Everything you need to know about measuring milliliters (mL) and liters (L), from terms and origin to how many milliliters are in a liters.
Milliliters and liters are both metric units of measurement, meaning they divide neatly into each other (unlike milliliters in an ounce)!
- There are 1,000 milliliters in a liter
- There are 0.001 liters in a milliliter
- A milliliter is one thousandth (1/1,000) of a liter
- 500 ml is ½ a liter
How to Convert Milliliters to Liters
As we said above, 1 liter = 1000 ml, so just divide milliliters by 1,000.
For example: How many liters is 1,500 ml? The answer is 1,500 mL ÷ 1,000 = 1.5 L
How to Convert Liters to Milliliters
Conversely, to convert liters to milliliters you simply multiply liters by 1,000.
For example: How many milliliters is 1.5 liters? The answer is 1.5 L X 1,000 = 1,500 mL.
What Is a Liter?
The liter was introduced in France in 1795 by the Republican government after overthrowing the monarchy and all trappings associated with that government, and so began the metric system. In 1901 international agreement was reached to redefined the liter as the space occupied by 1 kilogram of pure water.
What Is a Milliliter?
Simplistically, a milliliter is 1/1000th of a liter. When the French set the volume of a liter they made the milliliter equal to the volume of 1 gram of pure water. While the rest of the world has moved on to the metric system, the U.S. still uses the Imperial system with pints, quarts, and gallons.
Quick Conversions
Imperial Measurements to Liters and Milliliters
Are you converting from the Imperial system to the metric? Use this chart!
| Imperial | Liter | mL |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cup | 0.236 L | 236 mL |
| 1 pint | 0.47 L | 470 mL |
| 1 quart | 0.943 L | 943 mL |
| 1 gallon | 3.78 L | 3,780 mL |
Liters to Milliliters
For a quick guide to converting liters to milliliters, use this chart.
| Liters | Milliliters |
|---|---|
| 0.1 L | 100 mL |
| 0.2 L | 200 mL |
| 0.5 L | 500 mL |
| 1 L | 1000 mL |
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