Why do UK teaspoons have different volume definitions?

Historically, the UK teaspoon was defined as 1/6 of an imperial fluid ounce (~4.736 mL), but many modern UK recipes and food labels now use a metric teaspoon of 5 mL.

Is the US tablespoon exactly 15 mL?

No, the US tablespoon equals exactly half a US fluid ounce or about 14.7868 mL, but it is often rounded to 14.8 or approximated as 15 mL in cooking.

Can I use these units for medicine dosing?

While culinary units are sometimes used informally for liquid medicine, it is recommended to use metric measurements such as milliliters for clinical accuracy.

How to Convert from Teaspoon (UK) to Tablespoon (US)?

Learn how to convert volumes from UK teaspoons to US tablespoons accurately using this easy-to-use online unit converter for culinary and household measurements.

Teaspoon (UK)

Tablespoon (US)

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Teaspoon (UK) to Tablespoon (US) Conversion Table

Teaspoon (UK)	Tablespoon (US)

Custom Unit Conversion Table Generator – Instant Printable Conversion Tables

Start Value

Enter the starting number (positive decimal or integer ≥ 0). Example: 0.1, 1, 5.

End Value

Enter the ending number (positive decimal or integer > Start Value). Example: 10, 50, 100.

Interval

Enter the step size (positive decimal > 0 and < End Value – Start Value). Example: 1.0, 2.5.

Teaspoon (UK) to Tablespoon (US) Conversion Table
Teaspoon (UK)	Tablespoon (US)

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What Is This Tool?

This tool converts volume measurements from the UK teaspoon to the US tablespoon, helping users adapt recipes and dosing instructions between British and American culinary systems.

How to Use This Tool?

Enter the volume value in teaspoons (UK) you wish to convert.
Select teaspoon (UK) as the input unit and tablespoon (US) as the output unit.
Press the convert button to see the equivalent volume in tablespoons (US).

Key Features

Converts UK teaspoon volumes to US tablespoon units precisely.
Supports cooking, baking, nutrition labeling, and household medicine dosing contexts.
Reflects differences in traditional UK and US measurement standards.
Fast, browser-based, and easy to use without the need for formulas.

Examples

2 teaspoon (UK) converts to approximately 0.8 tablespoon (US).
5 teaspoon (UK) converts to approximately 2.0 tablespoons (US).

Common Use Cases

Translating ingredient amounts between UK and US recipes.
Accurately measuring small volumes in cooking and baking.
Adjusting nutrition labels and food formulation measurements.
Converting household doses of liquid medicines between systems.

Tips & Best Practices

Be aware of the variability in UK teaspoon definitions (traditional vs metric).
Note that US tablespoons are often approximated for cooking purposes.
For precise medicine dosing, use metric units like milliliters instead of culinary units.
Double-check conversions when exact measurement is critical for recipe success.

Limitations

The traditional UK teaspoon varies historically between about 4.736 mL and the more common metric 5 mL measurement.
The US tablespoon is commonly rounded from its exact value, which can affect precision.
For clinical or scientific purposes, metric units are preferred over these conventional volume units.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do UK teaspoons have different volume definitions?: Historically, the UK teaspoon was defined as 1/6 of an imperial fluid ounce (~4.736 mL), but many modern UK recipes and food labels now use a metric teaspoon of 5 mL.
Is the US tablespoon exactly 15 mL?: No, the US tablespoon equals exactly half a US fluid ounce or about 14.7868 mL, but it is often rounded to 14.8 or approximated as 15 mL in cooking.
Can I use these units for medicine dosing?: While culinary units are sometimes used informally for liquid medicine, it is recommended to use metric measurements such as milliliters for clinical accuracy.

Key Terminology

Teaspoon (UK): A traditional UK unit of volume used mainly in cooking, historically about 4.736 mL but often treated as 5 mL in modern recipes.
Tablespoon (US): A volume unit in the US customary system equal to half a US fluid ounce or roughly 14.8 mL, commonly used for culinary measurements.
Conversion Rate: The factor used to translate one unit to another, here 1 teaspoon (UK) = 0.4003166418 tablespoon (US).

Quick Knowledge Check

What is the main purpose of converting from teaspoon (UK) to tablespoon (US)?

To convert weight measurements.

To translate ingredient volumes between British and American culinary units.

To measure temperature differences.

Which volume is approximately equal to one US tablespoon?

14.8 milliliters

5 milliliters

4.736 milliliters

Why is caution advised when using these units for medicine dosing?

Because household units vary and precision is critical in clinical dosing.

Because these units are not used for cooking.

Because US tablespoons are larger than UK tablespoons.

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