diff --git a/src/utils/gen.py b/src/utils/gen.py
index 330aaf53d..4a4c92f00 100644
--- a/src/utils/gen.py
+++ b/src/utils/gen.py
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ from file import mktemp
 
 import crypt
 
+from supybot.i18n import PluginInternationalization
+_ = PluginInternationalization()
+
 def abbrev(strings, d=None):
     """Returns a dictionary mapping unambiguous abbreviations to full forms."""
     def eachSubstring(s):
@@ -94,23 +97,23 @@ def timeElapsed(elapsed, short=False, leadingZeroes=False, years=True,
            hours or minutes or seconds, 'One flag must be True'
     if years:
         (yrs, elapsed) = (elapsed // 31536000, elapsed % 31536000)
-        Format('year', yrs)
+        Format(_('year'), yrs)
     if weeks:
         (wks, elapsed) = (elapsed // 604800, elapsed % 604800)
-        Format('week', wks)
+        Format(_('week'), wks)
     if days:
         (ds, elapsed) = (elapsed // 86400, elapsed % 86400)
-        Format('day', ds)
+        Format(_('day'), ds)
     if hours:
         (hrs, elapsed) = (elapsed // 3600, elapsed % 3600)
-        Format('hour', hrs)
+        Format(_('hour'), hrs)
     if minutes or seconds:
         (mins, secs) = (elapsed // 60, elapsed % 60)
         if leadingZeroes or mins:
-            Format('minute', mins)
+            Format(_('minute'), mins)
         if seconds:
             leadingZeroes = True
-            Format('second', secs)
+            Format(_('second'), secs)
     if not ret:
         raise ValueError, 'Time difference not great enough to be noted.'
     result = ''
@@ -119,7 +122,7 @@ def timeElapsed(elapsed, short=False, leadingZeroes=False, years=True,
     else:
         result = format('%L', ret)
     if before:
-        result += ' ago'
+        result = _('%s ago') % result
     return result
 
 def findBinaryInPath(s):
diff --git a/src/utils/str.py b/src/utils/str.py
index cc04f4b6c..e411eacf0 100644
--- a/src/utils/str.py
+++ b/src/utils/str.py
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ from iter import all, any
 from structures import TwoWayDictionary
 
 from supybot.i18n import PluginInternationalization
-internationalizeFunction=PluginInternationalization().internationalizeFunction
+_ = PluginInternationalization()
+internationalizeFunction = _.internationalizeFunction
 
 def rsplit(s, sep=None, maxsplit=-1):
     """Equivalent to str.split, except splitting from the right."""
@@ -246,11 +247,13 @@ def perlVariableSubstitute(vars, text):
                 return '$' + unbraced
     return _perlVarSubstituteRe.sub(replacer, text)
 
-def commaAndify(seq, comma=',', And='and'):
+def commaAndify(seq, comma=',', And=None):
     """Given a a sequence, returns an English clause for that sequence.
 
     I.e., given [1, 2, 3], returns '1, 2, and 3'
     """
+    if And is None:
+        And = _('and')
     L = list(seq)
     if len(L) == 0:
         return ''