diff --git a/proto/backend.proto b/proto/backend.proto
index 581e6688d..a7fcb6c4e 100644
--- a/proto/backend.proto
+++ b/proto/backend.proto
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ enum StringsGroup {
     NETWORK = 5;
     STATISTICS = 6;
     FILTERING = 7;
+    SCHEDULING = 8;
 }
 
 // 1-15 reserved for future use; 2047 for errors
diff --git a/pylib/anki/lang.py b/pylib/anki/lang.py
index 94fcdc3ab..db0547be4 100644
--- a/pylib/anki/lang.py
+++ b/pylib/anki/lang.py
@@ -169,3 +169,9 @@ def set_lang(lang: str, locale_dir: str) -> None:
         "anki", gettext_dir, languages=[lang], fallback=True
     )
     locale_folder = locale_dir
+
+
+# strip off unicode isolation markers from a translated string
+# for testing purposes
+def without_unicode_isolation(s: str) -> str:
+    return s.replace("\u2068", "").replace("\u2069", "")
diff --git a/pylib/anki/sched.py b/pylib/anki/sched.py
index 3bc82972b..5884cfaca 100644
--- a/pylib/anki/sched.py
+++ b/pylib/anki/sched.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from anki import hooks
 from anki.cards import Card
 from anki.consts import *
 from anki.lang import _
-from anki.utils import fmtTimeSpan, ids2str, intTime
+from anki.utils import answer_button_time, ids2str, intTime
 
 # queue types: 0=new/cram, 1=lrn, 2=rev, 3=day lrn, -1=suspended, -2=buried
 # revlog types: 0=lrn, 1=rev, 2=relrn, 3=cram
@@ -1351,11 +1351,11 @@ To study outside of the normal schedule, click the Custom Study button below."""
 
     def nextIvlStr(self, card, ease, short=False):
         "Return the next interval for CARD as a string."
-        ivl = self.nextIvl(card, ease)
-        if not ivl:
+        ivl_secs = self.nextIvl(card, ease)
+        if not ivl_secs:
             return _("(end)")
-        s = fmtTimeSpan(ivl, short=short)
-        if ivl < self.col.conf["collapseTime"]:
+        s = answer_button_time(self.col, ivl_secs)
+        if ivl_secs < self.col.conf["collapseTime"]:
             s = "<" + s
         return s
 
diff --git a/pylib/anki/schedv2.py b/pylib/anki/schedv2.py
index 06d947cc0..565d32573 100644
--- a/pylib/anki/schedv2.py
+++ b/pylib/anki/schedv2.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ from anki.cards import Card
 from anki.consts import *
 from anki.lang import _
 from anki.rsbackend import SchedTimingToday
-from anki.utils import fmtTimeSpan, ids2str, intTime
+from anki.utils import answer_button_time, ids2str, intTime
 
 # card types: 0=new, 1=lrn, 2=rev, 3=relrn
 # queue types: 0=new, 1=(re)lrn, 2=rev, 3=day (re)lrn,
@@ -1545,11 +1545,11 @@ To study outside of the normal schedule, click the Custom Study button below."""
 
     def nextIvlStr(self, card: Card, ease: int, short: bool = False) -> str:
         "Return the next interval for CARD as a string."
-        ivl = self.nextIvl(card, ease)
-        if not ivl:
+        ivl_secs = self.nextIvl(card, ease)
+        if not ivl_secs:
             return _("(end)")
-        s = fmtTimeSpan(ivl, short=short)
-        if ivl < self.col.conf["collapseTime"]:
+        s = answer_button_time(self.col, ivl_secs)
+        if ivl_secs < self.col.conf["collapseTime"]:
             s = "<" + s
         return s
 
diff --git a/pylib/anki/utils.py b/pylib/anki/utils.py
index 2fdcac15c..aea864c98 100644
--- a/pylib/anki/utils.py
+++ b/pylib/anki/utils.py
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 # Copyright: Ankitects Pty Ltd and contributors
 # License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
 
