The aim of this study is to identify the competencies which a wide sample of teachers in Spanish primary schools consider to be important for their professional performance and which they use in their everyday teaching. Furthermore, the study examines to what extent the teachers' university training prepared them for their practicing professional development. The proposals are made for training based on the articulation between theory and practice, to allow the professional competencies mentioned to be developed and used in practice, as well as encouraging close collaboration between teacher trainers and experienced practicing teachers.