How to Read Tarot Cards to Analyze Relationships: 16 Insightful Spreads

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Tap into your intuition and the magick of tarot cards for powerful revelations about romance or important bonds

Co-authored by Kalem Turner and Madeleine Flamiano

Last Updated: February 7, 2025 Fact Checked

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• Spreads for a Current Relationship
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• Spreads for a Future Love Connection
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• Spreads for a Past Romance
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• Spreads for General Relationship Guidance
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• What Kinds Of Questions Can You Ask In a Tarot Reading?
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• Expert Interview
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• Expert Q&A

|Show more |Show less

Want to see what's in the cards for your relationship? Then try out some tarot spreads for some cosmic clarity that can lift your spirits or address some burning questions. If you're wondering if you're in a bind or an open-hearted connection, these tarot layouts can spell it out for you. So, pull out your deck to look into a current, future, or past relationship and see if it's right for you. The words of wisdom from these layouts might be all you need to take charge of your love life or your social circle.

Things You Should Know

• The purpose of relationship tarot spreads is to reflect on the status of a connection, learn about future lovers, or consider how to repair dynamics.
• Use a relationship tarot spread to learn about how to enhance your bonds with others, whether they're romantic, familial, or platonic.
• Tarot spreads can offer you hints about your future as well as the emotional truths of those around you.

Steps

Section 1 of 4:

Spreads for a Current Relationship

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1. 
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   The “What’s Our Future Together?” Spread (11 Cards). If you’re a little iffy about your love life or you just want some extra reassurance, try this layout. It’ll help you reflect on your own stance on your SO as well as their current outlook. Plus, it’ll also predict what will likely happen in the near future and peer into the long-term potential of your dynamic. For a full picture of your partnership, draw 11 cards:

   • Row 1 (Cards 1-3): What is my perspective on our connection?
   • Row 2 (Cards 4-6): How does my partner feel about our relationship?
   • Row 3 (Cards 7-9): What are my significant other’s intentions here?
   • Card 10: What will be the short-term outcome of our love life?
   • Card 11: What will be the long-term outcome of partnership?
   • Love tarot? Take this quiz to discover which tarot card truly matches your personality.
2. 
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   The “Support, Spark, and Sex” Spread (7 Cards). When you want to ignite your romance so it’s one for the ages, check out this layout. It’ll be a real deep dive and cover everything from your emotional needs to your dynamic as a team. Plus, it’ll even throw in tricks to turn up the heat in the bedroom. So, if you’re craving a side of excitement with your cosmic insight, draw 7 cards:

   • Card 1: What do I need right now?
   • Card 2: What does my partner need right now?
   • Card 3: How can we satisfy each other’s needs?
   • Card 4: What is our strength as a team?
   • Card 5: What will our relationship be like in the near future?
   • Card 6: What’s a fun foreplay idea to fire up our sexual tension?
   • Card 7: What energy should we invite into our love life to spice it up?
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   The “Relationship Issues” Spread (6 cards). If you sense that your love life could use a little tune-up, turn to your tarot cards and your spirit guides. This layout will help you navigate any obstacles in your dynamic, such as the creeping realization that your marriage is in dire need of passion, so you and your partner can get back on track. To take a sober look at your relationship in order to keep it as stress-free as can be, draw 6 cards:

   • Card 1: What’s the best way to describe our relationship right now?
   • Card 2: What’s the disharmony that’s occurring in this dynamic?
   • Card 3: What are our challenges illuminating for us? What’s the lesson here?
   • Card 4: How am I contributing to our issues?
   • Card 5: What do we need to fix so we can enjoy ourselves?
   • Card 6: What should we do to move forward?
4. 
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   The “Twin Flame” Spread (5 Cards). If you’ve already determined that your SO is your twin flame, then consult this layout to keep the fire alive. Since twin flame connections are scorching hot but also super intense, reviewing your tarot cards is a great way to nip any challenges in the bud. If your twin flame also happens to be your spouse, then this spread is especially helpful for your marriage. To nurture and preserve your life-changing dynamic, draw 5 cards:

   • Card 1: What is my archetypal energy—who am I to this person?
   • Card 2: What is their archetypal energy—what is this person to me?
   • Card 3: What is our shared destiny moving forward?
   • Card 4: What past life energy are we bringing to this dynamic?
   • Card 5: What is our karmic lesson for this incarnation?
   • Love tarot? Take this quiz to discover which tarot card truly matches your personality.
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Section 2 of 4:

Spreads for a Future Love Connection

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1. 
   1
   The “Lookin’ For Love” Spread (7 Cards). When you’re feeling deeply reflective and want to mull over your past to prepare for a better future, try this one out. While it might be a little uncomfortable to walk down memory lane, it’s for the best because your next relationship will be so much better. To prepare for your amazing connection, draw 7 cards:

