What are good questions to ask tarot cards?

Good tarot questions are open-ended (starting with what, how, or why), focused on yourself rather than other people, and specific enough to guide the reading without being so narrow the cards have no room to answer. For example: 'What do I need to know about this job opportunity?' rather than 'Will I get the job?'

Can you ask tarot yes or no questions?

Yes, but open-ended questions almost always produce more useful readings. If you do ask a yes/no question, choose a single clarifying card and look at its overall energy — upright tends toward yes, reversed tends toward no — then read it in full context.

Should tarot questions be about yourself or other people?

Focus on yourself. Tarot works best when you center questions on your own actions, perspective, and path. Questions about what other people are thinking or feeling put you in a passive position and rarely produce actionable guidance.

How specific should a tarot question be?

Aim for the middle ground: specific enough to focus the reading, but broad enough to let the cards surprise you. 'What do I need to know about my career direction this year?' works well. 'Will I get a promotion on March 15?' is too narrow for tarot.

Can you ask tarot the same question twice?

Asking the same question repeatedly in one session usually produces muddled answers because it signals anxiety rather than genuine inquiry. If the first reading felt unclear, try rephrasing the question or asking a follow-up question that goes deeper into one aspect of the original answer.

How to Ask Tarot Cards a Question: Guide with 50 Example Questions

The number one reason tarot readings feel vague or unhelpful isn’t the cards. It’s the question.

A poorly phrased question gets a scattered answer. A clear, specific question gets an answer you can actually use. The difference between “Tell me about my love life” and “What can I do to feel more confident in dating?” is the difference between a shrug and a roadmap.

Good news: asking better tarot questions is a skill, and it takes about five minutes to learn.

The 4 rules of good tarot questions

Rule 1: Make it open-ended

The best tarot questions start with what, how, where, or why. These invite the cards to tell a story rather than deliver a one-word answer.

Instead of this	Ask this
Will I get the job?	What do I need to know about this job opportunity?
Does he love me?	What is the energy between us right now?
Am I making the right choice?	What will each option lead to?

Yes/no questions have their place, but open-ended questions almost always produce richer, more useful readings.

Rule 2: Focus on yourself

Tarot works best when the question centers on you — your actions, your perspective, your path. Asking about other people’s thoughts, feelings, or intentions puts you in the position of spying rather than seeking insight.

Instead of this	Ask this
What is he thinking about me?	What do I need to understand about this connection?
Why did she leave?	What lesson does this ending hold for me?
Will they change?	How can I respond to this situation in a way that serves me?

This isn’t just an ethical point — it’s practical. You can’t control other people. You can control yourself. Questions about yourself give you actionable answers.

Rule 3: Stay empowered

Frame questions so the answer gives you agency. Avoid questions that position you as a passive recipient of fate.

Instead of this	Ask this
Why does this always happen to me?	What pattern am I repeating, and how can I break it?
When will my luck change?	What can I do to shift the energy in my life?
Will things get better?	What steps can I take to improve this situation?

The cards can show you the forces at work. But the most useful readings are the ones that tell you what you can do about them.

Rule 4: Be specific (but not too specific)

Too vague: “What’s happening in my life?” (The cards would need a novel to answer that.)

Too specific: “Will the hiring manager at XYZ Corp call me at 3 PM on Thursday?” (Tarot doesn’t do scheduling.)

Just right: “What do I need to know about my career direction over the next few months?”

The sweet spot is specific enough to focus the reading, broad enough to let the cards surprise you.

50 questions you can use right now

Love and relationships (15 questions)

What energy am I bringing into my love life right now?
What’s blocking me from finding a meaningful connection?
What does my current relationship need most?
How can I improve communication with my partner?
What should I know before starting to date again?
What’s the potential of this new connection I’m feeling?
How can I heal from my last relationship?
What does a healthy relationship look like for me?
What pattern in my relationships needs to change?
What do I need to let go of to attract the right person?
How can I feel more secure in my relationship?
What role am I playing in the conflicts in my partnership?
What does my heart truly want in love right now?
How can I balance independence and partnership?
What would strengthen the trust between us?

Career and finances (10 questions)

What do I need to know about my career path right now?
What’s the best way to approach this work challenge?
How can I create more financial stability?
What skill or strength should I focus on developing?
Is this business idea aligned with my purpose?
What’s holding me back professionally?
How can I find more fulfillment in my work?
What should I know before making this financial decision?
What career opportunity am I not seeing?
How can I handle this difficult work relationship?

Personal growth and self-discovery (15 questions)

What does my higher self want me to know today?
What am I avoiding that needs my attention?
What’s the lesson I’m currently learning?
How can I build more confidence in myself?
What fear is holding me back, and how can I face it?
What part of myself am I not acknowledging?
How can I create better boundaries?
What does self-care look like for me right now?
What old belief is it time to release?
How can I align my daily life with my deeper values?
What does my shadow self need me to understand?
What’s the next step in my personal growth?
How can I forgive myself or others for what happened?
What am I most grateful for that I’m overlooking?
What would change if I truly accepted myself?

Daily guidance (10 questions)

What energy should I focus on today?
What challenge might come up, and how should I handle it?
What do I need to be mindful of today?
What’s the most important thing for me to do today?
What message do the cards have for me this morning?
How can I make the most of this day?
What should I let go of before starting this day?
What opportunity should I watch for today?
What intention would serve me best right now?
What does my intuition want me to hear?

Questions to avoid

Some questions consistently produce unhelpful readings:

Timing questions with specific dates. “When will I meet my soulmate?” Tarot is terrible at calendar dates. Instead: “What can I do to prepare for love when it arrives?”

Questions about other people’s inner worlds. “What is my ex thinking about me right now?” You can’t know this, and the cards can’t ethically tell you. Instead: “What do I need to understand about this connection for my own growth?”

Questions seeking permission. “Should I break up with them?” Tarot can show you the dynamics, the consequences, and the energy — but the decision is always yours. Instead: “What do I need to see clearly about this relationship?”

Questions you already know the answer to. If you’re asking “Should I leave this toxic job?” and you already feel the answer in your gut, you’re not seeking guidance — you’re seeking permission. The cards will usually confirm what you already know and nudge you to trust yourself.

The one-question technique

If you’re struggling to formulate a question, try this: sit quietly for a moment and ask yourself, “What am I actually worried about right now?” Whatever surfaces — that’s your question. Wrap it in a “What do I need to know about…” frame, and you’re ready.

The feeling behind the question matters more than the exact wording. If your heart is asking about love but your words are asking about career, the cards tend to answer the heart. Be honest about what you actually want to know.

Practice exercise

Right now, think of a situation in your life that’s been on your mind. Write down the first question that comes to you — don’t filter it.

Now rewrite it using the four rules:

Is it open-ended? If not, rephrase with “what” or “how”
Is it focused on you? If not, redirect to your own actions and feelings
Is it empowering? If not, reframe so the answer gives you something to do
Is it specific enough? If not, narrow the focus

That second version — the rewritten question — is what you bring to your deck. The difference in the quality of your reading will be immediate.