diff --git a/doc/docs.md b/doc/docs.md
index 083e48cb6e..2e1f567cef 100644
--- a/doc/docs.md
+++ b/doc/docs.md
@@ -215,6 +215,14 @@ Both single and double quotes can be used to denote strings. For consistency,
 Interpolation syntax is pretty simple. It also works with fields:
 `'age = $user.age'`. If you need more complex expressions, use `${}`: `'can register = ${user.age > 13}'`.
 
+Format specifiers similar to those in C's `printf()` are supported, too. `f`, `g`, `x`, etc. are optional
+and specify the output format. The compiler takes care of the storage size, so there is no `hd` or `llu`.
+
+```v
+println('x = ${x:12.3f}'`
+println('${item:-20} ${n:20d})
+```
+
 All operators in V must have values of the same type on both sides. This code will not compile if `age` is an `int`:
 
 ```v
diff --git a/vlib/benchmark/benchmark.v b/vlib/benchmark/benchmark.v
index 1776c75ae5..112db9d7fb 100644
--- a/vlib/benchmark/benchmark.v
+++ b/vlib/benchmark/benchmark.v
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ pub fn (b &Benchmark) total_duration() i64 {
 // //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 fn (b &Benchmark) tdiff_in_ms(s string, tdiff i64) string {
 	if b.verbose {
-		return '${tdiff/1000.0:9.3f} ms $s'
+		return '${f64(tdiff)/1000.0:9.3f} ms $s'
 	}
 	return s
 }
diff --git a/vlib/builtin/utf8.v b/vlib/builtin/utf8.v
index 9bb5dd7e39..dbf6fb349b 100644
--- a/vlib/builtin/utf8.v
+++ b/vlib/builtin/utf8.v
@@ -174,6 +174,21 @@ fn utf8_len(c byte) int {
 	return b
 }
 
+// Calculate string length for formatting, i.e. number of "characters"
+fn utf8_str_len(s string) int {
+	mut l := 0
+	for i := 0; i < s.len; i++ {
+		l++
+		c := s.str[i]
+		if (c & (1 << 7)) != 0 {
+			for t := byte(1 << 6); (c & t) != 0; t >>= 1 {
+				i++
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return l
+}
+
 // Reads an utf8 character from standard input
 pub fn utf8_getchar() int {
 	c := C.getchar()
diff --git a/vlib/v/checker/checker.v b/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
index b900ec5b78..b085f5e279 100644
--- a/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
+++ b/vlib/v/checker/checker.v
@@ -2023,13 +2023,13 @@ pub fn (mut c Checker) map_init(node mut ast.MapInit) table.Type {
 		if !c.table.check(key_type, key0_type) {
 			key0_type_sym := c.table.get_type_symbol(key0_type)
 			key_type_sym := c.table.get_type_symbol(key_type)
-			c.error('map init: cannot use `$key_type_sym.name` as `$key0_type_sym` for map key',
+			c.error('map init: cannot use `$key_type_sym.name` as `$key0_type_sym.name` for map key',
 				node.pos)
 		}
 		if !c.table.check(val_type, val0_type) {
 			val0_type_sym := c.table.get_type_symbol(val0_type)
