diff --git a/Python/getargs.c b/Python/getargs.c
--- a/Python/getargs.c
+++ b/Python/getargs.c
@@ -1735,7 +1735,7 @@
         if (name != NULL)
             PyErr_Format(
                 PyExc_TypeError,
-                "%s expected %s%zd arguments, got %zd",
+                "%s expected %s%zd positional arguments, got %zd",
                 name, (min == max ? "" : "at least "), min, l);
         else
             PyErr_Format(
@@ -1750,7 +1750,7 @@
         if (name != NULL)
             PyErr_Format(
                 PyExc_TypeError,
-                "%s expected %s%zd arguments, got %zd",
+                "%s expected %s%zd positional arguments, got %zd",
                 name, (min == max ? "" : "at most "), max, l);
         else
             PyErr_Format(