Converter
mL to teaspoon converter for medicine
1 teaspoon (tsp) is 5 mL, and 1 tablespoon (tbsp) is 15 mL. So 2.5 mL is ½ teaspoon and 7.5 mL is 1½ teaspoons. For children’s medicine, the AAP recommends measuring in mL only, with an oral syringe. Kitchen spoons vary too much in size.
Convert
Common medicine amounts
| mL | Teaspoons |
|---|---|
| 1.25 mL | ¼ tsp |
| 2.5 mL | ½ tsp |
| 3.75 mL | ¾ tsp |
| 5 mL | 1 tsp |
| 7.5 mL | 1½ tsp |
| 10 mL | 2 tsp |
| 12.5 mL | 2½ tsp |
| 15 mL | 3 (1 tablespoon) tsp |
| 20 mL | 4 tsp |
Why mL matters for children’s medicine
In a study of more than 2,000 parents, dosing errors were common, and more likely with cups than with oral syringes. The AAP asks that all liquid medicines be labeled and measured in mL only. If your pharmacy label says teaspoons, ask them to give you the dose in mL and a syringe. How to measure liquid medicine.
Common questions
How many teaspoons is 5 mL?
Exactly 1 teaspoon. 1 tsp = 5 mL and 1 tablespoon = 15 mL.
Can I use a kitchen teaspoon to give medicine?
No. Kitchen spoons vary a lot in size, so the same “teaspoon” can be too much or too little. Use the oral syringe or dosing cup that came with the medicine, marked in mL.
Sources
- Metric Units and the Preferred Dosing of Orally Administered Liquid Medications. American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Drugs, Pediatrics 2015;135(4):784-787. Checked 2026-09-18.
- Liquid Medication Errors and Dosing Tools: A Randomized Controlled Experiment (Yin et al.). Pediatrics 2016;138(4):e20160357. Checked 2026-09-18.