Можно избежать ошибки.

It is possible to avoid a mistake.

Breakdown of Можно избежать ошибки.

• можно: can
• ошибка: the mistake
• избежать: to avoid

Questions & Answers about Можно избежать ошибки.

What does можно mean in this sentence?

Here можно means it is possible to, you can, or one can.

It is an impersonal word, so Russian does not need a subject like it.
So Можно избежать ошибки literally feels like:

It is possible to avoid a mistake.

In natural English, that often becomes:

• You can avoid the mistake.
• It is possible to avoid a mistake.
• One can avoid the mistake.

---

Why is there no subject like я, ты, or это?

Because this is an impersonal construction.

Russian often expresses general possibility without naming who is doing the action. English usually needs something like you, one, or it, but Russian does not.

So:

• Можно избежать ошибки = It is possible to avoid the mistake / You can avoid the mistake

If you want to say who it is possible for, Russian can add a dative noun or pronoun:

• Мне можно избежать ошибки? = Can I avoid the mistake? / Is it possible for me to avoid the mistake?

But in your sentence, no person is specified, so it sounds general.

---

Why is избежать in the infinitive?