diff --git a/init.lua b/init.lua
index 5306313..b9d4898 100644
--- a/init.lua
+++ b/init.lua
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ local S
 if (minetest.get_modpath("intllib")) then
 	S = intllib.Getter()
 else
-	S = function ( s ) return s end
+	S = function(s,a,...)a={a,...}return s:gsub("@(%d+)",function(n)return a[tonumber(n)]end)end
 end
 
 local inventory_icon = {}
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ minetest.register_on_joinplayer(function(player)
 		offset = {x=-36,y=-20},
 		alignment = {x=0,y=0},
 		number = 0xFFFFFF,
-		text = string.format(S("%d/%d"), occupied, size)
+		text = S("@1/@2", occupied, size)
 	})
 	if mod_ui or mod_bags then
 		inventory_icon.hudids[name].bags = {}
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ minetest.register_on_joinplayer(function(player)
 			else
 				scale = { x = 1, y = 1 }
 				local occupied, size = inventory_icon.get_inventory_state(player:get_inventory(), "bag"..i.."contents")
-				text = string.format(S("%d/%d"), occupied, size)
+				text = S("@1/@2", occupied, size)
 				icon = inventory_icon.replace_icon(minetest.registered_items[bag:get_name()].inventory_image)
 				if occupied >= size then
 					icon = icon .. "^" .. inventory_icon.COLORIZE_STRING
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ minetest.register_globalstep(function(dtime)
 				icon = "inventory_icon_backpack_free.png"
 			end
 			player:hud_change(hudids.main.icon, "text", icon)
-			player:hud_change(hudids.main.text, "text", string.format(S("%d/%d"), occupied, size))
+			player:hud_change(hudids.main.text, "text", S("@1/@2", occupied, size))
 
 			if mod_ui or mod_bags then
 				local bags_inv = minetest.get_inventory({type = "detached", name = playername.."_bags"})
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ minetest.register_globalstep(function(dtime)
 					else
 						scale = { x = 1, y = 1 }
 						local occupied, size = inventory_icon.get_inventory_state(player:get_inventory(), "bag"..i.."contents")
-						text = string.format(S("%d/%d"), occupied, size)
+						text = S("@1/@2", occupied, size)
 						icon = inventory_icon.replace_icon(minetest.registered_items[bag:get_name()].inventory_image)
 						if occupied >= size then
 							icon = icon .. "^" .. inventory_icon.COLORIZE_STRING
diff --git a/locale/de.txt b/locale/de.txt
index 7b64e12..9afa22f 100644
--- a/locale/de.txt
+++ b/locale/de.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-%d/%d = %d/%d
+@1/@2 = @1/@2
diff --git a/locale/template.txt b/locale/template.txt
index b9a614a..39072a1 100644
--- a/locale/template.txt
+++ b/locale/template.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-# Shows number of occupied (first number) vs number of total inventory slots (second number).
-# “%d” is a placeholder which stands for a number.
+# Shows number of occupied (@1) vs number of total inventory slots (@2).
 # Try to keep the translation short.
-%d/%d =
+@1/@2 =