   • Card 1: What are the lessons I’ve learned from my past relationships?
   • Card 2: What am I looking for now?
   • Card 3: What does my heart truly desire?
   • Card 4: What will my new partner’s personality be like?
   • Card 5: What will my first impression of them be?
   • Card 6: What will their first impression be of me?
   • Card 7: What do my spirit guides want to tell me about our future?
2. 
   2
   The “Who Are You To Me?” Spread (6 Cards). Maybe you’re casually dating or want to give a good-looking stranger a shot. Before you go “all in,” you might want to get some advice from your deck first. This layout will outline the reason this person popped up and tell you how they’ll play a part in your life. To get better acquainted with them, draw 6 cards:

   • Card 1: Why is this person here?
   • Card 2: What is their intention?
   • Card 3: Will this person be important to me in the long run?
   • Card 4: Are they going to be supportive?
   • Card 5: Am I here to help this person?
   • Card 6: What will I experience with them?
3. 
   3
   The “Future Lovers” Spread (7 Cards). If you want to get a clearer idea of who your new flame will be, your tarot guides are happy to give you a teaser. Not only will it reveal what your heart is open to, but it’ll also give you some insight about what your future SO is looking for. Who knows—even marriage might be in the cards. When you’re on the edge of your seat and need a tasty sampler, draw 7 cards:

   • Card 1: Who will I be in this new relationship?
   • Card 2: Who will they be in our relationship?
   • Card 3: What am I looking for in a lover?
   • Card 4: What are they looking for in a lover?
   • Card 5: What do I really want in a dynamic?
   • Card 6: What do they really want in a relationship?
   • Card 7: What is our relationship destined to be like?
4. 
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   The “Soulmate” Spread (9 Cards). When you want to get really transcendent, skip over casual flings, and get a peek at your soulmate, this layout’s for you. It’ll give you the run-down of a connection you’re bound to experience and even delve into the past life you shared together. To dive deep to find your destined mate, draw 9 cards and form 3 rows:

   • Card 1: What’s the best way to describe my soulmate?
   • Card 2: What kind of relationship did we have in a past life?
   • Card 3: Why is this person here in this current lifetime?
   • Cards 4, 5, and 6: What can my spirit guides say about our soul contract?
   • Card 7: What important lesson is this person teaching me?
   • Card 8: How can we deepen our relationship?
   • Card 9: How can I help them grow?
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Section 3 of 4:

Spreads for a Past Romance

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1. 
   1
   The “Break Up Clarity” Spread (4 Cards). After a relationship ends and everything’s still fresh, you might be in a haze or a fog. Even if a good bit of time has gone by, you might be left with a ton of questions. In either case, this layout has your back. It’ll address your burning questions and try to ease your heart with some answers. For guidance that’ll hopefully soothe your mind, draw 4 cards:

   • Card 1: What’s the best way to describe the end of our relationship?
   • Card 2: How can I start my healing journey?
   • Card 3: What lesson did this relationship teach me?
   • Card 4: What can I look forward to after I restore myself?
2. 
   2
   The “Will They Come Back to Me?” Spread. (2 Cards) If you don’t want your tarot cards to pull any punches, this layout is ultra-straightforward. When you want to know if there’s still hope or if it’s best for you to just move on, all you’ve got to do is pull a couple of cards. Seriously, that’s it—draw 2 cards for your answer:

   • Card 1: Are there any factors pulling us apart?
   • Card 2: Will we ultimately come back together?
3. 
   3
   The “Get Your Ex Back” Spread (10 Cards). When you’re in the mood to give a former SO another go, this layout will provide an action plan. Learn about the headspace you’re in, steps you can take to salvage your connection, and a general read on what your ex is feeling right now. To get some rich insight on how to score your old lover, draw 9 cards, split them into 3 rows, and pull 1 “summary” card:

   • Cards 1-3: What situation am I currently in? How am I feeling?
   • Cards 4-6: What are some steps I can take to get my ex back?
   • Cards 7-9: What does my ex feel about me?
   • Card 10: What is the overall energy we’re both sharing right now?
4. 
   4
   The “Getting Over An Ex” Spread (5 Cards). If you’ve made a resolution to put the past behind you, then this layout will help you come to terms with your break up. It will help you release yourself from any unhelpful attachments and look forward to the future. To let go of the pain of a split and find healing, draw 5 cards:

   • Card 1: What lesson do I need to learn from this break up?
   • Card 2: What can I do to find peace right now?
   • Card 3: How can I forgive myself and my ex?
   • Card 4: When will I be ready for my next relationship?
   • Card 5: How can I prepare for my next relationship?
5. 
   5
   The “Release and Let Go” Spread (7 Cards). If you want to move on, but you’re experiencing some emotional blockages, this layout will help you remove them and illuminate a way out. Take a deep breath and know that you have a beautiful future in store for you. To take a leap of faith and release the past, draw 7 cards:

   • Card 1: What am I feeling right now?
   • Card 2: Why am I feeling it so strongly?
   • Card 3: How can I release this feeling?
   • Card 4: What is the feeling transforming into?
   • Card 5: How can I rise above?
   • Card 6: What is my new beginning?
   • Card 7: What have I learned?
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Section 4 of 4:

