Last Updated : 29 Oct, 2022
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The % symbol is used in Python with a large variety of data types and configurations. %s specifically is used to perform concatenation of strings together. It allows us to format a value inside a string. It is used to incorporate another string within a string. It automatically provides type conversion from value to string.
The %s operator is put where the string is to be specified. The number of values you want to append to a string should be equivalent to the number specified in parentheses after the % operator at the end of the string value.
The following Python code illustrates the way of performing string formatting.
Simple use of %s
Python3
# declaring a string variable
name = "Geek"
# append a string within a string
print("Hey, %s!" % name)
Output
Hey, Geek!
Multiple %s
Multiple strings can also be appended within a single string using the %s operator. The strings are replaced in the order of their position in the brackets, wherever there is an %s sign. This is illustrated using the following code snippet :
Python3
# declaring a string variable
var1 = "Geek!"
var2 = "Geeks for Geeks"
# append multiple strings within a string
print("Hello %s Are you enjoying being at %s for preparations." % (var1, var2))
Output
Hello Geek! Are you enjoying being at Geeks for Geeks for preparations.
Mapping strings to %s
However, the number of occurrences of this operator must be equal to the number of strings to replace with after the % sign. Otherwise, an error of the type “TypeError: not enough arguments for format string” is thrown.
Python3
# declaring string variables
str1 = 'Understanding'
str2 = '%s'
str3 = 'at'
str4 = 'GeeksforGeeks'
# concatenating strings but %s not equal to string variables
final_str = "%s %s %s %s" % (str1, str3, str4)
# printing the final string
print("Concatenating multiple strings using Python '%s' operator:\n")
print(final_str)
Error
Traceback (most recent call last):
File “/home/c7b65fabd2ad00163eba70bbc39685d3.py”, line 8, in <module>
final_str = “%s %s %s %s” % (str1, str3, str4)
TypeError: not enough arguments for format string
Correct Code
Python3
# declaring string variables
str1 = 'Understanding'
str2 = '%s'
str3 = 'at'
str4 = 'GeeksforGeeks'
# concatenating strings
final_str = "%s %s %s %s" % (str1, str2, str3, str4)
# printing the final string
print("Concatenating multiple strings using Python '%s' operator:\n")
print(final_str)
Output
Concatenating multiple strings using Python '%s' operator:Understanding %s at GeeksforGeeks
Order %s using dictionary
The strings are printed in whatever order they are appended using the dictionary key in output.
Python3
# declaring string variables with dictionary
dct = {'str1': 'at',
'str2': 'GeeksforGeeks',
'str3': 'Understanding',
'str4': '%s'}
# concatenating strings
final_str = "%(str3)s %(str4)s %(str1)s %(str2)s" % dct
# printing the final string
print("Concatenating multiple strings using Python '%s' operator:\n")
print(final_str)
Output
Concatenating multiple strings using Python '%s' operator:Understanding %s at GeeksforGeeks
List as a string for %s
A non-string operator can also be formatted using the %s symbol in Python. Tuples can also be both inserted and formatted using this operator.
Python3
# declaring string variables
str1 = 'Understanding'
str2 = 'integers'
str3 = 'at'
str4 = 'GeeksforGeeks = '
# declaring list variables
lst = [1, 2, 3]
# concatenating strings as well as list
final_str = "%s %s %s %s %s" % (str1, str2, str3, str4, lst)
# printing the final string
print("Concatenating multiple values using Python '%s' operator:\n")
print(final_str)
Output
Concatenating multiple values using Python '%s' operator:Understanding integers at GeeksforGeeks = [1, 2, 3]
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