diff --git a/plugins/tell.py b/plugins/tell.py
index 9523863..fc31549 100755
--- a/plugins/tell.py
+++ b/plugins/tell.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ def tellinput(paraml, input=None, notice=None, db=None, bot=None, nick=None):
         user_from, message, time, chan = tells[0]
         reltime = timesince.timesince(time)
 
-        reply = "%s said %s ago in %s: %s" % (user_from, reltime, chan,
+        reply = "%s sent you a message %s ago from %s: %s" % (user_from, reltime, chan,
                                               message)
         if len(tells) > 1:
             reply += " (+%d more, .showtells to view)" % (len(tells) - 1)
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ def showtells(inp, nick='', chan='', notice=None, db=None):
     for tell in tells:
         user_from, message, time, chan = tell
         past = timesince.timesince(time)
-        notice("%s said %s ago in %s: %s" % (user_from, past, chan, message))
+        notice("%s sent you a message %s ago from %s: %s" % (user_from, past, chan, message))
 
     db.execute("delete from tell where user_to=lower(?)",
                   (nick,))
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ def tell(inp, nick='', chan='', db=None, input=None, notice=None):
 
     if user_to.lower() == input.conn.nick.lower():
         # user is looking for us, being a smartass
-        notice("Thanks for the message, " + user_from + "!")
+        notice("Thanks for the message, %s!" % user_from)
         return
 
     if not re.match("^[A-Za-z0-9_|.-\]\[]*$", user_to.lower()):
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ def tell(inp, nick='', chan='', db=None, input=None, notice=None):
 
     if db.execute("select count() from tell where user_to=?",
                     (user_to,)).fetchone()[0] >= 10:
-        notice("That person has too many things queued.")
+        notice("That person has too many messages queued.")
         return
 
     try: