Yes or no tarot

Many people come to tarot with a yes-or-no question. The cards have no way of knowing the answer, but each one does have a character, open or closed, settled or unsettled, that leans one way. Below is how we read each card’s lean, and why. The reason is more useful than the word.

Please do not use a yes-or-no draw for questions about health, safety, money or the law. Those need real information and, often, a qualified person.

Yes Lean yes (49)

The FoolThe Fool favours beginning and saying yes to the unknown, though it is a yes that comes without guarantees.
The MagicianThe Magician favours initiative and the skill to carry it through, so it reads as yes if you are ready to act.
The EmpressThe Empress is a card of growth and good conditions, so it reads as a warm yes, especially for creative or personal questions.
The EmperorThe Emperor favours firm decisions and stable foundations, so it reads as yes, provided the plan is sound and well run.
The HierophantThe Hierophant supports conventional, well-trodden choices, so it reads as yes when the question follows an established path.
The LoversThe Lovers favours union and wholehearted choices, so it reads as yes when your heart and your values agree.
The ChariotThe Chariot is a card of determined progress and victory, so it reads as yes if you are willing to commit and stay the course.
StrengthStrength reads as yes: the situation can be handled through patience and steady courage.
Wheel of FortuneThe Wheel turns towards change and opportunity, so it reads as yes, though the timing may not be in your hands.
TemperanceTemperance leans towards yes, provided you move patiently and in moderation rather than forcing the outcome.
The StarThe Star is one of the most hopeful cards in the deck and reads as a gentle, encouraging yes.
The SunThe Sun is the clearest yes in the deck: open, warm and favourable.
JudgementJudgement reads as yes, especially when the question is about answering a call, renewing something or making a clear decision.
The WorldThe World is a card of completion and success, so it reads as a clear yes.
Ace of WandsA clear, energetic beginning, the Ace of Wands is one of the most straightforward yes cards in the deck.
Three of WandsEnterprise underway with good prospects, the Three of Wands leans to yes, though it may ask for patience.
Four of WandsA card of celebration and secure foundations, the Four of Wands is a confident yes.
Six of WandsThe Six of Wands is a card of victory and good news, and reads as a clear yes.
Seven of WandsWaite calls this a card of success because the defender holds the high ground, so it reads as yes, though one that takes effort.
Eight of WandsMomentum is on your side in the Eight of Wands, so it reads as a yes: things are moving.
Page of WandsA card of fresh enthusiasm and good tidings, the Page of Wands leans to yes, especially for something new.
Knight of WandsThe Knight of Wands is a card of action and movement, and reads as a yes, though perhaps a hasty one.
Queen of WandsA card of confidence and warmth, the Queen of Wands reads as a yes, especially if you act with conviction.
King of WandsThe King of Wands is a card of confident leadership, and reads as a yes when you are willing to take charge.
Ace of CupsAn overflowing cup is about as clear a sign of welcome and goodwill as the deck offers, so it reads as yes.
Two of CupsThe card shows agreement between two willing people, so it reads as yes, especially where another person's consent is involved.
Three of CupsRaised cups and a full harvest make this one of the plainest yeses in the suit, with others likely to share in it.
Six of CupsThe card shows a gift freely offered and warmly received, so it reads as a gentle yes, often linked to something familiar.
Nine of CupsOften called the wish card, the Nine of Cups reads as a clear yes, especially for questions about something you hope for.
Ten of CupsThe completion of the suit of Cups, with a rainbow over a happy household, reads as a warm and confident yes.
Page of CupsThe Page brings a gentle, hopeful message, so it reads as a soft yes, especially for creative or emotional questions.
Knight of CupsThe Knight comes carrying an offer, so the card reads as yes, though one that asks you to check the offer is as real as it is appealing.
Queen of CupsThe Queen is a warm, nurturing presence, so the card reads as yes, particularly where kindness and understanding are involved.
King of CupsThe King's calm and goodwill make the card a measured yes, especially where patience and diplomacy are needed.
Ace of SwordsThe ace brings a clean, decisive answer, so it reads as a yes when the question has been thought through honestly.
Six of SwordsThe card shows a passage towards calmer water, so it reads as a quiet yes, especially to questions about leaving or changing.
Knight of SwordsThe knight charges straight ahead, so the card reads as yes, provided you are ready to move fast and accept the risks of speed.
Queen of SwordsThe queen's clear-eyed judgement supports a yes, as long as the decision is based on the facts rather than hope.
King of SwordsThe king delivers a clear, reasoned verdict, so the card reads as yes when the decision is logical and fair.
Ace of PentaclesA real opportunity is held out in an open hand, so the card reads as a grounded yes, provided you act on it.
Three of PentaclesThe card shows skilled work going well with the right people involved, so it leans yes, especially for anything done together.
Six of PentaclesResources and goodwill are flowing in the card, so it reads as a yes, especially where help or a fair exchange is involved.
Eight of PentaclesThe card favours steady effort that pays off over time, so it reads as yes, provided you are willing to put in the work.
Nine of PentaclesThe card shows comfort and self-reliance achieved, so it reads as a yes, especially for questions you can settle on your own.
Ten of PentaclesThe card describes lasting stability and belonging, so it reads as a steady yes for anything built to endure.
Page of PentaclesThe Page brings a practical opportunity and the patience to use it, so it reads as a yes, though the results will take time.
Knight of PentaclesThe Knight brings steady progress that gets there in the end, so it reads as a yes, but a slow one.
Queen of PentaclesThe Queen brings warmth, stability and good sense, so she reads as a yes, especially for questions about home and care.
King of PentaclesThe King represents solid achievement and good judgement, so he reads as a confident yes for practical matters.