 			val_type_sym := c.table.get_type_symbol(val_type)
-			c.error('map init: cannot use `$val_type_sym.name` as `$val0_type_sym` for map value',
+			c.error('map init: cannot use `$val_type_sym.name` as `$val0_type_sym.name` for map value',
 				node.pos)
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/vlib/v/gen/cgen.v b/vlib/v/gen/cgen.v
index b9d2cf6bb4..17dc2c7133 100644
--- a/vlib/v/gen/cgen.v
+++ b/vlib/v/gen/cgen.v
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 module gen
 
 import strings
+import strconv
 import v.ast
 import v.table
 import v.pref
@@ -211,7 +212,8 @@ pub fn (mut g Gen) init() {
 	g.cheaders.writeln('#include <inttypes.h>') // int64_t etc
 	g.cheaders.writeln(c_builtin_types)
 	g.cheaders.writeln(c_headers)
-	g.definitions.writeln('\nstring _STR(const char*, ...);\n')
+	g.definitions.writeln('\nvoid _STR_PRINT_ARG(const char*, char**, int*, int*, int, ...);\n')
+	g.definitions.writeln('\nstring _STR(const char*, int, ...);\n')
 	g.definitions.writeln('\nstring _STR_TMP(const char*, ...);\n')
 	g.write_builtin_types()
 	g.write_typedef_types()
@@ -2173,15 +2175,76 @@ fn (mut g Gen) write_init_function() {
 fn (mut g Gen) write_str_fn_definitions() {
 	// _STR function can't be defined in vlib
 	g.writeln('
-string _STR(const char *fmt, ...) {
+void _STR_PRINT_ARG(const char *fmt, char** refbufp, int *nbytes, int *memsize, int guess, ...) {
+	va_list args;
+	va_start(args, guess);
+	for(;;) {
+		if (guess < *memsize - *nbytes) {
+			guess = vsnprintf(*refbufp + *nbytes, *memsize - *nbytes, fmt, args);
+			if (guess < *memsize - *nbytes) { // result did fit into buffer
+				*nbytes += guess;
+				return;
+			}
+		}
+		// increase buffer (somewhat exponentially)
+		*memsize += (*memsize + *memsize) / 3 + guess;
+		*refbufp = realloc(*refbufp, *memsize);
+	}
+}
+
+string _STR(const char *fmt, int nfmts, ...) {
 	va_list argptr;
-	va_start(argptr, fmt);
-	size_t len = vsnprintf(0, 0, fmt, argptr) + 1;
-	va_end(argptr);
-	byte* buf = malloc(len);
-	va_start(argptr, fmt);
-	vsprintf((char *)buf, fmt, argptr);
+	int memsize = 128;
+	int nbytes = 0;
+	char* buf = malloc(memsize);
+	va_start(argptr, nfmts);
+	for (int i=0; i<nfmts; i++) {
+		int k = strlen(fmt);
+		bool is_fspec = false;
+		for (int j=0; j<k; j++) {
+			if (fmt[j] == '+"'%'"+') {
+				j++;
+				if(fmt[j] != '+"'%'"+') {
+					is_fspec = true;
+					break;
+				}
+			}
+		}
+		if (is_fspec) {
+			char f = fmt[k-1];
+			char fup = f & 0xdf; // toupper
+			bool l = fmt[k-2] == '+"'l'"+';
+			bool ll = l && fmt[k-3] == '+"'l'"+';
+			if (f == '+"'u'"+' || fup == '+"'X'"+' || f == '+"'o'"+' || f == '+"'d'"+' || f == '+"'c'"+') { // int...
