Convert US pints to liters in seconds.
1 pt x 0.473176 = 0.473176 L
Discover other related calculators
Ever tried making a British recipe only to realize it uses milliliters instead of pints? Or maybe you’ve stared at a European soda bottle wondering how it compares to the pints you’re used to? Converting between US pints and liters doesn’t have to feel like solving a riddle. Let’s break it down so you can measure liquids with confidence, whether you’re cooking, shopping, or just satisfying your curiosity.
Unit definitions
What is a US pint (pt)?
- Description: A unit of volume primarily used in the United States for liquids.
- Symbol: pt
- Common uses: Beverages (beer, milk), cooking measurements, and ice cream containers.
- Definition: 1 US pint = 1/8th of a US gallon or 16 US fluid ounces.
What is a liter (L)?
- Description: The standard metric unit for volume, used worldwide.
- Symbol: L
- Common uses: Fuel efficiency ratings, bottled drinks, scientific measurements.
- Definition: 1 liter = 1 cubic decimeter or 1,000 cubic centimeters.
Conversion formula
1 US pint = 0.473176 liters
To convert pints to liters: liters = pints × 0.473176
To convert liters to pints: pints = liters ÷ 0.473176
Example calculations
- Converting 2 pints to liters:
2 pt × 0.473176 = 0.946352 L (about 0.95 liters when rounded) - Converting 5 liters to pints:
5 L ÷ 0.473176 ≈ 10.5669 pt (roughly 10.57 pints)
Conversion tables
US pints to liters
| US pints | Liters |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.4732 |
| 2 | 0.9464 |
| 3 | 1.4195 |
| 4 | 1.8927 |
| 5 | 2.3659 |
| 10 | 4.7318 |
Liters to US pints
| Liters | US pints |
|---|---|
| 1 | 2.1134 |
| 2 | 4.2268 |
| 3 | 6.3401 |
| 4 | 8.4535 |
| 5 | 10.5669 |
| 10 | 21.1338 |
Historical background
The US pint traces its roots to the British imperial system but took a different path after the American Revolution. In 1824, Britain redefined its gallon, creating the imperial system, while the US stuck with older English units. This split explains why a US pint (473 mL) is smaller than a UK pint (568 mL). Liters, meanwhile, emerged from the French Revolutions push for decimal-based measurements. The metric system spread globally, but the US held onto pints—partly because, as the saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
(Fun typo fact: Early American documents sometimes spelled it “pynte,” but that faded by the 19th century.)
Interesting facts
- Beer bias: US draft beers are typically served in 16-oz pints (a true US pint), but some bars use smaller 14-oz glasses.
- Milk nostalgia: Many Americans still buy milk by the half-gallon (4 pints), even though metric labels appear on most cartons.
- Hybrid cars: Your car’s fuel efficiency is listed as miles per gallon in the US but as liters per 100 km in most other countries.
- Recipe roulette: Using the wrong pint (US vs. UK) in baking can throw off measurements by nearly 20%—a sure way to deflate soufflés.
- Environmental impact: Switching to liters globally could save millions in labeling costs, but cultural habits die hard.
FAQ
The US primarily uses customary units like pints due to historical tradition, though metric units are taught in schools and used in science.
Multiply the number of pints by 0.473. For rough estimates, remember 2 pints ≈ 0.946 liters (nearly 1 liter).
No, a UK imperial pint equals 568 mL, while a US pint is 473 mL. Always check which system a recipe or label uses.
The conversion factor (0.473176) is precise, but real-world measurements may vary slightly due to rounding or measurement tools.
The metric system was established in France in 1795. The US adopted it as a preferred system in 1866 but didn’t mandate its exclusive use.