL against 4.92892159375 mL (NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C). Metric 15 mL and 5 mL spoons keep the same ratio.

Australian recipes pair a 20 mL tablespoon with 5 mL teaspoons (NSW cooking-measure reference). There, 8 tsp is exactly 2 tbsp, where US spoons give 2⅔ tbsp.

Common mistakes

• Multiplying instead of dividing. 3 tsp is 1 tbsp, not 9. The tablespoon count is always the smaller number.
• Adding spoons before converting. 1 tbsp and 2 tsp are not "3" of anything. Convert first: 3 + 2 = 5 tsp, which is 1⅔ tbsp.
• Rounding before scaling. Writing 1 tsp as 0.33 tbsp and multiplying by 12 gives 3.96 tbsp, while 12 tsp is exactly 4 tbsp. Scale the teaspoons first, then divide.

Related conversions

The tablespoons to teaspoons converter goes the other way, and the teaspoons to mL converter gives milliliters. For grams of an ingredient, use the cooking converter.