+				if (ll) _STR_PRINT_ARG(fmt, &buf, &nbytes, &memsize, k+16, va_arg(argptr, long long));
+				else if (l) _STR_PRINT_ARG(fmt, &buf, &nbytes, &memsize, k+10, va_arg(argptr, long));
+				else _STR_PRINT_ARG(fmt, &buf, &nbytes, &memsize, k+8, va_arg(argptr, int));
+			} else if (fup >= '+"'E'"+' && fup <= '+"'G'"+') { // floating point
+				_STR_PRINT_ARG(fmt, &buf, &nbytes, &memsize, k+10, va_arg(argptr, double));
+			} else if (f == '+"'s'"+') { // v string
+				string s = va_arg(argptr, string);
+				if (fmt[k-4] == '+"'*'"+') { // %*.*s
+					int fwidth = va_arg(argptr, int);
+					if (fwidth < 0) 
+						fwidth -= (s.len - utf8_str_len(s));
+					else
+						fwidth += (s.len - utf8_str_len(s));
+					_STR_PRINT_ARG(fmt, &buf, &nbytes, &memsize, k+fwidth-4, fwidth, s.len, s.str);
+				} else { // %.*s
+					_STR_PRINT_ARG(fmt, &buf, &nbytes, &memsize, k+s.len-4, s.len, s.str);
+				}
+			} else {
+				v_panic(tos3("Invaid format specifier"));
+			}					
+		} else {
+			if (k)
+				_STR_PRINT_ARG(fmt, &buf, &nbytes, &memsize, k);
+		}
+		fmt += k+1;
+	}
 	va_end(argptr);
+	buf[nbytes] = 0;
+	buf = realloc(buf, nbytes+1);
 #ifdef DEBUG_ALLOC
 	puts("_STR:");
 	puts(buf);
@@ -2362,89 +2425,128 @@ fn (g Gen) sort_structs(typesa []table.TypeSymbol) []table.TypeSymbol {
 fn (mut g Gen) string_inter_literal(node ast.StringInterLiteral) {
 	g.write('_STR("')
 	// Build the string with %
+	mut fieldwidths := []int{}
+	mut specs := []byte{}
+	mut num_fmts := 1
 	for i, val in node.vals {
 		escaped_val := val.replace_each(['"', '\\"', '\r\n', '\\n', '\n', '\\n', '%', '%%'])
 		g.write(escaped_val)
 		if i >= node.exprs.len {
+			fieldwidths << 0
+			specs << `_`
 			continue
 		}
-		// TODO: fix match, sum type false positive
-		// match node.expr_types[i] {
-		// table.string_type {
-		// g.write('%.*s')
-		// }
-		// table.int_type {
-		// g.write('%d')
-		// }
-		// else {}
-		// }
+		num_fmts++
 		sym := g.table.get_type_symbol(node.expr_types[i])
 		sfmt := node.expr_fmts[i]
+		mut fspec := `_` // placeholder
+		mut fmt := ''    // field width and precision
 		if sfmt.len > 0 {
-			fspec := sfmt[sfmt.len - 1]
-			if fspec == `s` && node.expr_types[i] != table.string_type {
-				verror('only V strings can be formatted with a ${sfmt} format')
+			// analyze and validate format specifier
+			if sfmt[sfmt.len - 1] in [`E`, `F`, `G`, `e`, `f`, `g`, `e`,
+				`d`, `u`, `x`, `X`, `o`, `c`, `s`] {
+					fspec = sfmt[sfmt.len - 1]
+				}
+			fmt = if fspec == `_` {
+				sfmt[1..sfmt.len]
+			} else {
+				sfmt[1..sfmt.len - 1]
 			}
-			g.write('%' + sfmt[1..])
-		} else if node.expr_types[i] in [table.string_type, table.bool_type] || sym.kind in
-			[.enum_, .array, .array_fixed] {
-			g.write('%.*s')
-		} else if node.expr_types[i] in [table.f32_type, table.f64_type] {
-			g.write('%g')
-		} else if sym.kind in [.struct_, .map] && !sym.has_method('str') {
-			g.write('%.*s')
-		} else if node.expr_types[i] == table.i16_type {
-			g.write('%"PRId16"')
-		} else if node.expr_types[i] == table.u16_type {
-			g.write('%"PRIu16"')
-		} else if node.expr_types[i] == table.u32_type {
-			g.write('%"PRIu32"')
-		} else if node.expr_types[i] == table.i64_type {
-			g.write('%"PRId64"')
-		} else if node.expr_types[i] == table.u64_type {
-			g.write('%"PRIu64"')
-		} else if g.typ(node.expr_types[i]).starts_with('Option') {
-			g.write('%.*s')
-		} else {
-			g.write('%"PRId32"')
 		}
+		if fspec == `_` { // set default representation for type if still missing
+			if node.expr_types[i].is_float() {
+				fspec = `g`
+			} else if node.expr_types[i].is_signed() {
+				fspec = `d`
+			} else if node.expr_types[i].is_unsigned() {
+				fspec = `u`
+			} else if node.expr_types[i] in [table.string_type, table.bool_type] ||
+				sym.kind in [.enum_, .array, .array_fixed, .struct_, .map] ||
+				g.typ(node.expr_types[i]).starts_with('Option') ||
+				sym.has_method('str') {
+				fspec = `s`
+			} else {
+				// default to int - TODO: should better be checked
+				fspec = `d`
+			}
+		}
+		fields := fmt.split('.')
