diff --git a/mercurial/merge.py b/mercurial/merge.py
--- a/mercurial/merge.py
+++ b/mercurial/merge.py
@@ -299,7 +299,8 @@ def applyupdates(repo, action, wctx, mct
     numupdates = len(action)
     for i, a in enumerate(action):
         f, m = a[:2]
-        u.progress(_('updating'), i + 1, item=f, total=numupdates, unit='files')
+        u.progress(_('updating'), i + 1, item=f, total=numupdates,
+                   unit=_('files'))
         if f and f[0] == "/":
             continue
         if m == "r": # remove
@@ -361,7 +362,7 @@ def applyupdates(repo, action, wctx, mct
             flags = a[2]
             util.set_flags(repo.wjoin(f), 'l' in flags, 'x' in flags)
     ms.commit()
-    u.progress(_('updating'), None, total=numupdates, unit='files')
+    u.progress(_('updating'), None, total=numupdates, unit=_('files'))
 
     return updated, merged, removed, unresolved