1. Initiation: ribosome assembles itself around mRNA and first tRNA attaches at start codon
2. Elongation: tRNA transfers amino acid to next tRNA, amino acids attach, and ribosome shifts by one codon so first tRNA detaches. This continues and forms an amino acid chain.
3. Termination: when tRNA encounters a stop codon, the process ends and polypeptide chain is folded into final form.