+		// validate format
+		// only floats should have precision specifier
+		if fields.len > 2 || fields.len == 2 && !(node.expr_types[i].is_float()) ||
+		node.expr_types[i].is_signed() && !(fspec in [`d`, `c`, `x`, `X`, `o`]) ||
+		node.expr_types[i].is_unsigned() && !(fspec in [`u`, `x`, `X`, `o`, `c`]) ||
+		node.expr_types[i].is_float() && !(fspec in [`E`, `F`, `G`, `e`, `f`, `g`, `e`]) {
+			verror('illegal format specifier ${fspec:c} for type ${g.table.get_type_name(node.expr_types[i])}')
+		}
+		// make sure that format paramters are valid numbers
+		for j, f in fields {
+			for k, c in f {
+				if (c < `0` || c > `9`) &&
+					!(j == 0 && k == 0 && (node.expr_types[i].is_number() && c == `+` || c == `-`)) {
+					verror('illegal character ${c:c} in format specifier ${fmt}')
+				}
+			}
+		}
+		specs << fspec
+		fieldwidths << if fields.len == 0 {
+			0
+		} else {
+			strconv.atoi(fields[0])
+		}
+		// write correct format specifier to intermediate string
+		g.write('%')
+		if fspec == `s` {
+			if fields.len == 0 || strconv.atoi(fields[0]) == 0 {
+				g.write('.*s')
+			} else {
+				g.write('*.*s')
+			}
+		} else if node.expr_types[i].is_float() {
+			g.write('$fmt${fspec:c}')
+		} else if node.expr_types[i].is_int() {
+			if fspec == `c` {
+				if node.expr_types[i].idx() in [table.i64_type_idx table.f64_type_idx] {
+					verror("64 bit integer types cannot be interpolated as character")
+				} else {
+					g.write('${fmt}c')
+				}
+			} else {
+				g.write('${fmt}"PRI${fspec:c}')
+				if node.expr_types[i] in [table.i8_type, table.byte_type] {
+					g.write('8')
+				} else if node.expr_types[i] in [table.i16_type, table.u16_type] {
+					g.write('16')
+				} else if node.expr_types[i] in [table.i64_type, table.u64_type] {
+					g.write('64')
+				} else {
+					g.write('32')
+				}
+				g.write('"')
+			}
+		} else {
+			// TODO: better check this case
+			g.write('${fmt}"PRId32"')
+		}
+		g.write('\\000')
 	}
-	g.write('", ')
+	g.write('", $num_fmts, ')
 	// Build args
 	for i, expr in node.exprs {
-		sfmt := node.expr_fmts[i]
-		if sfmt.len > 0 {
-			fspec := sfmt[sfmt.len - 1]
-			if fspec == `s` && node.expr_types[i] == table.string_type {
-				g.expr(expr)
-				g.write('.str')
-			} else {
-				g.expr(expr)
-			}
-		} else if node.expr_types[i] == table.string_type {
-			// `name.str, name.len,`
+		if node.expr_types[i] == table.string_type {
 			g.expr(expr)
-			g.write('.len, ')
-			g.expr(expr)
-			g.write('.str')
 		} else if node.expr_types[i] == table.bool_type {
 			g.expr(expr)
-			g.write(' ? 4 : 5, ')
+			g.write(' ? _SLIT("true") : _SLIT("false")')
+		} else if node.expr_types[i].is_number() || specs[i] == `d` {
 			g.expr(expr)
-			g.write(' ? "true" : "false"')
-		} else if node.expr_types[i] in [table.f32_type, table.f64_type] {
-			g.expr(expr)
-		} else {
+		} else if specs[i] == `s` {
 			sym := g.table.get_type_symbol(node.expr_types[i])
