A shoe size conversion chart converts your shoe size between the US, UK, EU, and CM (Mondo) sizing systems, so you can buy shoes from any country without guessing. As a rule of thumb, a US men’s 9 equals a UK 8.5, an EU 43, and about 26.7 cm of foot length — but sizes vary by brand, so always measure your foot first.
Table of Contents
- What Is a Shoe Size Conversion Chart?
- How Do US, UK, EU, and CM Shoe Sizes Differ?
- How Do I Measure My Foot for Shoe Size?
- Men’s Shoe Size Conversion Chart
- Women’s Shoe Size Conversion Chart
- Kids’ Shoe Size Conversion Chart
- How to Convert US Shoe Size to EU?
- How to Convert Men’s Shoe Sizes to Women’s?
- Do Nike and Adidas Run True to Size?
- Frequently Asked Questions
At Zyrro, we build free tools that remove everyday friction — and few things beat ordering shoes online in the wrong size. For any other measurement, our free unit converter handles length, weight, temperature, and more in one click.
What Is a Shoe Size Conversion Chart?
A shoe size conversion chart is a reference table that maps equivalent shoe sizes across the world’s four main sizing systems: US (American), UK (British), EU (European/Paris point), and CM, also called Mondo sizing, which simply equals your foot length in centimeters. Because a US 9 is not the same as a UK 9, the chart is the only reliable way to translate sizes when you shop internationally or buy from a brand that uses a different system.
How Do US, UK, EU, and CM Shoe Sizes Differ?
The four systems differ in what they actually measure and where they start counting. Understanding this is what makes conversions click — literally:
- US sizing is based on the barleycorn, an old English unit: each full size adds 1/3 inch (about 8.5 mm) of length. Men’s and women’s scales are separate — a women’s US 8 is about 1.5 sizes larger than a men’s US 8.
- UK sizing uses the same barleycorn step as the US but starts from a different zero point. A UK men’s size runs roughly half a size below the US men’s equivalent.
- EU sizing uses the Paris point: each size adds 2/3 cm (6.67 mm). It is unisex — men and women share one scale — which is why EU numbers look so different from US ones.
- CM / Mondo sizing skips abstract numbers entirely: the size is your foot length in centimeters (Japan’s JIS S 5037 standard uses this). A 26.5 cm foot buys a 26.5. It is the most objective system, and every chart below is keyed to it.
| System | Step per full size | Unisex? | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 1/3 inch (8.5 mm) | No (men/women differ) | Barleycorn |
| UK | 1/3 inch (8.5 mm) | No (men/women differ) | Barleycorn, different zero |
| EU | 2/3 cm (6.67 mm) | Yes | Paris point |
| CM (Mondo) | 5 mm | Yes | Foot length in cm |
How Do I Measure My Foot for Shoe Size?
Charts only work if your starting number is right, so measure both feet — most people have one foot slightly larger, and you should size for the bigger one. Here is the paper-tracing method cobblers and running stores actually use:
- Do it in the evening. Feet swell during the day and are largest at night — measuring in the morning is the most common reason for a too-tight fit.
- Tape a sheet of paper to the floor and stand on it with your full weight, heel lightly touching a wall.
- Trace around your foot holding the pen straight up and down (angling it inward shrinks the outline).
- Measure the tracing from the back of the heel to the tip of your longest toe — for many people that is the second toe, not the big toe.
- Add wiggle room: add 0.5 cm for snug dress shoes and up to 1 cm for running shoes, then match the result to the charts below.
Tip: if you are converting an odd measurement while you measure, our free unit converter turns inches into centimeters instantly.
Men’s Shoe Size Conversion Chart
This chart converts men’s shoe sizes between US, UK, EU, and foot length in centimeters. Find your measured foot length (with wiggle room added) in the CM column and read across.
| Foot length (cm) | US Men’s | UK Men’s | EU |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24.0 | 6 | 5.5 | 39 |
| 24.5 | 6.5 | 6 | 39.5 |
| 25.0 | 7 | 6.5 | 40.5 |
| 25.4 | 7.5 | 7 | 41 |
| 25.7 | 8 | 7.5 | 42 |
| 26.0 | 8.5 | 8 | 42.5 |
| 26.7 | 9 | 8.5 | 43 |
| 27.0 | 9.5 | 9 | 44 |
| 27.5 | 10 | 9.5 | 44.5 |
| 28.0 | 10.5 | 10 | 45 |
| 28.6 | 11 | 10.5 | 45.5 |
| 29.2 | 12 | 11.5 | 46.5 |
| 29.8 | 13 | 12.5 | 47.5 |
| 30.5 | 14 | 13.5 | 48.5 |
Note: values are approximate and can shift by half a size between brands — the most frequent cause of a wrong-size order.
