string - Python: how to escape "%s"

Question

I'm trying to make a string that includes a "%s" with no formatting

For example, I want this:

#I want to make mystring = "x %s"

first_value = "x"
mystring = "%s %s" % first_value

So, I want to format the first %s, but leave the second %s in the string.. Of course the above code gives me a "TypeError:not enough arguments for format string"

Is there a way to achieve this in one line?

Thanks

EDIT: I know I can do

mystring = "%s %s" % (first_value, "%s")

but this kind of looks ugly.. Is there a better way?

Answer 1

You can escape a % character in a format string by doubling it:

>>> "%s %%s" % "x"
"x %s"