diff --git a/vlib/v/ast/ast.v b/vlib/v/ast/ast.v
index ca59f289a8..c864c4f290 100644
--- a/vlib/v/ast/ast.v
+++ b/vlib/v/ast/ast.v
@@ -233,16 +233,10 @@ pub mut:
 	syms  []ImportSymbol
 }
 
-pub enum ImportSymbolKind {
-	fn_
-	type_
-}
-
 pub struct ImportSymbol {
 pub:
 	pos  token.Position
 	name string
-	kind ImportSymbolKind
 }
 
 pub struct AnonFn {
@@ -406,16 +400,17 @@ pub mut:
 
 pub struct File {
 pub:
-	path         string
-	mod          Module
-	global_scope &Scope
+	path             string
+	mod              Module
+	global_scope     &Scope
 pub mut:
-	scope        &Scope
-	stmts        []Stmt
-	imports      []Import
-	errors       []errors.Error
-	warnings     []errors.Warning
-	generic_fns  []&FnDecl
+	scope            &Scope
+	stmts            []Stmt
+	imports          []Import
+	imported_symbols map[string]string // 'Type' => 'module.Type'
+	errors           []errors.Error
+	warnings         []errors.Warning
+	generic_fns      []&FnDecl
 }
 
 pub struct IdentFn {
diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/check_types.v b/vlib/v/checker/check_types.v
index 17ced92db0..75a9c39dcf 100644
--- a/vlib/v/checker/check_types.v
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/check_types.v
@@ -89,23 +89,11 @@ pub fn (mut c Checker) check_basic(got table.Type, expected table.Type) bool {
 	if got_idx == table.array_type_idx || exp_idx == table.array_type_idx {
 		return true
 	}
-	if got_type_sym.kind == .array && exp_type_sym.kind == .array {
-		// TODO
-		// accept [] when an expected type is an array
-		if got_type_sym.name == 'array_void' {
-			return true
-		}
-		// if elem_type is an alias, check it
-		// TODO: think about recursion, how many levels of alias can there be?
-		got_info := got_type_sym.info as table.Array
-		exp_info := exp_type_sym.info as table.Array
-		got_elem_sym := c.table.get_type_symbol(got_info.elem_type)
-		exp_elem_sym := c.table.get_type_symbol(exp_info.elem_type)
-		if (got_elem_sym.kind == .alias ||
-			exp_elem_sym.kind == .alias) &&
-			c.check_basic(got_info.elem_type, exp_info.elem_type) {
-			return true
-		}
+	// TODO
+	// accept [] when an expected type is an array
+	if got_type_sym.kind == .array &&
+		exp_type_sym.kind == .array && got_type_sym.name == 'array_void' {
+		return true
 	}
 	// type alias
 	if (got_type_sym.kind == .alias &&
diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/checker.v b/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
index fdbdc08095..a4919c7824 100644
--- a/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
@@ -2753,20 +2753,28 @@ fn (mut c Checker) hash_stmt(mut node ast.HashStmt) {
 fn (mut c Checker) import_stmt(imp ast.Import) {
 	for sym in imp.syms {
 		name := '${imp.mod}.$sym.name'
-		if sym.kind == .fn_ {
-			c.table.find_fn(name) or {
-				c.error('module `$imp.mod` has no public fn named `${sym.name}()`', sym.pos)
-			}
-		}
-		if sym.kind == .type_ {
+		if sym.name[0].is_capital() {
 			if type_sym := c.table.find_type(name) {
-				if type_sym.kind == .placeholder || !type_sym.is_public {
-					c.error('module `$imp.mod` has no public type `$sym.name{}`', sym.pos)
+				if type_sym.kind != .placeholder {
+					if !type_sym.is_public {
+						c.error('module `$imp.mod` type `$sym.name` is private', sym.pos)
+					}
+					continue
 				}
-			} else {
-				c.error('module `$imp.mod` has no public type `$sym.name{}`', sym.pos)
 			}
+			c.error('module `$imp.mod` has no type `$sym.name`', sym.pos)
+			continue
 		}
+		if func := c.table.find_fn(name) {
+			if !func.is_pub {
+				c.error('module `$imp.mod` function `${sym.name}()` is private', sym.pos)
+			}
+			continue
+		}
+		if _ := c.file.global_scope.find_const(name) {
+			continue
+		}
+		c.error('module `$imp.mod` has no constant or function `$sym.name`', sym.pos)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -3308,9 +3316,13 @@ pub fn (mut c Checker) ident(mut ident ast.Ident) table.Type {
 				else {}
 			}
 		}
-		// prepend mod to look for fn call or const
 		mut name := ident.name
-		if !name.contains('.') && ident.mod != 'builtin' {
+		// check for imported symbol
+		if name in c.file.imported_symbols {
+			name = c.file.imported_symbols[name]
+		}
+		// prepend mod to look for fn call or const
+		else if !name.contains('.') && ident.mod != 'builtin' {
 			name = '${ident.mod}.$ident.name'
 		}
 		if obj := c.file.global_scope.find(name) {
diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_fn_err.out b/vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_fn_err.out
index 96c9e79b20..5d74a05ec0 100644
--- a/vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_fn_err.out
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_fn_err.out
