1/3 Cup to Tablespoons

1/3 cup = 5 tbsp + 1 tsp

= 5 1/3 tbsp exactly  |  16 tsp  |  78.9 ml  |  2.7 fl oz

Measure it: 5 tbsp + 1 tsp

1/3 cup is 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (written 5 tbsp + 1 tsp, or 16 teaspoons in total). A cup holds 16 tablespoons, and 16 ÷ 3 = 5 1/3, so a third of a cup lands between 5 and 6 tablespoons; that leftover third of a tablespoon is exactly 1 teaspoon, which is why the answer needs both a tbsp and a tsp. With no 1/3-cup measure to hand, fill a tablespoon 5 times and add one level teaspoon. Whether a recipe writes it as 1/3 cup or one-third of a cup, it is the same 78.9 ml.

One-third of a US cup is 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon. This is one of the few cup measures that does not divide into a whole number of tablespoons: 1/3 cup is exactly 5 1/3 tablespoons (16 teaspoons or 78.9 ml), and that leftover third of a tablespoon is what the extra teaspoon covers. If you do not own a 1/3-cup measure, fill a tablespoon 5 times and add 1 teaspoon. It is a common amount for liquids like oil, milk, or stock in scaled-down recipes. Whether a recipe writes a third of a cup, 1/3 cup, or one-third cup, it is the same measure: 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon, or 16 teaspoons in total.

Every Cup Fraction in Tablespoons

CupTablespoonsTeaspoonsNote
1/8 cup2 tbsp6 tspdivides evenly
1/4 cup4 tbsp12 tspdivides evenly
1/3 cup5 tbsp + 1 tsp16 tspdoes not divide evenly
1/2 cup8 tbsp24 tspdivides evenly
2/3 cup10 tbsp + 2 tsp32 tspdoes not divide evenly
3/4 cup12 tbsp36 tspdivides evenly
1 cup16 tbsp48 tspdivides evenly

Common Questions

How many tablespoons are in 1/3 cup?
One-third of a US cup is 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon. Mathematically it is 5 1/3 tablespoons (16 teaspoons), but because you cannot measure a third of a tablespoon directly, the practical answer is 5 tbsp + 1 tsp.
How many tablespoons are in a third of a cup?
A third of a cup is 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon, the same as 1/3 cup written as a fraction. The exact figure is 5 1/3 tablespoons (16 teaspoons), so measure 5 level tablespoons and top up with 1 teaspoon.
Why isn't 1/3 cup a whole number of tablespoons?
There are 16 tablespoons in a cup. 16 divided by 3 is 5.33, not a whole number, so 1/3 cup lands between 5 and 6 tablespoons. The remaining third of a tablespoon equals exactly 1 teaspoon, which is why the answer is 5 tbsp + 1 tsp.
What is 1/3 cup in teaspoons?
One-third cup is exactly 16 teaspoons. That is the same as 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon, since each tablespoon is 3 teaspoons (5 x 3 = 15, plus 1 = 16).
How much is half of 1/3 cup?
Half of 1/3 cup is 1/6 cup, which is 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons (8 teaspoons, or 39.4 ml). It comes up when you halve a recipe that calls for 1/3 cup.
How do I measure 1/3 cup without a measuring cup?
Fill a tablespoon measure 5 times, then add 1 level teaspoon. That gives exactly 1/3 cup. For dry ingredients, level each spoonful with the flat edge of a knife.
What is 1/3 cup in ml?
One-third of a US cup is 78.9 ml (236.588 ml divided by 3). It is also 2.7 US fluid ounces. A metric 250 ml cup would make 1/3 cup about 83 ml.

Related Pages

1/3 cup in teaspoonsAll Cups to Tablespoons2/3 cup to tbspKitchen Charttbsp to tsp Converter

Updated 2026-06-09