Breakdown of Du borde öva på handslaget, så att du inte verkar nervös.
du
you (singular)
inte
not
på
on / at / for (wait for) / in (believe in)
nervös
nervous
Questions & Answers about Du borde öva på handslaget, så att du inte verkar nervös.
Why is the preposition på used in öva på handslaget?
In Swedish, you usually use öva på when practicing a specific skill, action, or piece of material. While you might occasionally hear just öva, adding på is the most natural way to link the practice to its direct target.
Why is the word order du inte verkar instead of du verkar inte?
The phrase så att introduces a subordinate clause. In Swedish subordinate clauses, the negation inte must always come before the conjugated verb. This is often remembered by learners as the BIFF rule.
Could I use a conditional like bara here instead of så att?
Not without changing the sentence structure and meaning. Så att expresses purpose. To use the focusing adverb bara (as long as) to express conditionality, you would need to flip the logic: Du verkar inte nervös, bara du övar på handslaget (You won't seem nervous, as long as you practice the handshake).
Borde looks like a past tense verb. Is it referring to the past here?
No, it acts as a present or future recommendation. While borde is technically the past tense form of the verb böra, it is used exactly like the English words should or ought to for giving advice in the present.