You found the perfect pair on a European site. The size chart says EU 38. You Google “size 38 in Canada,” get three different answers, and close the tab.
We compared the standards and ran the conversions ourselves. Here’s what we found.
Understanding Shoe Size Systems
There are three systems you’ll run into, and they don’t talk to each other.
Canada and the US use the same scale, based on an old English unit called the barleycorn (one-third of an inch). Men’s and women’s shoes run on different sub-scales even for the same foot length. Canadian size 8 = US size 8. No conversion needed, ever.
Europe uses Paris Points – two-thirds of a centimetre each. One scale for everyone: men, women, kids. That’s exactly why EU 38 women’s and EU 38 men’s land in completely different places on a Canadian chart.
The UK is similar to North America but offset. Men’s UK sizes run about one behind US/CA (US 9 = UK 8). Women’s UK runs about 2 to 2.5 behind US/CA.
As one Reddit user put it: “women’s clothing sizes are more or less decided by a blindfolded drunk throwing darts at a chart on the wall” – harsh, but shoe sizing across systems isn’t far off.
EU to Canadian Size Conversion Table
Before you jump to the numbers: EU sizing uses one scale for everyone, which means the same size looks completely different depending on whether you’re in the men’s or women’s section. We’ve split the tables accordingly. Find your section, match your EU size, and use the foot length column if you’re between two options.
Women’s
EU | CA / US | UK | Foot Length (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
35 | 5 | 2.5 | 22.0 |
36 | 5.5 | 3 | 22.5 |
37 | 6.5 | 4 | 23.5 |
38 | 7.5 | 5 | 24.1 |
39 | 8.5 | 6 | 24.6 |
40 | 9.5 | 7 | 25.4 |
41 | 10.5 | 7.5 | 26.2 |
42 | 11 | 8 | 27.1 |
Men’s
EU | CA / US | UK | Foot Length (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
38 | 6 | 5.5 | 24.5 |
39 | 7 | 6.5 | 25.1 |
40 | 7.5 | 7 | 25.4 |
41 | 8 | 7.5 | 25.7 |
42 | 8.5 | 8 | 26.0 |
43 | 9–9.5 | 8.5 | 26.3 |
44 | 10 | 9.5 | 27.0 |
45 | 11 | 10.5 | 27.6 |
46 | 12 | 11.5 | 28.3 |
⚠ Brand sizing varies. Foot length in cm is your most reliable reference, especially for EU 43, where some brands land at CA 9, others at 9.5.
Do US and Canadian Shoe Sizes Match?
This one’s easy: there is no conversion. Canadian and US shoe sizes are identical across men’s, women’s, and kids’ – same scale, same numbers, same everything. If you see a US size chart, that’s your Canadian size.
UK to Canadian Shoe Sizes
UK sizing follows the same barleycorn logic as North America, just shifted.
Men’s: UK is one size behind CA/US. UK 8 = CA/US 9. UK 10 = CA/US 11.
Women’s: UK runs about 2 sizes behind CA/US. UK 5 = CA/US 7. UK 6 = CA/US 8.
Quick reference:
UK (Men’s) | CA / US Men’s | UK (Women’s) | CA / US Women’s |
|---|---|---|---|
6 | 7 | 3 | 5 |
7 | 8 | 4 | 6 |
8 | 9 | 5 | 7 |
9 | 10 | 6 | 8 |
10 | 11 | 7 | 9 |
11 | 12 | 8 | 10 |
Men’s vs Women’s Sizing
This is where most mistakes happen with EU sizes specifically. Because the European system doesn’t split into men’s and women’s scales, the same number means something different depending on which section you’re shopping in:
- EU 38 women’s = CA 7.5 (foot ~24.1 cm)
- EU 38 men’s = CA 6 (foot ~24.5 cm)
Same box label, different shoe entirely.
This matters most with European sneaker brands that sell “unisex” styles almost always sized on the men’s EU scale, even when marketed to women. Always check the product page, don’t assume.
The general rule for North American sizing: men’s to women’s, add 1.5. Women’s to men’s, subtract 1.5. So, men’s CA 8 = women’s CA 9.5.
How to Measure Your Feet at Home
Tables get you close. Measuring gets you there.
What you need: a sheet of paper, a pen, and a ruler or tape measure.
- Put the paper flat against a wall on a hard floor. Stand with your heel touching the wall, foot on the paper. Mark the tip of your longest toe. Measure from the wall edge of the paper to that mark in centimetres.
- Do both feet. Most people have one slightly larger. Always go with the bigger number. And measure in the afternoon if you can: feet swell through the day and are at their largest by evening, which is the size you actually need to account for.
- Match your measurement to the foot length column in the tables above. If you land between two sizes, go up.
Tips for Online Shoe Shopping
Size conversions are a starting point, not a guarantee. A EU 42 from one brand and a EU 42 from another can fit completely differently, because each manufacturer builds their shoes on their own last (the foot-shaped template the shoe is made around).
A few things that help:
Read reviews for fit comments, not just quality. Shoppers almost always mention if something runs small or large, and that’s more useful than any chart.
Use foot length as your anchor. When a brand gives you both a size number and a cm measurement, trust the cm. The number is an approximation; the centimetres are what the shoe was built for.
Free returns are your friend. If you’re between sizes or trying a new brand, buy both sizes and return the one that doesn’t fit. With most Canadian online retailers this costs nothing.
European brands often cut narrow. Especially Italian and French. If you have a wider foot, size up – conversion charts don’t account for width at all.
FAQs
What is a size 38 shoe in Canada?
For women’s shoes, EU 38 = CA 7.5 (foot ~24.1 cm). For men’s shoes, EU 38 = CA 6 (foot ~24.5 cm). The gender category matters here: EU uses one scale for both, so the same number means different feet.
What is shoe size 39 in Canada?
EU 39 women’s = CA 8.5, UK 6. EU 39 men’s = CA 7, UK 6.5.
What size is 37 in Canada?
EU 37 women’s = CA 6.5, UK 4. Foot length around 23.5 cm. EU 37 men’s is uncommon but would be roughly CA 5–5.5.
What is size 43 in Canada?
EU 43 is almost always a men’s size. It converts to CA 9–9.5, UK 8.5, foot ~26.3 cm. This is one of the most variable conversions between brands. If you’re on the border, measure your foot and go with the cm.
Are Canadian and US shoe sizes the same?
Yes, completely. No conversion needed for men’s, women’s, or kids’. CA 9 = US 9, always.
How do I convert EU to Canadian shoe size?
Use the tables above or measure your foot in centimetres and match it to the foot length column. For a rough estimate: EU women’s minus ~27 ≈ CA. EU men’s minus ~31 ≈ CA. But the tables are faster and more accurate.