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_fn_err.vv:1:17: error: module `crypto` has no public fn named `userper()`
+vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_fn_err.vv:1:17: error: module `crypto` has no constant or function `userper`
     1 | import crypto { userper }
       |                 ~~~~~~~
     2 | fn main() {
diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_fn_private_err.out b/vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_fn_private_err.out
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1ddc4f460c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_fn_private_err.out
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_fn_private_err.vv:1:20: error: module `time` function `since()` is private
+    1 | import time { now, since }
+      |                    ~~~~~
+    2 | fn main() {
+    3 |   since(now())
+vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_fn_private_err.vv:3:3: error: function `time.since` is private. curmod=main fmod=time
+    1 | import time { now, since }
+    2 | fn main() {
+    3 |   since(now())
+      |   ~~~~~~~~~~~~
+    4 | }
diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_fn_private_err.vv b/vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_fn_private_err.vv
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9c959e89b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_fn_private_err.vv
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+import time { now, since }
+fn main() {
+  since(now())
+}
diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_type_err.out b/vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_type_err.out
index 2a700be8e8..c9f238abf0 100644
--- a/vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_type_err.out
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_type_err.out
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
-vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_type_err.vv:1:17: error: module `crypto` has no public type `Coin{}`
+vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_type_err.vv:1:17: error: module `crypto` has no type `Coin`
     1 | import crypto { Coin }
       |                 ~~~~
     2 | fn main() {
     3 |   println(Coin{})
-vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_type_err.vv:3:11: error: unknown struct: Coin
+vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_type_err.vv:3:11: error: unknown struct: crypto.Coin
     1 | import crypto { Coin }
     2 | fn main() {
     3 |   println(Coin{})
diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_type_private_err.out b/vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_type_private_err.out
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8efe2f6031
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_type_private_err.out
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_type_private_err.vv:1:13: error: module `io` type `ReaderWriterImpl` is private
+    1 | import io { ReaderWriterImpl }
+      |             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+    2 | fn main() {
+    3 |   _ := ReaderWriterImpl{}
+vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_type_private_err.vv:3:8: error: type `io.ReaderWriterImpl` is private
+    1 | import io { ReaderWriterImpl }
+    2 | fn main() {
+    3 |   _ := ReaderWriterImpl{}
+      |        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+    4 | }
diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_type_private_err.vv b/vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_type_private_err.vv
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8c9d9b39e3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_type_private_err.vv
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+import io { ReaderWriterImpl }
+fn main() {
+  _ := ReaderWriterImpl{}
+}
diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/tests/modules/overload_return_type.out b/vlib/v/checker/tests/modules/overload_return_type.out
index a6d1346992..dbdf6a5779 100644
--- a/vlib/v/checker/tests/modules/overload_return_type.out
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/tests/modules/overload_return_type.out
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-vlib/v/checker/tests/modules/overload_return_type/main.v:14:8: error: cannot assign to `two`: expected `Point`, not `int`
+vlib/v/checker/tests/modules/overload_return_type/main.v:14:8: error: cannot assign to `two`: expected `point.Point`, not `int`
    12 |         y: 1
    13 |     }
    14 |     two = one + two
diff --git a/vlib/v/fmt/fmt.v b/vlib/v/fmt/fmt.v
index d7eb5e5d22..340db6644e 100644