+from __future__ import annotations
+
 # some add-ons expect json to be in the utils module
 import json  # pylint: disable=unused-import
 import locale
@@ -19,8 +21,10 @@ import traceback
 from contextlib import contextmanager
 from hashlib import sha1
 from html.entities import name2codepoint
-from typing import Any, Iterable, Iterator, List, Optional, Tuple, Union
+from typing import Iterable, Iterator, List, Optional, Tuple, Union
 
+import anki
+from anki.backend_pb2 import StringsGroup
 from anki.db import DB
 from anki.lang import _, ngettext
 
@@ -35,6 +39,22 @@ def intTime(scale: int = 1) -> int:
     return int(time.time() * scale)
 
 
+# eg 70 seconds -> (1.16, "minutes")
+def seconds_to_appropriate_unit(seconds: int) -> Tuple[float, str]:
+    unit, _ = optimalPeriod(seconds, 0, 99)
+    amount = convertSecondsTo(seconds, unit)
+    return (amount, unit)
+
+
+def answer_button_time(col: anki.storage._Collection, seconds: int) -> str:
+    (amount, unit) = seconds_to_appropriate_unit(seconds)
+    if unit not in ("months", "years"):
+        amount = int(amount)
+    return col.backend.translate(
+        StringsGroup.SCHEDULING, f"answer-button-time-{unit}", amount=amount
+    )
+
+
 timeTable = {
     "years": lambda n: ngettext("%s year", "%s years", n),
     "months": lambda n: ngettext("%s month", "%s months", n),
@@ -114,7 +134,7 @@ def optimalPeriod(time: Union[int, float], point: int, unit: int) -> Tuple[str,
     return (type, max(point, 0))
 
 
-def convertSecondsTo(seconds: Union[int, float], type: str) -> Any:
+def convertSecondsTo(seconds: Union[int, float], type: str) -> float:
     if type == "seconds":
         return seconds
     elif type == "minutes":
diff --git a/pylib/tests/test_collection.py b/pylib/tests/test_collection.py
index 623e16181..2fb6032ab 100644
--- a/pylib/tests/test_collection.py
+++ b/pylib/tests/test_collection.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import os
 import tempfile
 
 from anki import Collection as aopen
+from anki.lang import without_unicode_isolation
 from anki.rsbackend import StringsGroup
 from anki.stdmodels import addBasicModel, models
 from anki.utils import isWin
@@ -153,10 +154,7 @@ def test_furigana():
 def test_translate():
     d = getEmptyCol()
     tr = d.backend.translate
-
-    # strip off unicode separators
-    def no_uni(s: str) -> str:
-        return s.replace("\u2068", "").replace("\u2069", "")
+    no_uni = without_unicode_isolation
 
     assert tr(StringsGroup.TEST, "valid-key") == "a valid key"
     assert "invalid-key" in tr(StringsGroup.TEST, "invalid-key")
diff --git a/pylib/tests/test_schedv1.py b/pylib/tests/test_schedv1.py
index 5613badf2..edff07beb 100644
--- a/pylib/tests/test_schedv1.py
+++ b/pylib/tests/test_schedv1.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import time
 
 from anki import hooks
 from anki.consts import *
+from anki.lang import without_unicode_isolation
 from anki.utils import intTime
 from tests.shared import getEmptyCol as getEmptyColOrig
 
