Updated 27 July 2026 · Written by Sofia Romano
There are 16 tablespoons in one US cup. So half a cup is 8 tablespoons, a third of a cup is a little over 5 tablespoons, and a quarter cup is 4 tablespoons. This makes it easy to measure a cup using only a tablespoon when you are missing a measuring cup.
1 cup = 16 tablespoons. Half cup = 8 tbsp, third cup = 5 tbsp plus 1 tsp, quarter cup = 4 tbsp.
Why 16 Tablespoons
A US tablespoon is defined as one sixteenth of a cup, so sixteen level tablespoons fill a cup exactly. Use level, not heaped, tablespoons for accuracy, especially in baking where measurements matter.
Measuring a Cup With a Tablespoon
If you only have a tablespoon, count out 16 level spoonfuls for a full cup. For dry ingredients, spoon them in and level off the top; for liquids, fill to the brim of the spoon without overflowing.
Quick Reference
| Amount | Tablespoons |
|---|---|
| 1 cup | 16 tbsp |
| 3/4 cup | 12 tbsp |
| 2/3 cup | 10 tbsp + 2 tsp |
| 1/2 cup | 8 tbsp |
| 1/3 cup | 5 tbsp + 1 tsp |
| 1/4 cup | 4 tbsp |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tablespoons in half a cup?
There are 8 tablespoons in half a US cup, since a full cup holds 16 tablespoons.
Is a tablespoon the same in the US and UK?
Not exactly. A US tablespoon is about 14.8 ml and a UK tablespoon is 15 ml, so for most cooking they are close enough to use interchangeably.
