Het spatbord kan eraf vallen als de schroef los zit.

Het is the definite article for a neuter noun in Dutch, like the in English.

So:

• het spatbord = the mudguard / the fender

Dutch nouns take either de or het as their article, and spatbord happens to be a het-word.

Spatbord literally refers to the part of a bike, car, or motorcycle that protects against splashing mud or water.

Depending on context, English translations can be:

• mudguard
• fender

In this sentence, spatbord is most likely a bicycle or vehicle mudguard/fender.

In a normal Dutch main clause, the finite verb usually comes in second position. This is often called the V2 rule.

Here the sentence begins with the subject:

• Het spatbord = subject
• kan = finite verb

So the structure is:

• Het spatbord
  • kan
    • rest of the sentence

That is completely normal Dutch word order.

Because kan is a modal verb meaning can / may / is able to / might, and modal verbs are followed by an infinitive.

So:

• kan vallen = can fall

You do not say kan valt.

This is like English:

• It can fall not
• It can falls

Also note that after a modal verb in Dutch, the second verb usually goes to the end of the clause:

• Het spatbord kan eraf vallen.

Because after a modal verb like kunnen, Dutch uses a bare infinitive.

So you say:

• kan vallen
• moet gaan
• wil komen

not:

• kan te vallen

This is similar to English:

• can fall not
• can to fall

Eraf vallen means to fall off or to come off.

You can think of it as:

• vallen = to fall
• af = off
• eraf = off it / off there / off from it, depending on context

In natural English, het spatbord kan eraf vallen means:

• the mudguard can fall off
• the fender can come off

This is a very common Dutch feature. Er is often used in so-called pronominal adverbs, where English would use something like it, there, or just leave it implied.

In eraf, the er often points to something already understood from context, so eraf vallen can mean something like:

• fall off it
• come off

In many everyday sentences, learners should treat eraf as a unit meaning off in expressions like:

• Het wiel valt eraf. = The wheel comes off.
• De dop is eraf. = The cap is off.

You do not always need to translate er separately.

Not always.

• afvallen can mean to fall off, but it also has other meanings, especially to lose weight
• eraf vallen specifically helps show the idea of something falling off/from something

So in a sentence like this, eraf vallen is clearer and more idiomatic.

Examples:

• Ik wil afvallen. = I want to lose weight.
• Het spatbord kan eraf vallen. = The mudguard can fall off.

Als here means if.

So:

• als de schroef los zit = if the screw is loose

In some contexts, als can also mean when, but in this sentence it clearly has the meaning if: if the screw is loose, the mudguard may fall off.

Because als introduces a subordinate clause, and in Dutch subordinate clauses, the finite verb normally goes to the end.

So:

• als de schroef los zit = correct

Structure:

• als = if
• de schroef = the screw
• los = loose
• zit = is / sits

This verb-final pattern is one of the biggest differences from English.

Compare:

• Main clause: De schroef zit los.
• Subordinate clause: als de schroef los zit

Because los zitten is a very common Dutch expression meaning to be loose.

Literally, zitten often means to sit, but in many contexts it describes the state or position of something:

• vastzitten = to be stuck / fastened
• loszitten = to be loose
• scheef zitten = to be crooked / sit crooked

So:

• de schroef zit los = the screw is loose

Even though English uses is, Dutch often prefers zitten in this kind of physical-state expression.

Los means loose, not tight, or not firmly attached.

In this sentence:

• de schroef los zit = the screw is loose

It does not mean emotionally free or separate here; it is a physical, mechanical meaning.

Yes, absolutely. That version is also correct and very natural.

When the als-clause comes first, the main clause still follows the Dutch V2 rule, so the finite verb comes immediately after the first element of the main clause:

• Als de schroef los zit, kan het spatbord eraf vallen.

Notice that after the opening subordinate clause, you get:

• kan before het spatbord

not:

• het spatbord kan

This inversion is required.

Here kan expresses possibility, not ability.

So the meaning is:

• the mudguard may/can fall off
• it is possible that the mudguard falls off

It is not saying that the mudguard has a skill or ability. Dutch kunnen often works this way, just like English can.

It is singular.

• de schroef = the screw
• de schroeven = the screws

So the sentence refers to one screw being loose.

A simple breakdown is:

• Het spatbord = subject
• kan = finite modal verb
• eraf vallen = infinitive verb phrase
• als de schroef los zit = subordinate clause of condition

So the whole sentence means roughly:

• The mudguard can fall off if the screw is loose.

This is a very typical Dutch structure: main clause + conditional subordinate clause.