diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/checker.v b/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
index a4919c7824..25cabe6bfe 100644
--- a/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
@@ -1463,7 +1463,8 @@ pub fn (mut c Checker) call_fn(mut call_expr ast.CallExpr) table.Type {
 		}
 	}
 	if !f.is_pub && f.language == .v && f.name.len > 0 && f.mod.len > 0 && f.mod != c.mod {
-		c.error('function `$f.name` is private. curmod=$c.mod fmod=$f.mod', call_expr.pos)
+		c.error('function `$f.name` is private, so you can not import it in module `$c.mod`',
+			call_expr.pos)
 	}
 	if f.is_deprecated {
 		c.warn('function `$f.name` has been deprecated', call_expr.pos)
diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_fn_private_err.out b/vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_fn_private_err.out
index 1ddc4f460c..c12f27ee2c 100644
--- a/vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_fn_private_err.out
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_fn_private_err.out
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_fn_private_err.vv:1:20: error: module `time`
       |                    ~~~~~
     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
+vlib/v/checker/tests/import_symbol_fn_private_err.vv:3:3: error: function `time.since` is private, so you can not import it in module `main`
     1 | import time { now, since }
     2 | fn main() {
     3 |   since(now())