Spreads for General Relationship Guidance

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1. 
   1
   The "Fairweather or Forever?" Spread (8 Cards). If things have been iffy with your buddy lately, then your tarot cards can tell you if that's just a fluke or a red flag. Since it's important to have real allies on your side and to distance yourself from anyone who only makes a half-hearted effort, this layout will help you sort everything out. Draw 8 cards and form a circle to reflect on any platonic connections you're curious about:

   • Card 1: What's a good way to describe our history together?
   • Card 2: What do we have in common? / In what way are we compatible?
   • Card 3: What are our differences? / What separates us from each other?
   • Card 4: How do they see me?
   • Card 5: How do I see them?
   • Card 6: What's the current state of our friendship?
   • Card 7: Will they be there when I really need it?
   • Card 8: What's the most likely outcome of our connection?
2. 
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   The "Magickal Rapport" Spread (3 Cards). Want some divine assistance to get on someone's good side? Whether they're a co-worker, a sibling, or a cute stranger, this layout has got your back. Get a pithy dose of wisdom with just a few cards and figure out how to score major brownie points. Draw 3 cards and form a line to figure out the best way to this person's heart:

   • Card 1: How can I deepen my connection with this person?
   • Card 2: What can we both gain if we relate better with each other?
   • Card 3: What action should I take right now to win this person over?
3. 
   3
   The “Should They Be Trusted?” Spread (5 Cards). Has someone just decided to walk back into your life? Maybe you’re not entirely sure you should welcome them in. To make a choice that’s truly in your best interest, let your tarot cards give you some real talk. Draw 5 cards and form a cross to see if your heart should be open to this individual:

   • Card 1: Why is this person coming back into my life?
   • Card 2: What is this person’s intentions?
   • Card 3: Should I trust this person again?
   • Card 4: Will it be beneficial for me to start a relationship with them again?
   • Card 5: What advice do my spirit guides want to give me?
4. 
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   The “Listen to Your Heart” Spread (4 Cards). Are you in the midst of the storm, so to speak, and have a lot of mixed feelings? If you're not quite sure if a particular person should be in your life, this layout will help you cut through all the noise. With its gentle guidance, you’ll be able to drop into your heart and tap into your intuition. For a quick but poignant revelation, draw 4 cards:

   • Card 1: What is my driving emotion right now?
   • Card 2: What’s a hidden, deeper emotion that I need to acknowledge?
   • Card 3: What is my heart whispering?
   • Card 4: What do my guardian angels want me to know?
5. 
   5
   The “Healing a Relationship” Spread (6 Cards). If you know that, deep down, you want to mend things, then this layout will support you. It will enlighten you about where you and someone else are energetically, then provide guidance about how to get back in alignment with each other. To recover from a rift, whether it’s with a partner, friend, colleague, or relative, draw 6 cards:

   • Card 1: What is my energy in this connection?
   • Card 2: What is the other person’s energy in this connection?
   • Card 3: What is the greatest challenge that we are facing?
   • Card 4: Where do our energies align?
   • Card 5: How can we heal our connection?
   • Card 6: How can I communicate this to this person?
6. 
   6
   The "Family Tree" Spread (9 Cards). If you'd like to branch out and learn about how those in your bloodline impact your quality of life, try out this layout. It'll delve into ways that both your parents influence you and highlight how your ancestry has shaped who you are today. To get a glimpse of your destiny by analyzing family dynamics, draw 10 cards and form an upside down pyramid:

   • Card 1: What's a blessing from my mother's bloodline?
   • Card 2: What's a challenge from my mother's bloodline?
   • Card 3: What's a blessing from my father's bloodline?
   • Card 4: What's a challenge from my father's bloodline?
   • Card 5: What's a talent I've been gifted with from my mother's bloodline?
   • Card 6: What's a talent I've been gifted with from my father's bloodline?
   • Card 7: How can I cultivate these talents?
   • Card 8: What advice do my ancestors want to give me about my family?
   • Card 9: What is my ancestors' overall perspective about my family?
   • Card 10: How well am I aligned with my ancestors? Do I need to work harder to connect with them?
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What Kinds Of Questions Can You Ask In a Tarot Reading?

Expert Q&A

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• Question

  What's the easiest way to interpret tarot cards?

  

  Kalem Turner
  Astrologer, Tarot Reader, and Palmist

  Kalem Turner is an astrologer, tarot reader, and palmist based in Edinburgh, Scotland. With over 13 years of experience, Kalem has read for thousands of people around the world, providing future predictions and life guidance. He offers email and in-person 1:1 fortune-telling sessions that combine palmistry, astrology, and tarot to create a comprehensive, traditional reading to help anyone create their own path. Kalem is also Scotland’s #1 Palmist and a divination teacher, offering online courses, resources, and a free newsletter on palmistry and tarot divination.

  

  Kalem Turner

  Astrologer, Tarot Reader, and Palmist

  Expert Answer

  I'd say the easiest and most effective way to start reading cards is to focus on simplicity and intuition. Pull three cards and read their individual meaning first, and then weave them together into a single, cohesive story or piece of advice. This helps you connect to the core message without getting lost in complex spread rules, especially if you're just starting out.

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