How Many ml in a Teaspoon UK? 5 ml Explained

Quick answer: A UK teaspoon holds 5 ml when you use a standard measuring spoon filled level. Half a teaspoon is 2.5 ml, a quarter teaspoon is 1.25 ml, and three teaspoons make one 15 ml tablespoon. Cutlery teaspoons vary in size, so for medicine always use the oral syringe or spoon supplied with it.

“Teaspoon” can mean the measuring spoon in a baking set or whatever is in the cutlery drawer, and the two are not always the same size. This short guide sets out the standard figure, how it compares with other countries, and when the difference matters. For more kitchen and household volume units, see our guide to UK volume and capacity conversions.

Standard UK measuring spoons are all multiples of 1.25 ml; a teaspoon is four of them.

Table of Contents

How many ml are in a UK teaspoon?

A UK teaspoon is 5 ml. This is the size of the teaspoon in a standard set of measuring spoons, and it is the size British recipes mean when they write “1 tsp”. The measure is level: scrape a knife across the top so the contents are flush with the rim.

Spoon measure	Millilitres	In teaspoons
¼ teaspoon	1.25 ml	¼
½ teaspoon	2.5 ml	½
1 teaspoon (tsp)	5 ml	1
1 dessertspoon (dsp)	10 ml	2
1 tablespoon (tbsp)	15 ml	3
4 teaspoons	20 ml	4

Is a cutlery teaspoon the same as a measuring teaspoon?

Not reliably. Cutlery is made to look right on the table, not to hold a set volume, so the bowl of an everyday teaspoon may hold noticeably more or less than 5 ml. For tea and coffee that hardly matters. For baking, where raising agents such as bicarbonate of soda are used in small amounts, a proper measuring spoon gives more consistent results.

What size teaspoon should I use for medicine?

Use the oral syringe, measuring cup or 5 ml spoon that comes with the medicine, never a kitchen teaspoon. Great Ormond Street Hospital’s guidance for parents warns that a household spoon will not give an accurate dose, which could be unsafe. Oral syringes are marked in millilitres and are the most accurate option for small doses.

If a label or leaflet gives a dose in teaspoons, it means a 5 ml medicine spoon. If you are unsure how much to give, ask a pharmacist or call NHS 111.

Is a US teaspoon the same as a UK teaspoon?

Nearly. A US customary teaspoon is about 4.93 ml, which is one-sixth of a US fluid ounce. For US nutrition labelling, the Food and Drug Administration rounds it to 5 ml. The 0.07 ml difference is far too small to affect a recipe, so you can use a British 5 ml spoon for American teaspoon measures. The bigger trap with American recipes is cups, not spoons.

How much does a teaspoon weigh?

It depends on what is in it. A level teaspoon of water weighs about 5 g, because 1 ml of water weighs close to 1 g. Denser or lighter ingredients weigh more or less. The NHS describes the adult maximum of 6 g of salt a day as around one level teaspoon, a useful reference point when reading food labels.

For dry ingredients in larger amounts, weighing is better than spooning. Our guide to measuring 100 g of flour without scales explains spoon-based estimates and their limits, and the cooking converter handles common kitchen units.

Frequently asked questions

Is 1 teaspoon 5 ml in the UK?

Yes. A level UK measuring teaspoon holds 5 ml. Recipes and medicine labels that say “1 teaspoon” mean 5 ml.

How many teaspoons are in 10 ml?

There are 2 teaspoons in 10 ml. That is also the size of one dessertspoon.

How many teaspoons make a tablespoon?

Three teaspoons make one tablespoon. In the UK that is 3 × 5 ml = 15 ml.

Can I use a normal teaspoon for children’s medicine?

No. Use the oral syringe or measuring spoon supplied with the medicine, as household spoons vary in size. Ask a pharmacist if you do not have one.

Sources

How to give your child liquid medicines, Great Ormond Street Hospital (NHS)
Salt in your diet, NHS
21 CFR 101.9, US Code of Federal Regulations (household measures for nutrition labelling)
NIST Guide to the SI, Appendix B.9 (US fluid ounce)