Tablespoons to Cups Converter

Quick Answer

Last updated: 11 November 2026 ·How we calculate this: NIST US customary kitchen measures

How This Tablespoons to Cups Converter Works

Recipes jump between teaspoons, tablespoons, cups, fluid ounces and milliliters, and halving or doubling a recipe makes the numbers awkward. Pick the unit you have, enter the amount and press Calculate. The converter shows the same amount in all five units, and the easiest combination of measuring cups and spoons to scoop it, such as 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp.

How to Use the Tablespoons to Cups Converter

1. Choose the unit you are starting from.
2. Enter the amount (decimals such as 0.5 work).
3. Press Calculate.
4. Read cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, fluid ounces and mL, plus the easiest cups and spoons to use.

Kitchen Measurement Formulas

• Cups: 1 cup = 16 tbsp = 48 tsp = 8 fl oz
• Tablespoons: 1 tbsp = 3 tsp = 1/2 fl oz = 14.79 mL
• Teaspoons: 1 tsp = 1/3 tbsp = 4.93 mL
• Cups from tablespoons: cups = tbsp ÷ 16
• Tablespoons from teaspoons: tbsp = tsp ÷ 3
• Milliliters: 1 cup = 236.59 mL (US customary)

Key Terms

• Cup: a US kitchen measure of 8 fl oz, 16 tablespoons or 236.6 mL.
• Tablespoon (tbsp): 3 teaspoons or half a fluid ounce, 14.8 mL.
• Teaspoon (tsp): one third of a tablespoon, 4.9 mL.
• Fluid ounce (fl oz): 2 tablespoons, 29.57 mL.
• Metric cup: 250 mL, used in Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Worked Example

A recipe needs 5 tablespoons of melted butter. What is the easiest way to measure it?

• 5 ÷ 16 = 0.3125 cups
• 4 tbsp make 1/4 cup, so 5 tbsp = 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp
• In milliliters: 5 × 14.79 = 73.9 mL

Halving a recipe that calls for 1/3 cup? 1/3 cup is 16 tsp, so half is 8 tsp, which is 2 tbsp + 2 tsp.

Real-Life Examples

• Halving recipes: half of 3/4 cup is 6 tbsp.
• Doubling: twice 2 tbsp + 2 tsp is 1/3 cup.
• Butter: one US stick is 8 tbsp, or 1/2 cup.
• Medicine and drinks: 2 tbsp is 1 fl oz, about 30 mL.

Tablespoon vs Teaspoon

• Tablespoon (tbsp, T): 14.79 mL; 16 make a cup.
• Teaspoon (tsp, t): 4.93 mL; 3 make a tablespoon.
• Watch the letters: a capital T usually means tablespoon, a small t teaspoon.

Tablespoons to Cups Chart

US customary measures: 1 cup = 16 tbsp = 48 tsp.

US, Metric and Label Measures

The converter uses US customary measures, which come from the US fluid ounce: a cup is exactly 8 fl oz (236.59 mL) and a tablespoon is half a fluid ounce (14.79 mL). For nutrition labels, US rules round these to 240 mL per cup, 15 mL per tablespoon and 5 mL per teaspoon. Metric recipes from Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand use a 250 mL cup and a 15 mL tablespoon, except Australia, where a tablespoon is 20 mL (4 teaspoons).

For most cooking the small differences do not matter, but in baking they can. If a recipe gives grams, weigh the ingredients. If it gives cups, use level spoonfuls and cups made for dry or liquid ingredients as the recipe expects, and do not pack flour unless the recipe says so.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Mixing up tsp and tbsp. A tablespoon is three times bigger.
• Thinking 1/3 cup is 5 tbsp. It is 5 tbsp + 1 tsp.
• Heaping spoons. Recipes assume level measures.
• Using a 250 mL cup for US recipes. A US cup is 236.6 mL.
• Measuring flour by volume when grams are given. Weigh it instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

References & Sources