diff --git a/crates/uv-bin-install/src/lib.rs b/crates/uv-bin-install/src/lib.rs
index c263fa82c..a9ab3c377 100644
--- a/crates/uv-bin-install/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/uv-bin-install/src/lib.rs
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ pub enum Error {
     #[error("Failed to detect platform")]
     Platform(#[from] uv_platform::Error),
 
-    #[error("Attempt failed after {retries} retries")]
+    #[error("Attempt failed after {retries} {subject}", subject = if *retries > 1 { "retries" } else { "retry" })]
     RetriedError {
         #[source]
         err: Box<Error>,
diff --git a/crates/uv-client/src/error.rs b/crates/uv-client/src/error.rs
index 1b802fb32..4c0b841c9 100644
--- a/crates/uv-client/src/error.rs
+++ b/crates/uv-client/src/error.rs
@@ -78,8 +78,9 @@ impl Display for Error {
         if self.retries > 0 {
             write!(
                 f,
-                "Request failed after {retries} retries",
-                retries = self.retries
+                "Request failed after {retries} {subject}",
+                retries = self.retries,
+                subject = if self.retries > 1 { "retries" } else { "retry" }
             )
         } else {
             Display::fmt(&self.kind, f)
@@ -294,7 +295,7 @@ pub enum ErrorKind {
     WrappedReqwestError(DisplaySafeUrl, #[source] WrappedReqwestError),
 
     /// Add the number of failed retries to the error.
-    #[error("Request failed after {retries} retries")]
+    #[error("Request failed after {retries} {subject}", subject = if *retries > 1 { "retries" } else { "retry" })]
     RequestWithRetries {
         source: Box<ErrorKind>,
         retries: u32,
diff --git a/crates/uv-python/src/downloads.rs b/crates/uv-python/src/downloads.rs
index b150d0250..d7293d0bd 100644
--- a/crates/uv-python/src/downloads.rs
+++ b/crates/uv-python/src/downloads.rs
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ pub enum Error {
     TooManyParts(String),
     #[error("Failed to download {0}")]
     NetworkError(DisplaySafeUrl, #[source] WrappedReqwestError),
-    #[error("Request failed after {retries} retries")]
+    #[error("Request failed after {retries} {subject}", subject = if *retries > 1 { "retries" } else { "retry" })]
     NetworkErrorWithRetries {
         #[source]
         err: Box<Error>,