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🥛 UK pints🔄 Conversions🩺 NHS guidance

How Many Pints of Water Should I Drink a Day?

Most people in the UK think in pints, but water advice is usually given in litres or glasses. Here is how many UK pints of water you should drink a day, with easy conversions between pints, litres, millilitres and glasses.

By BMI Calculator NHS Editorial TeamLast reviewed: Checked against NHS & NICE sources
Quick answer

Most adults need about 3 to 3½ UK pints of fluid a day (1.6–2 litres), in line with the NHS advice of 6 to 8 glasses. Women typically need about 2.8 pints (1.6 L) and men about 3.5 pints (2 L) from drinks. A UK pint is 568 ml – larger than a US pint (473 ml).

How many pints of water do I need?

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Pints, litres and glasses converted

UK pintsLitresMillilitres200 ml glasses250 ml mugs
1 pint0.57 L568 ml2.82.3
2 pints1.14 L1,136 ml5.74.5
2.5 pints1.42 L1,420 ml7.15.7
3 pints1.70 L1,705 ml8.56.8
3.5 pints1.99 L1,989 ml9.98.0
4 pints2.27 L2,273 ml11.49.1
5 pints2.84 L2,841 ml14.211.4

1 UK (imperial) pint = 568.26 ml. 1 litre = 1.76 UK pints.

How many pints is 2 litres?

2 litres = 3.5 UK pints (or 4.2 US pints). 1.5 litres is 2.6 pints, and 3 litres is 5.3 pints.

Is a pint of water a day enough?

No – one pint (568 ml) is only about a third of what most adults need from drinks. But remember that tea, coffee, milk and other drinks count too, so you may already be drinking more than you think. Track a typical day: a mug of tea is about half a pint.

More detail: how much water should you drink a day and water intake by age.

Frequently asked questions

How many pints of water should I drink a day?

About 3 to 3½ UK pints of fluid a day for most adults – roughly 2.8 pints for women and 3.5 pints for men.

How many pints is 2 litres of water?

2 litres is 3.5 UK pints.

Is a UK pint the same as a US pint?

No. A UK pint is 568 ml; a US pint is 473 ml.

Do I need 8 pints of water a day?

No. Eight glasses (about 1.6 litres, or 2.8 pints) is the usual guide, not eight pints.

About this page

Written and reviewed by the BMI Calculator NHS Editorial Team

Our team writes in plain English and checks every figure, threshold and formula against the official NHS, NICE and peer-reviewed sources listed below before publishing. Read our editorial policy or report a correction.

Last reviewed27 October 2026
Next review due1 April 2027
Applies toEngland, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland

Sources

Medical disclaimer: this guide is general information for adults and is not a diagnosis or medical advice. bmicalculatornhs.net is independent and not affiliated with the NHS. Speak to your GP, pharmacist or another qualified health professional about your own health. Full disclaimer.