--- a/vlib/v/fmt/fmt.v
+++ b/vlib/v/fmt/fmt.v
@@ -1273,6 +1273,9 @@ pub fn (mut f Fmt) short_module(name string) string {
 	if !name.contains('.') {
 		return name
 	}
+	if name in f.mod2alias {
+		return f.mod2alias[name]
+	}
 	if name.ends_with('>') {
 		x := name.trim_suffix('>').split('<')
 		if x.len == 2 {
@@ -1692,7 +1695,7 @@ pub fn (mut f Fmt) array_init(it ast.ArrayInit) {
 			f.write('}')
 			return
 		}
-		f.write(f.table.type_to_str(it.typ))
+		f.write(f.table.type_to_str_using_aliases(it.typ, f.mod2alias))
 		f.write('{')
 		// TODO copypasta
 		if it.has_len {
diff --git a/vlib/v/parser/fn.v b/vlib/v/parser/fn.v
index 1f2b308a3b..85e9fa79bf 100644
--- a/vlib/v/parser/fn.v
+++ b/vlib/v/parser/fn.v
@@ -82,17 +82,13 @@ pub fn (mut p Parser) call_expr(language table.Language, mod string) ast.CallExp
 		p.next()
 		or_kind = .propagate
 	}
-	mut fn_mod := p.mod
-	if registered := p.table.find_fn(fn_name) {
-		if registered.is_placeholder {
-			fn_mod = registered.mod
-			fn_name = registered.name
-		}
+	if fn_name in p.imported_symbols {
+		fn_name = p.imported_symbols[fn_name]
 	}
 	return ast.CallExpr{
 		name: fn_name
 		args: args
-		mod: fn_mod
+		mod: p.mod
 		pos: pos
 		language: language
 		generic_type: generic_type
diff --git a/vlib/v/parser/parse_type.v b/vlib/v/parser/parse_type.v
index 599cd2d221..a4d85e62e2 100644
--- a/vlib/v/parser/parse_type.v
+++ b/vlib/v/parser/parse_type.v
@@ -217,6 +217,8 @@ pub fn (mut p Parser) parse_any_type(language table.Language, is_ptr bool, check
 		}
 	} else if p.expr_mod != '' && !p.in_generic_params { // p.expr_mod is from the struct and not from the generic parameter
 		name = p.expr_mod + '.' + name
+	} else if name in p.imported_symbols {
+		name = p.imported_symbols[name]
 	} else if p.mod != 'builtin' && name.len > 1 && name !in p.table.type_idxs {
 		// `Foo` in module `mod` means `mod.Foo`
 		name = p.mod + '.' + name
diff --git a/vlib/v/parser/parser.v b/vlib/v/parser/parser.v
index 504f7150a8..4e5227a777 100644
--- a/vlib/v/parser/parser.v
+++ b/vlib/v/parser/parser.v
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ mut:
 	imports           map[string]string // alias => mod_name
 	ast_imports       []ast.Import // mod_names
 	used_imports      []string // alias
+	imported_symbols  map[string]string
 	is_amp            bool // for generating the right code for `&Foo{}`
 	returns           bool
 	inside_match      bool // to separate `match A { }` from `Struct{}`
@@ -218,6 +219,7 @@ pub fn (mut p Parser) parse() ast.File {
 		path: p.file_name
 		mod: module_decl
 		imports: p.ast_imports
+		imported_symbols: p.imported_symbols
 		stmts: stmts
 		scope: p.scope
 		global_scope: p.global_scope
@@ -1681,44 +1683,11 @@ fn (mut p Parser) import_syms(mut parent ast.Import) {
 	for p.tok.kind == .name {
 		pos := p.tok.position()
 		alias := p.check_name()
-		name := '${parent.mod}.$alias'
-		if alias[0].is_capital() {
-			idx := p.table.add_placeholder_type(name, .v)
-			typ := table.new_type(idx)
-			prepend_mod_name := p.prepend_mod(alias)
-			p.table.register_type_symbol(table.TypeSymbol{
-				kind: .alias
-				name: prepend_mod_name
-				cname: util.no_dots(prepend_mod_name)
-				mod: p.mod
-				parent_idx: idx
-				info: table.Alias{
-					parent_type: typ
-					language: table.Language.v
-					is_import: true
-				}
-				is_public: false
-			})
-			// so we can work with the fully declared type in fmt+checker
-			parent.syms << ast.ImportSymbol{
-				pos: pos
-				name: alias
-				kind: .type_
-			}
-		} else {
-			if !p.table.known_fn(name) {
-				p.table.fns[alias] = table.Fn{
-					is_placeholder: true
-					mod: parent.mod
-					name: name
-				}
-			}
-			// so we can work with this in fmt+checker
-			parent.syms << ast.ImportSymbol{
-				pos: pos
-				name: alias
-				kind: .fn_
-			}
+		p.imported_symbols[alias] = parent.mod + '.' + alias
+		// so we can work with this in fmt+checker
+		parent.syms << ast.ImportSymbol{
+			pos: pos
+			name: alias
 		}
 		if p.tok.kind == .comma { // go again if more than one
 			p.next()
diff --git a/vlib/v/parser/struct.v b/vlib/v/parser/struct.v
index 8b7afcacc9..ee9c2a94db 100644
--- a/vlib/v/parser/struct.v
+++ b/vlib/v/parser/struct.v
@@ -387,6 +387,7 @@ fn (mut p Parser) interface_decl() ast.InterfaceDecl {
 	pre_comments := p.eat_comments()
 	// Declare the type
 	reg_idx := p.table.register_type_symbol(
+		is_public: is_pub
 		kind: .interface_
 		name: interface_name
 		cname: util.no_dots(interface_name)
diff --git a/vlib/v/table/types.v b/vlib/v/table/types.v
index 19381c96b8..c6e0263872 100644
--- a/vlib/v/table/types.v
+++ b/vlib/v/table/types.v
@@ -842,6 +842,11 @@ pub:
 }
 
