diff --git a/jquery.timeago.js b/jquery.timeago.js
index 14177473..d97bcc14 100644
--- a/jquery.timeago.js
+++ b/jquery.timeago.js
@@ -49,7 +49,8 @@
         years: "%d years",
         wordSeparator: " ",
         numbers: []
-      }
+      },
+      translator: null
     },
     inWords: function(distanceMillis) {
       var $l = this.settings.strings;
@@ -68,26 +69,36 @@
       var days = hours / 24;
       var years = days / 365;
 
-      function substitute(stringOrFunction, number) {
+      function convert(stringOrFunction, number) {
         var string = $.isFunction(stringOrFunction) ? stringOrFunction(number, distanceMillis) : stringOrFunction;
-        var value = ($l.numbers && $l.numbers[number]) || number;
-        return string.replace(/%d/i, value);
+        
+        // return the proper string and the numeric value that goes in it
+        return {'string': string, 'value': ($l.numbers && $l.numbers[number]) || number};
       }
 
-      var words = seconds < 45 && substitute($l.seconds, Math.round(seconds)) ||
-        seconds < 90 && substitute($l.minute, 1) ||
-        minutes < 45 && substitute($l.minutes, Math.round(minutes)) ||
-        minutes < 90 && substitute($l.hour, 1) ||
-        hours < 24 && substitute($l.hours, Math.round(hours)) ||
-        hours < 42 && substitute($l.day, 1) ||
-        days < 30 && substitute($l.days, Math.round(days)) ||
-        days < 45 && substitute($l.month, 1) ||
-        days < 365 && substitute($l.months, Math.round(days / 30)) ||
-        years < 1.5 && substitute($l.year, 1) ||
-        substitute($l.years, Math.round(years));
-
+      var stringAndNumber = seconds < 45 && convert($l.seconds, Math.round(seconds)) ||
+        seconds < 90 && convert($l.minute, 1) ||
+        minutes < 45 && convert($l.minutes, Math.round(minutes)) ||
+        minutes < 90 && convert($l.hour, 1) ||
+        hours < 24 && convert($l.hours, Math.round(hours)) ||
+        hours < 42 && convert($l.day, 1) ||
+        days < 30 && convert($l.days, Math.round(days)) ||
+        days < 45 && convert($l.month, 1) ||
+        days < 365 && convert($l.months, Math.round(days / 30)) ||
+        years < 1.5 && convert($l.year, 1) ||
+        convert($l.years, Math.round(years));
+      
+      var string = stringAndNumber.string;
+      var value = stringAndNumber.value;
       var separator = $l.wordSeparator === undefined ?  " " : $l.wordSeparator;
-      return $.trim([prefix, words, suffix].join(separator));
+      
+      // compose and translate the final string
+      var fullString = $.trim([prefix, string, suffix].join(separator));
+      var translatedString = $t.settings.translator ? 
+              $t.settings.translator(fullString) : 
+              fullString;
+      
+      return translatedString.replace(/%d/i, value);
     },
     parse: function(iso8601) {
       var s = $.trim(iso8601);