Learn Hardcore Italian: L’istruttore dice che chi è abile dovrebbe insegnare ai principianti. - The instructor says that those who are skilled should teach beginners.

Here chi is an indefinite relative pronoun meaning “whoever” or “anyone who.” It doesn’t refer to a specific person but to anyone possessing the given quality.

Why is it chi è abile and not chi sono abili?

Because chi is grammatically singular even though it refers to a general group. Verbs and adjectives agree with the singular form: è abile.

What is the role of che after dice?

Che functions as the conjunction “that,” linking the main clause (L’istruttore dice) with the subordinate clause (chi è abile…). In Italian, most verbs of saying or thinking use che + indicative.

Why do we use dovrebbe (conditional) instead of deve (present) or dovrà (future)?

Dovrebbe expresses advice or a recommendation—“one should teach…” If you said deve insegnare, it sounds more like a strict obligation; dovrà would shift it to a future obligation.

Why is insegnare in the infinitive form here?

Modal verbs and semi-modal verbs (like dovere) are followed by an infinitive in Italian. So after dovrebbe, you keep the base form insegnare.

Could we use the subjunctive after dice che?

Generally no. Verbs of saying (dire, affermare, raccontare…) take the indicative in subordinate clauses because they present information as fact. The subjunctive appears after verbs of doubt, opinion, emotion or volition.

Why is it ai principianti and not agli principianti?

The plural definite article for principianti is i (il → i), so a + i = ai. Agli would be a + gli if the noun took gli (e.g., gli studenti → agli studenti).

Is principianti masculine only, or can it refer to women too?

The noun principiante (ending in -ante) forms the plural principianti for both genders. If the group is all women you could optionally use the feminine article le (le principianti), but i principianti is correct for a mixed or male group.