 pub fn (table &Table) type_to_str(t Type) string {
+	return table.type_to_str_using_aliases(t, map[string]string{})
+}
+
+// import_aliases is a map of imported symbol aliases 'module.Type' => 'Type'
+pub fn (table &Table) type_to_str_using_aliases(t Type, import_aliases map[string]string) string {
 	sym := table.get_type_symbol(t)
 	mut res := sym.name
 	match sym.kind {
@@ -854,12 +859,12 @@ pub fn (table &Table) type_to_str(t Type) string {
 				return 'array'
 			}
 			info := sym.info as Array
-			elem_str := table.type_to_str(info.elem_type)
+			elem_str := table.type_to_str_using_aliases(info.elem_type, import_aliases)
 			res = '[]$elem_str'
 		}
 		.array_fixed {
 			info := sym.info as ArrayFixed
-			elem_str := table.type_to_str(info.elem_type)
+			elem_str := table.type_to_str_using_aliases(info.elem_type, import_aliases)
 			res = '[$info.size]$elem_str'
 		}
 		.chan {
@@ -872,7 +877,7 @@ pub fn (table &Table) type_to_str(t Type) string {
 					mut_str = 'mut '
 					elem_type = elem_type.set_nr_muls(elem_type.nr_muls() - 1)
 				}
-				elem_str := table.type_to_str(elem_type)
+				elem_str := table.type_to_str_using_aliases(elem_type, import_aliases)
 				res = 'chan $mut_str$elem_str'
 			}
 		}
@@ -887,8 +892,8 @@ pub fn (table &Table) type_to_str(t Type) string {
 				return 'map'
 			}
 			info := sym.info as Map
-			key_str := table.type_to_str(info.key_type)
-			val_str := table.type_to_str(info.value_type)
+			key_str := table.type_to_str_using_aliases(info.key_type, import_aliases)
+			val_str := table.type_to_str_using_aliases(info.value_type, import_aliases)
 			res = 'map[$key_str]$val_str'
 		}
 		.multi_return {
@@ -898,7 +903,7 @@ pub fn (table &Table) type_to_str(t Type) string {
 				if i > 0 {
 					res += ', '
 				}
-				res += table.type_to_str(typ)
+				res += table.type_to_str_using_aliases(typ, import_aliases)
 			}
 			res += ')'
 		}
@@ -917,6 +922,9 @@ pub fn (table &Table) type_to_str(t Type) string {
 			if res.starts_with(table.cmod_prefix) {
 				res = res.replace_once(table.cmod_prefix, '')
 			}
+			if res in import_aliases {
+				res = import_aliases[res]
+			}
 		}
 	}
 	nr_muls := t.nr_muls()
diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/imported_symbols_test.v b/vlib/v/tests/imported_symbols_test.v
index 85bc43fb6a..db57888da4 100644
--- a/vlib/v/tests/imported_symbols_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/tests/imported_symbols_test.v
@@ -1,15 +1,26 @@
 module main
 
