Translation has been suggested as a way of language teaching that addresses the need to clarify the inevitable role of translation in language learning. The present study attempted to have an understanding of the translation use by Turkish adult learners of English, specifically, in gaining English skills (i.e. reading, listening, writing, speaking) and in learning lexical items. The study also aimed to find out if the use of translation in these areas shows any variances according to proficiency levels of the learners. It was conducted with 118 students studying at three different proficiency levels in English preparatory school of a state university in Turkey. Data for the present study were collected in the fall term of the 2013-2014 academic year through the Inventory for Translation as a Learning Strategy (ILTS) (Liao, 2002). The findings were discussed in relation to the results of prior studies and practical suggestions on the use of translation were provided.