 			if node.expr_types[i].flag_is(.variadic) {
 				str_fn_name := g.gen_str_for_type(node.expr_types[i])
 				g.write('${str_fn_name}(')
 				g.expr(expr)
 				g.write(')')
-				g.write('.len, ')
-				g.write('${str_fn_name}(')
-				g.expr(expr)
-				g.write(').str')
 			} else if sym.kind == .enum_ {
 				is_var := match node.exprs[i] {
 					ast.SelectorExpr { true }
@@ -2456,58 +2558,51 @@ fn (mut g Gen) string_inter_literal(node ast.StringInterLiteral) {
 					g.write('${str_fn_name}(')
 					g.enum_expr(expr)
 					g.write(')')
-					g.write('.len, ')
-					g.write('${str_fn_name}(')
-					g.enum_expr(expr)
-					g.write(').str')
 				} else {
 					g.write('tos3("')
 					g.enum_expr(expr)
 					g.write('")')
-					g.write('.len, ')
-					g.write('"')
-					g.enum_expr(expr)
-					g.write('"')
 				}
-			} else if sym.kind in [.array, .array_fixed] {
-				str_fn_name := g.gen_str_for_type(node.expr_types[i])
-				g.write('${str_fn_name}(')
+			} else if sym.has_method('str') || sym.kind in [.array, .array_fixed, .map, .struct_] {
+				is_p := node.expr_types[i].is_ptr()
+				val_type := if is_p {
+					node.expr_types[i].deref()
+				} else {
+					node.expr_types[i]
+				}
+				str_fn_name := g.gen_str_for_type(val_type)
+				if is_p {
+					g.write('string_add(_SLIT("&"), ${str_fn_name}(*(')
+				} else {
+					g.write('${str_fn_name}(')
+				}
 				g.expr(expr)
-				g.write(')')
-				g.write('.len, ')
-				g.write('${str_fn_name}(')
-				g.expr(expr)
-				g.write(').str')
-			} else if sym.kind == .map && !sym.has_method('str') {
-				str_fn_name := g.gen_str_for_type(node.expr_types[i])
-				g.write('${str_fn_name}(')
-				g.expr(expr)
-				g.write(')')
-				g.write('.len, ')
-				g.write('${str_fn_name}(')
-				g.expr(expr)
-				g.write(').str')
-			} else if sym.kind == .struct_ && !sym.has_method('str') {
-				str_fn_name := g.gen_str_for_type(node.expr_types[i])
-				g.write('${str_fn_name}(')
-				g.expr(expr)
-				g.write(',0)')
-				g.write('.len, ')
-				g.write('${str_fn_name}(')
-				g.expr(expr)
-				g.write(',0).str')
+				if sym.kind == .struct_ && !sym.has_method('str') {
+					if is_p {
+						g.write('),0))')
+					} else {
+						g.write(',0)')
+					}
+				} else {
+					if is_p {
+						g.write(')))')
+					} else {
+						g.write(')')
+					}
+				}
 			} else if g.typ(node.expr_types[i]).starts_with('Option') {
 				str_fn_name := 'Option_str'
 				g.write('${str_fn_name}(*(Option*)&')
 				g.expr(expr)
 				g.write(')')
-				g.write('.len, ')
-				g.write('${str_fn_name}(*(Option*)&')
-				g.expr(expr)
-				g.write(').str')
 			} else {
-				g.expr(expr)
+				verror('cannot convert to string')
 			}
+		} else {
+			g.expr(expr)
+		}
+		if specs[i] == `s` && fieldwidths[i] != 0 {
+			g.write(', ${fieldwidths[i]}')
 		}
 		if i < node.exprs.len - 1 {
 			g.write(', ')