-import shapes { Point, Line }
+import geometry { Point, Line, point_str, module_name }
 
-// test that Point & Line work correctly
-// with struct init & array's
-fn test_imported_symbols() {
-    p0 := Point  {x: 10 y: 10}
-    p1 := Point  {x: 50 y: 10}
-
-    _ := Line {
+fn test_imported_symbols_types() {
+    // struct init
+    p0 := Point{x: 10 y: 20}
+    p1 := Point{x: 40 y: 60}
+    // array init
+    l0 := Line {
         ps: [p0, p1]
     }
+    assert l0.ps[0].y == 20
+}
 
+fn test_imported_symbols_functions() {
+	p0 := Point{x: 20 y: 40}
+	// method 
+	assert p0.str() == '20 40'
+	// function
+    assert point_str(p0) == '20 40'
+}
+
+fn test_imported_symbols_constants() {
+	assert module_name == 'geometry'
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/modules/methods_struct_another_module/point.v b/vlib/v/tests/modules/geometry/geometry.v
similarity index 50%
rename from vlib/v/tests/modules/methods_struct_another_module/point.v
rename to vlib/v/tests/modules/geometry/geometry.v
index 5ba3697ba9..375c49c2dd 100644
--- a/vlib/v/tests/modules/methods_struct_another_module/point.v
+++ b/vlib/v/tests/modules/geometry/geometry.v
@@ -1,9 +1,18 @@
-module point
+module geometry
+
+const(
+	module_name = 'geometry'
+)
 
 pub struct Point {
-    pub mut:
-        x int
-        y int
+pub mut:
+    x   int
+    y   int
+}
+
+pub struct Line {
+pub mut:
+    ps  []Point
 }
 
 pub fn (a Point) +(b Point) Point {
@@ -15,4 +24,8 @@ pub fn (a Point) +(b Point) Point {
 
 pub fn (a Point) str() string {
     return '${a.x} ${a.y}'
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+
+pub fn point_str(a Point) string {
+	return a.str()
+}
diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/modules/methods_struct_another_module/methods_struct_test.v b/vlib/v/tests/modules/methods_struct_another_module/methods_struct_test.v
index 0c17cabdc8..ad80ded468 100644
--- a/vlib/v/tests/modules/methods_struct_another_module/methods_struct_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/tests/modules/methods_struct_another_module/methods_struct_test.v
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 module main
 
-import point { Point }
+import geometry { Point }
 
 fn test_operator_overloading() {
     one := Point {x:1, y:2}
diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/modules/shapes/shapes.v b/vlib/v/tests/modules/shapes/shapes.v
deleted file mode 100644
index 6d260edf0f..0000000000
--- a/vlib/v/tests/modules/shapes/shapes.v
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-module shapes
-
-pub struct Point {
-pub mut:
-    x   int
-    y   int
-}
-
-pub struct Line {
-pub mut:
-    ps  []Point
-}
\ No newline at end of file