mL to tsp Converter
Convert milliliters to teaspoons. Choose the US customary teaspoon (4.929 mL) or the metric 5-mL teaspoon used on medicine dosing cups, and get teaspoons, the nearest ⅛-tsp kitchen fraction, and tablespoons with fluid ounces.
Example: with Milliliters (mL) 5 · Teaspoon standard US customary (4.929 mL) → Teaspoons: 1.01 tsp.
- Nearest kitchen measureabout 1 tsp (nearest ⅛ tsp)
- Also equals0.34 tbsp (0.17 fl oz)
Computed by the calculator below using its default values. Change any input to see your own numbers.
1 US teaspoon = 4.92892 mL; the dosing teaspoon on medicine labels is exactly 5 mL. Flatware teaspoons range from about 2.5 to 7 mL — never dose medicine with them.
5 mL, two teaspoons, one risky shortcut
The US customary teaspoon is 4.92892 mL; the metric teaspoon — the one medicine labels, dosing cups, and most of the world mean — is exactly 5 mL. The 1.4% gap between them is irrelevant in cooking. What is not irrelevant is flatware: spoons from the silverware drawer hold anywhere from about 2.5 to 7 mL, which is why pediatric groups push mL-only dosing with the syringe or cup that comes in the box.
Below roughly 0.6 mL (⅛ tsp), recipes stop measuring and start saying "dash" or "pinch." The kitchen-fraction line rounds to the nearest ⅛ teaspoon because that is the smallest spoon in a standard US measuring set.
How it’s calculated
Teaspoons = mL ÷ 4.92892 (US customary, NIST factor) or ÷ 5 (metric/dosing teaspoon). Tablespoons = teaspoons ÷ 3; fluid ounces = mL ÷ 29.5735. The kitchen fraction rounds to the nearest ⅛ teaspoon.
Assumes level measuring spoons; household flatware varies from about 2.5 to 7 mL, so liquid medicine should always be measured with the dosing device, not a spoon from the drawer.
Milliliters to US teaspoons
| Milliliters | US teaspoons | Kitchen measure |
|---|---|---|
| 1 mL | 0.20 tsp | about ¼ tsp scant |
| 2.5 mL | 0.51 tsp | ½ tsp |
| 5 mL | 1.01 tsp | 1 tsp |
| 7.5 mL | 1.52 tsp | 1½ tsp |
| 10 mL | 2.03 tsp | 2 tsp |
| 15 mL | 3.04 tsp | 1 tbsp |
| 30 mL | 6.09 tsp | 2 tbsp (1 fl oz) |
Computed with 1 US tsp = 4.92892 mL (NIST); on the metric standard, 5 mL is exactly 1 tsp.
Common mistakes
- Dosing medicine with a spoon from the drawer — flatware runs 2.5 to 7 mL against the 5 mL the label means; use the syringe or cup.
- Confusing tsp and tbsp abbreviations (t vs T in old cookbooks) — a silent 3× error.
- Rounding 4.93 to 5 in lab or nutrition math where multiple teaspoons compound the 1.4% gap.
- Measuring thick syrups level-less — a mounded teaspoon of honey can carry 30% extra.
Frequently asked questions
How many teaspoons is 5 mL?
Exactly one metric teaspoon — the standard on medicine labels — or 1.01 US customary teaspoons. For dosing purposes, 5 mL is the teaspoon.
What is the mL to tsp formula?
Teaspoons = mL ÷ 4.92892 for US customary spoons, or mL ÷ 5 for metric. So 10 mL is 2.03 US tsp, and 15 mL is 3 metric tsp (one tablespoon).
Is 2.5 mL half a teaspoon?
Yes — half of the 5 mL metric teaspoon, and within 1.4% of half a US teaspoon. Pediatric doses are often written as 2.5 mL for exactly this reason.
Why does my medicine syringe only show mL?
To kill spoon confusion. The AAP and FDA have pushed mL-only dosing labels and devices because household teaspoons vary almost 3× in size, which caused real overdoses.
How many mL in a tablespoon?
14.79 mL for a US tablespoon and 15 mL metric — both equal to 3 of their respective teaspoons.