Women’s Shoe Size Conversion Chart
Women’s charts convert between US women’s, UK women’s, EU, and foot length. Remember that a US women’s size is about 1.5 sizes above the US men’s size for the same foot — so a woman who wears a US 8.5 has roughly the same foot as a man who wears a US 7.
| Foot length (cm) | US Women’s | UK Women’s | EU |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23.0 | 5 | 3 | 35.5 |
| 23.5 | 6 | 4 | 36.5 |
| 24.0 | 6.5 | 4.5 | 37.5 |
| 24.4 | 7 | 5 | 38 |
| 24.8 | 7.5 | 5.5 | 38.5 |
| 25.1 | 8 | 6 | 39 |
| 25.4 | 8.5 | 6.5 | 40 |
| 25.7 | 9 | 7 | 40.5 |
| 26.0 | 9.5 | 7.5 | 41 |
| 26.7 | 10 | 8 | 42 |
| 27.3 | 11 | 9 | 43 |
| 27.9 | 12 | 10 | 44 |
Kids’ Shoe Size Conversion Chart
Kids’ feet grow fast — podiatrists generally recommend re-measuring every 2–3 months — so a kids’ shoe size conversion chart is worth bookmarking. These are youth sizes (toddler charts run smaller still); buy with about 1 cm of growing room.
| Foot length (cm) | US Youth | UK Youth | EU |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18.4 | 1 | 13.5 | 32 |
| 19.2 | 2 | 1.5 | 33 |
| 19.7 | 3 | 2.5 | 34 |
| 20.6 | 4 | 3.5 | 35.5 |
| 21.6 | 5 | 4.5 | 37 |
| 22.2 | 6 | 5.5 | 38 |
| 22.9 | 7 | 6.5 | 39.5 |
A US youth 5 (about 21.6 cm) is roughly equal to a US women’s 6.5, which is why teenagers often cross over into adult sizes — use the women’s chart above for feet longer than about 22.5 cm.
How to Convert US Shoe Size to EU?
To convert a US men’s shoe size to EU, add roughly 33 to the US number — a US men’s 9 becomes about an EU 42–43. For US women’s sizes, add about 31 — a US women’s 8 becomes about an EU 39. To convert EU shoe sizes to US sizes, reverse it: subtract about 33 from the EU size for men’s (EU 42 ≈ US men’s 9) and about 31 for women’s (EU 39 ≈ US women’s 8). These are estimates, not exact math, because the two systems use different step sizes (8.5 mm vs 6.67 mm) and different zero points, so always confirm against the chart row for your foot length rather than trusting the shortcut alone.
How to Convert Men’s Shoe Sizes to Women’s?
To convert men’s shoe sizes to women’s in the US system, add 1.5 sizes: a men’s US 8 fits the same foot as a women’s US 9.5. To go the other way, subtract 1.5. There is no men’s/women’s split in EU or CM sizing — those scales are already unisex, so no conversion is needed there at all.
Do Nike and Adidas Run True to Size?
Brand fit is the reason conversion charts come with a warning label. Commonly reported tendencies: Nike running shoes often run slightly small and narrow, so many runners buy half a size up from their chart size; Adidas is generally reported as true to size to slightly roomy. But both brands adjust lasts (the foot-shaped mold) between models, and a Nike Pegasus can fit differently from a Nike Air Force 1 in the same labeled size. The safe move is always the same: check the brand’s own size chart and read a few “runs small / true to size” reviews for that exact model before you order.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a 9 in shoe size in EU?
A US men’s 9 converts to approximately an EU 42.5–43, a UK 8.5, and fits a foot about 26.7 cm long. Note that a US women’s 9 is a different, smaller size — about an EU 40.5 and a UK 7. Always check whether a listing means men’s or women’s US sizing before converting.
How do I convert my shoe size to CM?
Measure your foot from heel to longest toe in centimeters (the paper-tracing method above), then round up to the nearest half centimeter — that number is your Mondo/CM size. For example, a 25.4 cm foot buys a 25.5. CM sizing is used across Japan and Korea and is the most reliable system for international orders.
Are US and UK shoe sizes the same?
No. For men’s shoes, a UK size runs about half a size below the US equivalent (US 9 ≈ UK 8.5); for women’s, the UK size runs about two sizes below (US women’s 9 ≈ UK 7). The numbers look similar but the zero points differ, so never assume a “9” means the same thing in both systems.
What is the difference between men’s and women’s shoe sizes?
In US sizing, women’s sizes run about 1.5 sizes above men’s for the same foot length, and women’s lasts are typically narrower. EU and CM systems have no gender split at all — an EU 42 is an EU 42 regardless of who wears it, which makes international conversion simpler once you know your foot length.
Why do shoe sizes vary between brands?
Brands use different lasts (foot-shaped molds), target different foot widths, and round conversions differently — one company’s EU 42 can measure 26.5 cm inside while another’s measures 27 cm. Materials matter too: leather stretches, knit uppers give, and rigid dress shoes do not. That is why reviewers’ “runs small” notes beat any chart.
How much room should I leave in a new shoe?
Leave about a thumb’s width — roughly 1 cm — between your longest toe and the front of the shoe when standing. For running shoes, many fitters suggest going up to 1.5 cm because feet swell and slide forward on impact. If a shoe fits perfectly in the store with thin socks, it may be too tight with the socks you will actually wear.
Is a US size 8 a 38 or 39 in EU?
It depends on men’s or women’s sizing — this is the most confusing conversion in shoe shopping. A US men’s 8 is about an EU 41, while a US women’s 8 is about an EU 38.5–39. The shortcut: for women’s US sizes add roughly 31 (8 + 31 = 39); for men’s add roughly 33. When a listing only says “size 8”, check the gender label first.
How do I convert EU shoe sizes to US sizes?
Subtract about 33 from the EU size for men’s shoes (EU 43 ≈ US men’s 10) and about 31 for women’s (EU 40 ≈ US women’s 9). Because EU sizes step in 6.67 mm increments while US sizes step in 8.5 mm, the offset drifts slightly across the range — use the chart rows keyed to your measured foot length in centimeters for the exact row.
Getting the right size comes down to one honest measurement and one good chart. Bookmark this page, measure your feet tonight, and use the Zyrro unit converter tool for any other measurement — or browse our more free online tools.