EU sizes to jeans waist
38 EU = 28 W. Type your own value in EU below.
That is a waist of about 71.12 cm (28 in). Labels run from W27 to W29 between brands.
Convert the other way: W to EU
What it means
Where does that waist sit?
The math
How to convert EU to W
Women: EU = 2 × W − 18, US = EU − 32, UK = EU − 28, Italian = EU + 4. Men: EU = W + 16, French = W + 8, US and UK = W.
Example: 38 EU = 28 W.
The table below uses Women’s sizes. Switch above and the EU, French, US and UK columns shift.
In practice
When you’d convert EU sizes to jeans waist
You are shopping on a European site that sells in EU sizes, and the brand prints W and L on the label. Women: EU 36 is W27, EU 38 is W28, EU 40 is W29. Men: take 16 off, so EU 48 is W32 and EU 50 is W34.
Common mistake: Reading the W as a European size: a W28 is not a 28. A 28 would be a child’s size, and a W38 is far too big.
Quick check for women: halve the EU number and add 9. EU 38 gives 19 + 9 = W28 and EU 42 gives W30. For men subtract 16: EU 52 is W36. If the shop lists W27 or W29 next to a 38, trust the waist in centimeters, not the digit.
Every unit
That size in every system
Tables
EU to W conversion table
| EU | W |
|---|---|
| 24 EU | 21 W |
| 26 EU | 22 W |
| 28 EU | 23 W |
| 30 EU | 24 W |
| 32 EU | 25 W |
| 34 EU | 26 W |
| 36 EU | 27 W |
| 38 EU | 28 W |
| 40 EU | 29 W |
| 44 EU | 31 W |
W to EU conversion table
| W | EU |
|---|---|
| 21 W | 24 EU |
| 22 W | 26 EU |
| 23 W | 28 EU |
| 24 W | 30 EU |
| 25 W | 32 EU |
| 26 W | 34 EU |
| 27 W | 36 EU |
| 28 W | 38 EU |
| 29 W | 40 EU |
| 31 W | 44 EU |
Quick answers
Quick answers
- How many W is 1 EU?
- 1 EU is 9.5 W.
- How many W is 10 EU?
- 10 EU is 14 W.
- How many W is 38 EU?
- 38 EU is 28 W.
The units
About these units
EU sizes (EU)
Continental European size: two numbers per inch of waist for women, the waist plus 16 for men.
Jeans waist (W)
The waist in inches printed after the W on a Levi’s, Wrangler or Lee label.
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What people use next
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