Motivated by the recent characterization of Sobolev spaces due to Brezis–Van Schaftingen–Yung we prove new weak-type inequalities for one parameter families of operators connected with mixed norm inequalities. The novelty of our approach comes from the fact that the underlying measure space incorporates the parameter as a variable. We also show that our framework can be adapted to treat related characterizations of Sobolev spaces obtained earlier by Bourgain–Nguyen. The connection to classical and fractional order Sobolev spaces is shown through the use of generalized Riesz potential spaces and the Caffarelli–Silvestre extension principle. Higher order inequalities are also considered. We indicate many examples and applications to PDE's and different areas of Analysis, suggesting a vast potential for future research. In a different direction, and inspired by methods originally due to Gagliardo and Garsia, we obtain new maximal inequalities which combined with mixed norm inequalities are applied to obtain Brezis–Van Schaftingen–Yung type inequalities in the context of Calderón–Campanato spaces. In particular, Log versions of the Gagliardo–Brezis–Van Schaftingen–Yung spaces are introduced and compared with corresponding limiting versions of Calderón–Campanato spaces, resulting in a sharpening of recent inequalities due to Crippa–De Lellis and Brué–Nguyen.