diff --git a/mod/forum/lang/en/forum.php b/mod/forum/lang/en/forum.php
index 88ab2a84124..496e62d8244 100644
--- a/mod/forum/lang/en/forum.php
+++ b/mod/forum/lang/en/forum.php
@@ -280,8 +280,8 @@ $string['oldpostdays'] = 'Read after days';
 $string['openmode0'] = 'No discussions, no replies';
 $string['openmode1'] = 'No discussions, but replies are allowed';
 $string['openmode2'] = 'Discussions and replies are allowed';
-$string['overviewnumpostssince'] = 'posts since last login';
-$string['overviewnumunread'] = 'total unread';
+$string['overviewnumpostssince'] = '{$a} posts since last login';
+$string['overviewnumunread'] = '{$a} total unread';
 $string['page-mod-forum-x'] = 'Any forum module page';
 $string['page-mod-forum-view'] = 'Forum module main page';
 $string['page-mod-forum-discuss'] = 'Forum module discussion thread page';
diff --git a/mod/forum/lib.php b/mod/forum/lib.php
index 74cc979778f..9ef3e7fe06f 100644
--- a/mod/forum/lib.php
+++ b/mod/forum/lib.php
@@ -1291,8 +1291,6 @@ function forum_print_overview($courses,&$htmlarray) {
     }
 
     $strforum = get_string('modulename','forum');
-    $strnumunread = get_string('overviewnumunread','forum');
-    $strnumpostssince = get_string('overviewnumpostssince','forum');
 
     foreach ($forums as $forum) {
         $str = '';
@@ -1311,9 +1309,9 @@ function forum_print_overview($courses,&$htmlarray) {
             $str .= '<div class="overview forum"><div class="name">'.$strforum.': <a title="'.$strforum.'" href="'.$CFG->wwwroot.'/mod/forum/view.php?f='.$forum->id.'">'.
                 $forum->name.'</a></div>';
             $str .= '<div class="info"><span class="postsincelogin">';
-            $str .= $count.' '.$strnumpostssince."</span>";
+            $str .= get_string('overviewnumpostssince', 'forum', $count)."</span>";
             if (!empty($showunread)) {
-                $str .= '<div class="unreadposts">'.$thisunread .' '.$strnumunread.'</div>';
+                $str .= '<div class="unreadposts">'.get_string('overviewnumunread', 'forum', $thisunread).'</div>';
             }
             $str .= '</div></div>';
         }