diff --git a/Python/getargs.c b/Python/getargs.c
--- a/Python/getargs.c
+++ b/Python/getargs.c
@@ -1735,8 +1735,9 @@
         if (name != NULL)
             PyErr_Format(
                 PyExc_TypeError,
-                "%s expected %s%zd arguments, got %zd",
-                name, (min == max ? "" : "at least "), min, l);
+                "%s expected %s%zd positional argument%s, got %zd",
+                name, (min == max ? "" : "at least "), min,
+                (min == 1 ? "" : "s"), l);
         else
             PyErr_Format(
                 PyExc_TypeError,
@@ -1750,8 +1751,9 @@
         if (name != NULL)
             PyErr_Format(
                 PyExc_TypeError,
-                "%s expected %s%zd arguments, got %zd",
-                name, (min == max ? "" : "at most "), max, l);
+                "%s expected %s%zd positional argument%s, got %zd",
+                name, (min == max ? "" : "at most "), max,
+                (min == 1 ? "" : "s"), l);
         else
             PyErr_Format(
                 PyExc_TypeError,