@@ -397,9 +398,10 @@ def test_button_spacing():
     c.flush()
     d.reset()
     ni = d.sched.nextIvlStr
-    assert ni(c, 2) == "2 days"
-    assert ni(c, 3) == "3 days"
-    assert ni(c, 4) == "4 days"
+    wo = without_unicode_isolation
+    assert wo(ni(c, 2)) == "2d"
+    assert wo(ni(c, 3)) == "3d"
+    assert wo(ni(c, 4)) == "4d"
 
 
 def test_overdue_lapse():
@@ -514,7 +516,7 @@ def test_nextIvl():
     assert ni(c, 3) == 21600000
     # (* 100 2.5 1.3 86400)28080000.0
     assert ni(c, 4) == 28080000
-    assert d.sched.nextIvlStr(c, 4) == "10.8 months"
+    assert without_unicode_isolation(d.sched.nextIvlStr(c, 4)) == "10.83mo"
 
 
 def test_misc():
diff --git a/pylib/tests/test_schedv2.py b/pylib/tests/test_schedv2.py
index cbee96c2a..2b8f996ac 100644
--- a/pylib/tests/test_schedv2.py
+++ b/pylib/tests/test_schedv2.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import time
 
 from anki import hooks
 from anki.consts import *
+from anki.lang import without_unicode_isolation
 from anki.utils import intTime
 from tests.shared import getEmptyCol as getEmptyColOrig
 
@@ -486,14 +487,15 @@ def test_button_spacing():
     c.flush()
     d.reset()
     ni = d.sched.nextIvlStr
-    assert ni(c, 2) == "2 days"
-    assert ni(c, 3) == "3 days"
-    assert ni(c, 4) == "4 days"
+    wo = without_unicode_isolation
+    assert wo(ni(c, 2)) == "2d"
+    assert wo(ni(c, 3)) == "3d"
+    assert wo(ni(c, 4)) == "4d"
 
     # if hard factor is <= 1, then hard may not increase
     conf = d.decks.confForDid(1)
     conf["rev"]["hardFactor"] = 1
-    assert ni(c, 2) == "1 day"
+    assert wo(ni(c, 2)) == "1d"
 
 
 def test_overdue_lapse():
@@ -611,7 +613,7 @@ def test_nextIvl():
     assert ni(c, 3) == 21600000
     # (* 100 2.5 1.3 86400)28080000.0
     assert ni(c, 4) == 28080000
-    assert d.sched.nextIvlStr(c, 4) == "10.8 months"
+    assert without_unicode_isolation(d.sched.nextIvlStr(c, 4)) == "10.83mo"
 
 
 def test_bury():
diff --git a/rslib/src/i18n/mod.rs b/rslib/src/i18n/mod.rs
index 34746acd8..d31d183fe 100644
--- a/rslib/src/i18n/mod.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/i18n/mod.rs
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ fn ftl_fallback_for_group(group: StringsGroup) -> String {
         StringsGroup::Network => include_str!("network.ftl"),
         StringsGroup::Statistics => include_str!("statistics.ftl"),
         StringsGroup::Filtering => include_str!("filtering.ftl"),
+        StringsGroup::Scheduling => include_str!("scheduling.ftl"),
     }
     .to_string()
 }
@@ -77,6 +78,7 @@ fn localized_ftl_for_group(group: StringsGroup, lang_ftl_folder: &Path) -> Optio
         StringsGroup::Network => "network.ftl",
         StringsGroup::Statistics => "statistics.ftl",
         StringsGroup::Filtering => "filtering.ftl",
+        StringsGroup::Scheduling => "scheduling.ftl",
     });
     fs::read_to_string(&path)
         .map_err(|e| {
diff --git a/rslib/src/i18n/scheduling.ftl b/rslib/src/i18n/scheduling.ftl
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5f735228f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rslib/src/i18n/scheduling.ftl
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+## The next time a card will be shown, in a short form that will fit
+## on the answer buttons. For example, English shows "4d" to
+## represent the card will be due in 4 days, "3m" for 3 minutes, and
+## "5mo" for 5 months.
+
+answer-button-time-seconds = {$amount}s
+answer-button-time-minutes = {$amount}m
+answer-button-time-hours = {$amount}h
+answer-button-time-days = {$amount}d
+answer-button-time-months = {$amount}mo
+answer-button-time-years = {$amount}y