Breakdown of Han gör misstaget som du skulle ha undvikit om du hade vågat.
du
you (singular)
han
he
ha
to have
göra
to do, to make
misstaget
the mistake (blunder)
undvika
to avoid
om
if, whether
som
who / which / that (relative pronoun)
skulle
would
våga
to dare
Questions & Answers about Han gör misstaget som du skulle ha undvikit om du hade vågat.
Why do we use skulle ha in one part and hade in the other?
This is the classic pattern for an unreal past conditional. The part describing the hypothetical result uses skulle ha + supinum (undvikit) to mean "would have avoided". The om (if) clause uses the past perfect hade + supinum (vågat) to mean "had dared". It matches the English structure perfectly.
What is the dictionary form of undvikit, and why does it end in -it?
The infinitive is undvika (to avoid). It is a strong verb, following the same pattern as svika (to let down) or skriva (to write). The supinum form, which is the verb form you must use after ha or hade, ends in -it for these strong verbs: har undvikit or hade undvikit.
Is it normal to start with a present tense verb (gör) and then switch to a past conditional?
Yes, it makes perfect sense in context. Han gör (he is making) is happening right now in the present. The conditional part (skulle ha undvikit om du hade vågat) talks about a hypothetical past. He is currently making the mistake that you would have avoided earlier.
Why is it misstaget (the mistake) instead of just ett misstag (a mistake)?
Because the sentence specifies exactly which mistake he is making. When a noun is followed by a som (that) clause pointing out exactly which specific item we mean, Swedish naturally uses the definite form (misstaget).
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