Background: This study consists of an analysis of the conceptions that teacher educators have of their work, identifying the relationship between their professional identities and their views of the professional qualities of the future teachers. Method and design: Semi-directive interviews with 19 teacher educators of a primary education teachers course were held, and qualitative analysis was undertaken. It was important to listen to the teacher educators in terms of meanings that were indicative of their identities, of their conceptions of teaching in primary education and of the corresponding professional teachers. Findings: The findings are grouped into four categories of professional identities of teacher educators: academic, cooperative, dual and supervisor (the latter two being mediating identities), and those different conceptions about school education and teacher professional work. The conceptions show similarities and divergences in terms of the knowledge that they think is important, their beliefs and personal values, the matters that they problematise and their performances as professional trainers and educators of future teachers. Conclusions: These findings enable us to understand that the identity of teacher educators, in the case studied, is largely built on a foundation of past and present experience gained in the field of school education. The exception is of the academic sort of teacher educators, whose identity appears to be based on the restricted area of initial teacher education.