Maybe Maybe, or it depends (17)

The High PriestessThe High Priestess holds something back: the answer is not yet revealed, so she reads as not yet, or look more closely.
The HermitThe Hermit asks for more time and reflection before deciding, so it reads as not yet, or only after careful thought.
JusticeJustice gives back what has been put in, so the answer depends on whether the situation has been handled honestly and fairly.
The Hanged ManThe Hanged Man is a card of suspension, so the honest answer is not yet: wait, and look again.
The MoonThe Moon describes a situation that is unclear, so the answer is uncertain until more comes to light.
Two of WandsThe Two of Wands shows a decision still being weighed, so the answer depends on what you choose to do with it.
Five of WandsThe Five of Wands shows a contest still in play, so the outcome is open and depends on how the friction is handled.
Nine of WandsThe Nine of Wands points to a yes only through persistence, so the answer depends on whether you can hold on.
Four of CupsThe card shows an offer that has not yet been accepted, so the answer depends on whether you are willing to look up and take it.
Seven of CupsThe card shows a field of possibilities that have not been tested, so the answer is unclear until you look harder at what is real.
Two of SwordsThe card shows a question deliberately left unresolved, so the honest answer is not yet, and not until you look at it squarely.
Four of SwordsThe card asks for a pause before deciding, so it reads as not yet rather than a firm yes or no.
Seven of SwordsThe card shows a partial success gained by uncertain means, so the answer depends on whether the plan is honest.
Page of SwordsThe page asks for more information before deciding, so the answer is not yet clear.
Two of PentaclesThe card shows things still in motion and undecided, so the answer depends on what else you are juggling.
Four of PentaclesHolding on keeps things stable but also stuck, so the answer leans towards keeping what you have rather than gaining something new.
Seven of PentaclesThe outcome is still growing, so the card answers not yet: wait, review and decide once you can see more.

No Lean no (12)

DeathDeath closes a chapter, so it usually reads as a no to keeping things as they are, and a yes only to letting go.
The DevilThe Devil reads as no, or as a yes that would cost more than it gives, because it points to compulsion rather than free choice.
The TowerThe Tower describes disruption and the end of a plan as it stood, so it reads as a no, or a not-like-this.
Ten of WandsThe Ten of Wands shows effort under strain, so it reads as a no, or a yes that will cost more than it should.
Five of CupsThe spilled cups put loss and disappointment at the front of the card, so it reads as a no, though not a final one.
Eight of CupsThe figure is turning his back on what is in front of him, so the card reads as a no to the situation as it stands.
Three of SwordsThe card describes sorrow and separation, so it answers no, or at least not without pain.
Five of SwordsAny yes here would come at a cost to someone, so the card generally reads as no, or not in this way.
Eight of SwordsThe card describes feeling blocked, so it reads as no for now, though the block may be less fixed than it seems.
Nine of SwordsThe card reflects worry and dread rather than a clear opening, so it reads as no, or as a sign the question is being asked from fear.
Ten of SwordsThe card describes a definite and painful ending, so it answers no to whatever was being hoped for in its current form.
Five of PentaclesThe card describes hardship and exclusion, so it reads as a no for now, though help may be nearer than expected.

How to use a yes-or-no draw

Phrase the question about yourself and what you can do, not about other people’s choices: “Is this the right time for me to ask for the role?” rather than “Will they hire me?”. Draw one card, read its lean, and then read the card itself. The hesitation of the Four of Swords is a call for rest, which is a very different thing from the upheaval of the Tower. Reversed cards are usually read as softening or delaying the lean, and many readers ignore reversals for yes-or-no questions entirely.