@@ -3191,9 +3286,9 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_str_for_struct(info table.Struct, styp, str_fn_name string) {
 	g.auto_str_funcs.writeln('\treturn _STR("${clean_struct_v_type_name} {\\n"')
 	for field in info.fields {
 		fmt := g.type_to_fmt(field.typ)
-		g.auto_str_funcs.writeln('\t\t"%.*s    ' + '$field.name: $fmt\\n"')
+		g.auto_str_funcs.writeln('\t\t"%.*s\\000    ' + '$field.name: $fmt\\n"')
 	}
-	g.auto_str_funcs.write('\t\t"%.*s}"')
+	g.auto_str_funcs.write('\t\t"%.*s\\000}", ${2*(info.fields.len+1)}')
 	if info.fields.len > 0 {
 		g.auto_str_funcs.write(',\n\t\t')
 		for i, field in info.fields {
@@ -3203,23 +3298,18 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_str_for_struct(info table.Struct, styp, str_fn_name string) {
 			field_styp := g.typ(field.typ)
 			field_styp_fn_name := if has_custom_str { '${field_styp}_str' } else { fnames2strfunc[field_styp] }
 			if sym.kind == .enum_ {
-				g.auto_str_funcs.write('indents.len, indents.str, ')
-				g.auto_str_funcs.write('${field_styp_fn_name}( it->${field.name} ).len, ')
-				g.auto_str_funcs.write('${field_styp_fn_name}( it->${field.name} ).str  ')
+				g.auto_str_funcs.write('indents, ')
+				g.auto_str_funcs.write('${field_styp_fn_name}( it->${field.name} ) ')
 			} else if sym.kind == .struct_ {
-				g.auto_str_funcs.write('indents.len, indents.str, ')
-				g.auto_str_funcs.write('${field_styp_fn_name}( it->${field.name}${second_str_param} ).len, ')
-				g.auto_str_funcs.write('${field_styp_fn_name}( it->${field.name}${second_str_param} ).str  ')
+				g.auto_str_funcs.write('indents, ')
+				g.auto_str_funcs.write('${field_styp_fn_name}( it->${field.name}${second_str_param} ) ')
 			} else if sym.kind in [.array, .array_fixed] {
-				g.auto_str_funcs.write('indents.len, indents.str, ')
-				g.auto_str_funcs.write('${field_styp_fn_name}( it->${field.name}).len, ')
-				g.auto_str_funcs.write('${field_styp_fn_name}( it->${field.name}).str  ')
+				g.auto_str_funcs.write('indents, ')
+				g.auto_str_funcs.write('${field_styp_fn_name}( it->${field.name}) ')
 			} else {
-				g.auto_str_funcs.write('indents.len, indents.str, it->${field.name}')
-				if field.typ == table.string_type {
-					g.auto_str_funcs.write('.len, it->${field.name}.str')
-				} else if field.typ == table.bool_type {
-					g.auto_str_funcs.write(' ? 4 : 5, it->${field.name} ? "true" : "false"')
+				g.auto_str_funcs.write('indents, it->${field.name}')
+				if field.typ == table.bool_type {
+					g.auto_str_funcs.write(' ? _SLIT("true") : _SLIT("false")')
 				}
 			}
 			if i < info.fields.len - 1 {
@@ -3228,7 +3318,7 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_str_for_struct(info table.Struct, styp, str_fn_name string) {
 		}
 	}
 	g.auto_str_funcs.writeln(',')
-	g.auto_str_funcs.writeln('\t\tindents.len, indents.str);')
+	g.auto_str_funcs.writeln('\t\tindents);')
 	g.auto_str_funcs.writeln('}')
 }
 
