Utilia
Categories ▾
Language: en ▾

Shoe Size Converter

Convert shoe sizes between US, UK, EU, Mondopoint and Japanese sizes for men, women, kids and babies, or find your size from your foot length in cm or inches.

Stand on a sheet of paper, mark the heel and the tip of the longest toe, and measure the distance. Measure both feet in the evening and use the longer one.

US
–
UK
–
EU (Paris point)
–
Mondopoint (mm)
–
Japan (cm)
–
Foot length
–

Sizes are approximate. Brands use their own lasts and charts, so the same foot can be a half or a whole size apart from one brand to another: always check the brand's own size chart and its foot lengths before buying.

Men's shoe size chart

US UK EU Mondopoint JP Foot (cm) Foot (in)

C = child sizes, Y = youth (big kid) sizes. UK kids' sizes run 0 to 13½, then restart at adult size 1.

How the sizes are calculated (F = foot length)

  • UK: adult size = 3 × F (in) − 23; children's size = 3 × F (in) − 10. One size = 1 barleycorn = ⅓ inch (8.47 mm).
  • US men: 3 × F (in) − 22 (UK + 1). US women: US men + 1.5.
  • US children (C): 3 × F (in) − 9.75; youth (Y): 3 × F (in) − 22.75, so that 1 Y follows 13½ C.
  • EU: 1.5 × F (cm) + 2. One size = 1 Paris point = ⅔ cm (6.67 mm).
  • Mondopoint (ISO 9407) and Japanese sizes (JIS S 5037): the foot length itself, in millimetres (5 mm steps) or centimetres (0.5 cm steps).

The formulas assume a shoe last two size steps longer than the foot: ⅔ in (2 barleycorns) for UK/US sizes, 1⅓ cm (2 Paris points) for EU sizes. Results are rounded to the nearest half size.

How to use the shoe size converter

  1. In Who is it for?, pick Men, Women, Kids (10½ C to 7 Y) or Babies and toddlers (0 C to 10 C). The chart at the bottom of the tool switches to that group.
  2. Choose the Size system you know (US, UK, EU (Paris point), Mondopoint (mm) or Japan (cm)) and pick your Size in the list.
  3. The equivalent sizes appear at once in every other system, together with the foot length that size corresponds to. The matching row of the chart is highlighted.
  4. If you don’t know your size, type a measurement in Or enter your foot length, in centimetres or inches. The size list follows the length you type.
  5. Copy copies a one-line summary such as “US 9 · UK 8 · EU 41.5 · Mondopoint 260 · JP 26”.

How shoe sizes are built

Shoe sizes look arbitrary, but each system is a simple scale with its own unit and starting point. Most are defined on the length of the last, the foot-shaped form a shoe is built on, which is longer than the foot itself.

  • UK and US sizes count in barleycorns, an old English unit of ⅓ inch (8.47 mm). One full size is one barleycorn; a half size is ⅙ inch. UK adult size 1 starts after the children’s size 13½, and US men’s sizes sit one size above UK sizes.
  • US women’s sizes are, on the scale most brands use, 1.5 sizes above men’s: a men’s 8.5 is roughly a women’s 10.
  • Continental European sizes count in Paris points of ⅔ cm (6.67 mm), starting from zero. EU sizes are unisex.
  • Mondopoint (ISO 9407) is simply the foot length in millimetres, used for ski boots and military footwear; Japanese sizes (JIS S 5037) are the foot length in centimetres.

The tool converts through foot length, with these formulas (F = foot length):

System Formula
UK adult 3 × F (in) − 23
UK child (0 to 13½) 3 × F (in) − 10
US men 3 × F (in) − 22
US women US men + 1.5
US child (C) 3 × F (in) − 9.75
US youth (Y) 3 × F (in) − 22.75
EU 1.5 × F (cm) + 2

They assume a last two size steps longer than the foot (⅔ inch for UK/US, 1⅓ cm for EU) and are rounded to the nearest half size. Example: a 26.5 cm foot gives EU 1.5 × 26.5 + 2 = 41.75, shown as 42, and US men’s 3 × 10.43 − 22 = 9.3, shown as 9.5.

Brands vary: read this before buying

A converter can only apply the standard relationships. Real shoes differ: each brand uses its own lasts, some round down where others round up, and running shoes, boots and sandals of the same brand may fit differently. Differences of half a size, sometimes a full size, are normal. Use the result as a starting point, then check the brand’s own chart, ideally against your foot length in centimetres, which is the most reliable comparison.

Measuring your foot

Stand on a sheet of paper against a wall, heel touching the wall, and mark the tip of your longest toe. Measure in the evening, when feet are largest, wearing the socks you plan to use, and keep the longer foot. For children, check every few months: feet grow fast, and a thumb’s width (about 1 to 1.5 cm) of room in front of the toes is usual.

Frequently asked questions

Is EU 42 the same for men and women?

Yes. European sizes are unisex, and so are UK sizes. Only US sizes have separate men’s and women’s scales, 1.5 sizes apart on most brands’ charts.

Why do different charts give different answers?

There is no single legal standard for the size-to-length relationship, and brands add their own allowances. Some charts use the last length, others the foot length. This tool uses published formulas consistently, so it is a neutral reference, not a promise of fit.

What do C and Y mean in kids' sizes?

C stands for child (toddler and little kid) sizes, which run up to 13½ C; Y stands for youth or “big kid” sizes, which start again at 1 Y and reach 7 Y, roughly a men’s size 7.

What is Mondopoint?

The international system of ISO 9407: the length of the foot in millimetres, usually in 5 mm steps. Ski boots are sold this way, for instance 26.5 for a 265 mm foot.

Should I round up or down between two sizes?

Round up for closed shoes and boots, especially for children, and try both when you can. Width matters as much as length, and no length conversion can capture it.

Related tools