This issue provides a study on translation competence acquisition (TCA). The study consisted of an TCA experiment involving 129 first to fourth year trainee translators and recent graduates. The experiment was conducted in November 2011, when the first-year subjects had just begun their degree course; the graduates had completed their studies in June 2011. Firstly, the conceptual and methodological framework of the research is described. Then the study's measurements and results beginning with translation acceptability (a cross-cutting indicator whose results are brought together with those of most of the other indicators) are presented, and followed by the different study variables: knowledge of translation; translation project; identification and solution of translation problems; decision-making; efficacy of the translation process; and use of instrumental resources. Finally, the study's conclusions, defining features of TCA, are presented. The publication also includes six online appendices containing the hypotheses, the main instruments used, the statistical test results and a glossary of key terms from the research.