@@ -3247,7 +3337,7 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_str_for_array(info table.Array, styp, str_fn_name string) {
 	if sym.kind == .struct_ && !sym.has_method('str') {
 		g.auto_str_funcs.writeln('\t\tstrings__Builder_write(&sb, ${field_styp}_str(it,0));')
 	} else if sym.kind in [.f32, .f64] {
-		g.auto_str_funcs.writeln('\t\tstrings__Builder_write(&sb, _STR("%g", it));')
+		g.auto_str_funcs.writeln('\t\tstrings__Builder_write(&sb, _STR("%g", 1, it));')
 	} else {
 		g.auto_str_funcs.writeln('\t\tstrings__Builder_write(&sb, ${field_styp}_str(it));')
 	}
@@ -3274,9 +3364,9 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_str_for_array_fixed(info table.ArrayFixed, styp, str_fn_name
 	if sym.kind == .struct_ && !sym.has_method('str') {
 		g.auto_str_funcs.writeln('\t\tstrings__Builder_write(&sb, ${field_styp}_str(a[i],0));')
 	} else if sym.kind in [.f32, .f64] {
-		g.auto_str_funcs.writeln('\t\tstrings__Builder_write(&sb, _STR("%g", a[i]));')
+		g.auto_str_funcs.writeln('\t\tstrings__Builder_write(&sb, _STR("%g", 1, a[i]));')
 	} else if sym.kind == .string {
-		g.auto_str_funcs.writeln('\t\tstrings__Builder_write(&sb, _STR("\'%.*s\'", a[i].len, a[i].str));')
+		g.auto_str_funcs.writeln('\t\tstrings__Builder_write(&sb, _STR("\'%.*s\\000\'", 2, a[i]));')
 	} else {
 		g.auto_str_funcs.writeln('\t\tstrings__Builder_write(&sb, ${field_styp}_str(a[i]));')
 	}
@@ -3307,18 +3397,18 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_str_for_map(info table.Map, styp, str_fn_name string) {
 	g.auto_str_funcs.writeln('\tstrings__Builder_write(&sb, tos3("{"));')
 	g.auto_str_funcs.writeln('\tfor (unsigned int i = 0; i < m.key_values.size; i++) {')
 	g.auto_str_funcs.writeln('\t\tstring key = (*(string*)DenseArray_get(m.key_values, i));')
-	g.auto_str_funcs.writeln('\t\tstrings__Builder_write(&sb, _STR("\'%.*s\'", key.len, key.str));')
+	g.auto_str_funcs.writeln('\t\tstrings__Builder_write(&sb, _STR("\'%.*s\\000\'", 2, key));')
 	g.auto_str_funcs.writeln('\t\tstrings__Builder_write(&sb, tos3(": "));')
 	g.auto_str_funcs.write('\t$val_styp it = (*($val_styp*)map_get3(')
 	g.auto_str_funcs.write('m, (*(string*)DenseArray_get(m.key_values, i))')
 	g.auto_str_funcs.write(', ')
 	g.auto_str_funcs.writeln(' &($val_styp[]) { $zero }));')
 	if val_sym.kind == .string {
-		g.auto_str_funcs.writeln('\t\tstrings__Builder_write(&sb, _STR("\'%.*s\'", it.len, it.str));')
+		g.auto_str_funcs.writeln('\t\tstrings__Builder_write(&sb, _STR("\'%.*s\\000\'", 2, it));')
 	} else if val_sym.kind == .struct_ && !val_sym.has_method('str') {
 		g.auto_str_funcs.writeln('\t\tstrings__Builder_write(&sb, ${val_styp}_str(it,0));')
 	} else if val_sym.kind in [.f32, .f64] {
-		g.auto_str_funcs.writeln('\t\tstrings__Builder_write(&sb, _STR("%g", it));')
+		g.auto_str_funcs.writeln('\t\tstrings__Builder_write(&sb, _STR("%g", 1, it));')
 	} else {
 		g.auto_str_funcs.writeln('\t\tstrings__Builder_write(&sb, ${val_styp}_str(it));')
 	}
