Article — EU to US Shoe Size Converter
EU to US Shoe Size Converter: Men, Women, and Kids
EU shoe sizes use the Paris point system: one size = 2/3 cm = 6.67 mm of last length. To get US, subtract 33 for men, 30 for women. To get UK, subtract 33.5 for men or 31 for women. EU 42 men = US 9 = UK 8 = 26.0 cm foot length. Reference: ISO 19407:2023 (Footwear sizing) and the Brannock device measurement standard.
The calculator above does the conversion in both directions and across all three systems plus the underlying foot length in centimetres. Pick men, women, or kids, choose your source system (EU, US, UK, or CM), enter your size, and read all four equivalents at once. The chart values follow ISO reference grids; brand-specific variation is noted in the detail row.
How the EU to US shoe size converter works
This EU to US shoe size converter snaps your input to the nearest row of an internal chart, then displays the EU, US, UK, and centimetre equivalents for that row. The men's chart covers EU 35 to 47 (US 3 to 13). The women's chart covers EU 35 to 43 (US 5 to 12.5). Kids run EU 19 to 35, with US labels resetting from numeric to Y (youth) around EU 33.
Because the EU number refers to the shoe last (not the foot itself), the same EU size for men and women indicates the same internal length but a different US label, different last shape, and often a different width. EU 40 men is US 6 with a wider toe box; EU 40 women is US 10 in a narrower last. The chart in the calculator handles the offset automatically.
The Brannock Device, the metal foot-measuring tool you see in every shoe shop, was patented in 1925 by Charles F. Brannock. It measures heel-to-toe length, heel-to-ball arch length, and width in one pass. The arch length matters because shoes flex at the ball of the foot; a long foot with a short arch needs a different last than a short foot with a long arch.
The Paris point behind EU shoe sizes
European shoe sizes are graded in Paris points. One Paris point is exactly 2/3 of a centimetre, or 6.67 millimetres. The system dates to early 19th-century French shoemakers who needed a uniform shoe-size grading across regions. The size measures the length of the last (the foot-shaped form the shoe is built around), not the foot. ISO 19407:2023, published in 2023, codifies the international footwear size designation.
The Paris point is unisex, which is convenient: EU 40 means the same internal length whether the wearer is a man, a woman, or a child. What differs is the rest of the last (width, height, taper) and the local US or UK label that the shoe carries on the box. The Mondopoint standard (ISO 9407) provides a parallel system that uses the actual foot length in millimetres as the size, but most footwear in Europe still labels by Paris point.
Men's EU to US shoe size chart
For adult men, the rule of thumb is US = EU - 33 across the standard 38 to 47 range. EU 42 is US 9. EU 44 is US 11. The relation is approximate at the ends of the chart, where half-size adjustments kick in. UK men's sizes run half a size below US (UK 8 = US 9), so subtract another 1 from the US size to get UK, or subtract 33.5 from EU.
Women's EU to US shoe size chart
For adult women, US runs three numbers above men's at the same foot length. The relation is US = EU - 30. EU 39 is US 9. EU 42 is US 12. UK women's sizes run roughly UK = EU - 31, so EU 39 is UK 6 and EU 42 is UK 9. Women's shoes tend to use a narrower last than men's shoes at the same foot length, so a man and woman with the same 25 cm foot will fit differently in a unisex sneaker.
Kids' EU to US shoe size conversion
Kids' shoe size conversion is messier because the US system resets twice. Toddler sizes run US 1 to 13 (EU 16 to 32), then youth sizes run 1Y to 7Y (EU 32 to 40). EU keeps a single continuous scale from 19 (newborn) to 47 (adult men), which is the main reason European parents find their own system more sensible. The calculator above handles the youth-size relabel automatically: enter EU 33 and you will see US 1Y.
Kids' feet grow about half a shoe size every 4 to 6 months until age 6. Measure on a hard floor with the child standing, weight evenly distributed. Always check both feet and use the larger measurement. Aim for 1 cm of toe room at the front for growth, but no more, since loose shoes are a trip hazard.
Measuring your foot for shoe size
Stand on a sheet of paper, weight balanced. Trace the outline of each foot with a pencil held vertical. Measure the longest distance from heel to toe in centimetres. Take the larger of the two feet (most people have one slightly longer). Add 0.5 to 1 cm of toe room for athletic shoes, 1.0 to 1.5 cm for boots. Look up the resulting length in the chart.
Measure in the evening: feet swell up to 8% during the day. Wear the socks you plan to use with the shoes. The Brannock device in shoe shops returns three numbers, length, arch length, and width, and the larger of the length pair determines the size. Online sizing tools that ask only for length miss the arch length, which is why some perfectly fitted shoes feel too long or short despite matching the chart.
Why brands differ from the chart
Brands cut shoes around different lasts. A Nike US 10 runner runs about half a size large. A Converse US 10 sneaker runs a full size small. New Balance produces narrow widths (2A, B) that other brands skip. Birkenstock uses its own German size scheme that maps roughly to EU plus 1 for some models. The detail row in the calculator notes a brand-variance band of about half a size in either direction.
- Paris point = 2/3 cm = 6.67 mm per size step
- EU - 33 = US men's (rule across EU 38-47)
- EU - 30 = US women's (rule across EU 35-42)
- Brannock Device patented 1925 by Charles F. Brannock
- ISO 19407:2023 footwear size conversion standard
- Feet swell up to 8% during the day
- Mondopoint (ISO 9407) sizes by foot length in mm
- Half sizes exist because EU steps (6.67 mm) and US steps (8.47 mm) differ
Common shoe size conversion mistakes
The single biggest mistake is using a men's chart for women's shoes or vice versa. EU 40 looks like a single number, but the matching US label is 6 for men or 10 for women. The second is ignoring brand variance; the chart is a reference grid, not a guarantee. The third is measuring only one foot or measuring in the morning when feet are slimmer.
A subtler mistake is converting an unmarked shoe from a flea-market or vintage source. Pre-1970 shoes often use country-specific scales (German Stich, Russian or Soviet) that do not match modern EU. If the shoe is older than 1970 and labelled with a number that does not fit any standard chart, measure the internal length in centimetres directly. That is your most reliable conversion.