Quart to Liters - How Many Liters in a Quart?
Convert US and Imperial quarts to liters and milliliters
1 US Quart = 0.946 Liters
One US quart equals 946.35 milliliters - just under one liter.
Quarts to Liters Conversion Table
| US Quarts | Liters | Milliliters |
|---|---|---|
| 0.5 qt | 0.473 L | 473 ml |
| 1 qt | 0.946 L | 946 ml |
| 1.5 qt | 1.420 L | 1,420 ml |
| 2 qt | 1.893 L | 1,893 ml |
| 3 qt | 2.839 L | 2,839 ml |
| 4 qt (1 gallon) | 3.785 L | 3,785 ml |
| 5 qt | 4.732 L | 4,732 ml |
| 6 qt | 5.678 L | 5,678 ml |
| 8 qt | 7.571 L | 7,571 ml |
| 10 qt | 9.464 L | 9,464 ml |
What is a quart?
A quart (abbreviated qt) is a unit of volume in the US customary and British Imperial systems. The name comes from the Latin "quartus" (fourth) because a quart is one-quarter of a gallon. In the US, you find quarts everywhere: milk cartons, soup cans, motor oil containers and cooking recipes.
One US quart holds exactly 946.352946 ml. That is 0.946 liters - just under one liter. The formula: liters = quarts x 0.94635. To reverse: quarts = liters divided by 0.94635. For everyday use, think of 1 quart as roughly 1 liter, minus about 5%.
US quart vs. Imperial quart
There are two different quarts. The US quart (946.35 ml) and the British Imperial quart (1,136.52 ml). The difference is significant: the Imperial quart holds about 20% more than the US quart. One Imperial quart equals 1.137 liters.
The US quart consists of 2 US pints, 4 cups, or 32 fluid ounces. The Imperial quart consists of 2 Imperial pints or 40 Imperial fluid ounces. When a recipe says "quart" without specifying, assume US for American sources and Imperial for British sources.
In practice, the Imperial quart barely matters today. The UK has largely switched to the metric system. In the US, the quart remains part of everyday life.
A quart of milk a day keeps the doctor away - the standard advice from American family doctors in the 1950s.
US dairy advertising, ca. 1952Quarts in cooking
American recipes use quarts for larger liquid amounts. Soups and broths are often listed in quarts: "3 quarts chicken broth" means about 2.8 liters. Pasta water quantities also appear in quarts. A standard stockpot holds 6 to 8 quarts (5.7 to 7.6 liters).
The kitchen conversions: 1 quart = 2 pints = 4 cups = 32 fl oz. For small amounts, use cups or tablespoons. For large amounts above 4 quarts, switch to gallons (3.785 liters).
At US grocery stores, milk, cream, and buttermilk come in quart containers. A quart of milk holds 946 ml. A European milk carton holds 1,000 ml. The gap: 54 ml, about half a glass.
Quarts for motor oil and technical use
Outside the kitchen, you encounter quarts mainly with motor oil. US vehicle manufacturers specify oil capacity in quarts. "5 quarts oil" means 4.73 liters. In Europe, the liter figure appears on the container instead.
When you read a US manual and find oil quantities in quarts, multiply by 0.946. Six quarts become 5.68 liters. Buy slightly more if in doubt - a small surplus does no harm during an oil change.
Quart, pint, gallon - the US volume system
The US volume system is built on simple doublings. 2 cups = 1 pint. 2 pints = 1 quart. 4 quarts = 1 gallon. In milliliters: cup (237 ml), pint (473 ml), quart (946 ml), gallon (3,785 ml).
For metric users, a handy approximation: 1 quart is roughly 1 liter, 1 gallon is roughly 4 liters. This is accurate to within about 5% - good enough for cooking, shopping, and daily calculations.
Another useful parallel: half a liter is very close to a US pint (473 ml). And 1 liter is very close to a US quart (946 ml). These near-matches make conversion easier to remember.
Shopping tip: When a US product label says "1 qt," you get just under one liter. A "half gallon" (2 quarts) is 1.89 liters - comparable to a 2-liter bottle but slightly less.