@@ -3350,17 +3440,17 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_str_for_varg(styp, str_fn_name string) {
 fn (g Gen) type_to_fmt(typ table.Type) string {
 	sym := g.table.get_type_symbol(typ)
 	if sym.kind in [.struct_, .array, .array_fixed, .map] {
-		return '%.*s'
+		return '%.*s\\000'
 	} else if typ == table.string_type {
-		return "\'%.*s\'"
+		return "\'%.*s\\000\'"
 	} else if typ == table.bool_type {
-		return '%.*s'
+		return '%.*s\\000'
 	} else if sym.kind == .enum_ {
-		return '%.*s'
+		return '%.*s\\000'
 	} else if typ in [table.f32_type, table.f64_type] {
-		return '%g' // g removes trailing zeros unlike %f
+		return '%g\\000' // g removes trailing zeros unlike %f
 	}
-	return '%d'
+	return '%d\\000'
 }
 
 // Generates interface table and interface indexes
diff --git a/vlib/v/table/atypes.v b/vlib/v/table/atypes.v
index 32d738587a..3285ce2e61 100644
--- a/vlib/v/table/atypes.v
+++ b/vlib/v/table/atypes.v
@@ -140,6 +140,16 @@ pub fn (typ Type) is_int() bool {
 	return typ.idx() in integer_type_idxs
 }
 
+[inline]
+pub fn (typ Type) is_signed() bool {
+	return typ.idx() in signed_integer_type_idxs
+}
+
+[inline]
+pub fn (typ Type) is_unsigned() bool {
+	return typ.idx() in unsigned_integer_type_idxs
+}
+
 [inline]
 pub fn (typ Type) is_number() bool {
 	return typ.idx() in number_type_idxs
@@ -175,6 +185,8 @@ pub const (
 		u32_type_idx,
 		u64_type_idx
 	]
+	signed_integer_type_idxs = [i8_type_idx, i16_type_idx, int_type_idx, i64_type_idx]
+	unsigned_integer_type_idxs = [byte_type_idx, u16_type_idx, u32_type_idx, u64_type_idx]
 	float_type_idxs   = [f32_type_idx, f64_type_idx]
 	number_type_idxs  = [i8_type_idx, i16_type_idx, int_type_idx, i64_type_idx, byte_type_idx,
 		u16_type_idx,
diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/string_interpolation_test.v b/vlib/v/tests/string_interpolation_test.v
index 6f07c9eada..3819381219 100644
--- a/vlib/v/tests/string_interpolation_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/tests/string_interpolation_test.v
@@ -86,4 +86,31 @@ fn test_inttypes_string_interpolation() {
 	assert '$s $us' == '-23456 54321'
 	assert '$ui $i' == '3421958087 -1622999040'
 	assert '$l $ul' == '-7694555558525237396 17234006112912956370'
+	assert '>${s:11}< >${us:-13}<-' == '>     -23456< >54321        <-'
+	assert '0x${ul:-19x}< >${l:22d}<-' == '0xef2b7d4001165bd2   < >  -7694555558525237396<-'
+}
+
+fn test_utf8_string_interpolation() {
+	a := 'à-côté'
+	st := 'Sträßle'
+	m := '10€'
+	assert '$a $st $m' == 'à-côté Sträßle 10€'
+	assert '>${a:10}< >${st:-8}< >${m:5}<-' == '>    à-côté< >Sträßle < >  10€<-'
+	e := '\u20AC' // Eurosign
+	// TODO: this fails with MSVC and tcc
+	// assert '100.00 $e' == '100.00 €'
+}
+
+struct S {
+	v1 int
+	v2 f64
+}
+
+fn (s S) str() string {
+	return '[${s.v1}, ${s.v2:.3f}]'
+}
+
+fn test_string_interpolation_str_evaluation() {
+	mut x := S{17, 13.455893}
+	assert '$x' == '[17, 13.456]'
 }