Tablespoons to Cups Converter
16 US tablespoons = 1 US customary cup.
Conversion result
US cups = US tablespoons ÷ 16; US tablespoons = cups × 16.
Primary source: NIST SP 811, Appendix B.8 conversion factors. Published SI table values may be rounded; this converter uses the exact underlying definitions. NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C supplies the underlying inch, pound and US liquid measure definitions. NIST SP 1038, footnote 19 defines the US cup, tablespoon and teaspoon in fluid ounces.
Worked example: 8 US tablespoons ÷ 16 = 0.5 cup. A 1 1/2 tablespoon portion is 0.09375 cup.
Common conversion values
The table follows the selected direction. Results display up to 12 significant digits; exact definitions are used before display rounding.
| US tablespoons | US customary cups |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.0625 |
| 2 | 0.1250 |
| 4 | 0.2500 |
| 8 | 0.5000 |
| 16 | 1.0000 |
A US tablespoon is half a US fluid ounce; a US customary cup is 8 US fluid ounces. Therefore 8 ÷ 0.5 = 16 tablespoons per cup. Metric 15 mL and Australian 20 mL tablespoons are different definitions.
Conversions use the measure named on the label. A US customary cup is 236.5882365 mL, rather than a 240 mL nutrition-label cup or a 250 mL metric cup. Actual measuring vessels and ingredient packing may vary.
How to use this tool
Enter a quantity in US tablespoons, choose the forward or reverse direction, and select Convert. Decimals, fractions such as 1/2, and mixed fractions such as 1 1/2 are supported.
Frequently asked questions
How many tablespoons are in half a cup?
Half a US customary cup is exactly eight US tablespoons.
Can I reverse the conversion or enter a fraction?
Yes. Choose the reverse direction on this same page. Enter a nonnegative decimal, fraction such as 3/4, or mixed fraction such as 1 1/2. Zero is accepted; the quantity and fraction components are limited to 10¹², and a denominator must be positive.
Is this converter free and private?
Yes. Conversions run on your device without uploading your entries or saving them to browser storage. There is no sign-up.