How to read tarot cards: a simple guide for beginners

You don't need a special gift to read tarot. You need a deck, a question and a little patience. This guide walks you through the basics, one step at a time.

What is a tarot deck?

A tarot deck has 78 cards, split into two groups.

• The Major Arcana (22 cards) cover the big themes of life, such as new beginnings, change, love and endings. Cards like The Fool, The Lovers and Death belong here. When several turn up together, the reading usually has a lot to say.
• The Minor Arcana (56 cards) cover everyday life. They come in four suits of 14 cards: Ace to Ten, plus four court cards (Page, Knight, Queen and King).

Each suit has its own flavour:

• Wands: energy, ambition and creativity.
• Cups: feelings, relationships and intuition.
• Swords: thoughts, decisions and conflict.
• Pentacles: work, home and practical matters.

Step 1: Ask a good question

Open questions work better than yes or no ones. Try "What do I need to know about my new job?" rather than "Will I get promoted?" If you do want a quick yes or no, our free yes or no reading is made for it.

Step 2: Shuffle and draw

Shuffle however feels comfortable while you think about your question. When it feels right, stop and draw your cards from the top.

Step 3: Use a simple spread

A spread is just a layout where each position has a meaning. Start small. The classic three-card spread is a good first step:

1. 1. Past: what has led you here.
2. 2. Present: where you stand now.
3. 3. Future: where things may be heading.

This is the same layout as your free daily reading, so you can practise every day. Once you feel confident, try the love spread, the decision spread or the ten-card Celtic Cross.

Step 4: Read each card

Look at the picture before you look up the meaning. What's happening? How does it make you feel? Then check the card's page in our card meanings to fill in the gaps.

Step 5: What about reversed cards?

A card that lands upside down is called reversed. It often softens, delays or turns inward the upright meaning. Some readers ignore reversals altogether, and that's fine while you're learning. Every card page on Well Read covers both upright and reversed meanings.

Step 6: Read the cards together

This is where tarot gets interesting. Don't read three separate cards; look for the story that links them.

• Are most cards from one suit? Lots of Cups suggests the question is about feelings.
• Are there several Major Arcana cards? Then it's a big moment.
• Does the future card answer something in the past card?

Say the story out loud in a sentence or two. It helps more than you'd think.

Beginner tips

• Keep a journal. Jot down your question, your cards and what you thought they meant. Our tarot journal is a handy place to start.
• Learn a few cards at a time. Nobody memorises 78 meanings in a week.
• Trust your first reaction. The meanings are a guide, not a rulebook.

Common questions

Do I need to be psychic to read tarot?
No. Tarot is about noticing patterns and reflecting on them. Anyone can learn.

Is it bad luck to buy your own tarot deck?
No. That's an old saying, not a rule. Most readers choose their own deck.

How often should I read tarot?
As often as it's helpful. Many people draw one daily reading and leave it there.

Can tarot predict the future?
Tarot on Well Read is for entertainment and reflection only. The cards can help you think things through, but please don't base decisions about health, money or legal matters on a reading.

Tarot is for entertainment and reflection only.