diff --git a/src/calibre/db/utils.py b/src/calibre/db/utils.py
index 7ea9c09e4f..6ad62bf02f 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/utils.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/utils.py
@@ -460,19 +460,19 @@ def human_readable_interval(secs):
     seconds = secs % 60
     parts = []
     if days > 0:
-        parts.append(ngettext('one day', '{} days', days).format(days))
+        parts.append(ngettext('1 day', '{} days', days).format(days))
         if hours > 0:
-            parts.append(ngettext('one hour', '{} hours', hours).format(hours))
+            parts.append(ngettext('1 hour', '{} hours', hours).format(hours))
     elif hours > 0:
-        parts.append(ngettext('one hour', '{} hours', hours).format(hours))
+        parts.append(ngettext('1 hour', '{} hours', hours).format(hours))
         if minutes > 0:
-            parts.append(ngettext('one minute', '{} minutes', minutes).format(minutes))
+            parts.append(ngettext('1 minute', '{} minutes', minutes).format(minutes))
     elif minutes > 0:
-        parts.append(ngettext('one minute', '{} minutes', minutes).format(minutes))
+        parts.append(ngettext('1 minute', '{} minutes', minutes).format(minutes))
         if secs > 0:
-            parts.append(ngettext('one second', '{} seconds', seconds).format(seconds))
+            parts.append(ngettext('1 second', '{} seconds', seconds).format(seconds))
     elif secs > 0:
-        parts.append(ngettext('one second', '{} seconds', seconds).format(seconds))
+        parts.append(ngettext('1 second', '{} seconds', seconds).format(seconds))
     return ' '.join(parts)