In the tables below, you will find yes/no meanings for all 78 cards in the Tarot deck. You need to decide beforehand whether or not you are going to include reversals. In the first column, I have included the yes/no meanings that you can use with a deck where all the cards are in the upright position. I suggest practising with this first, as well as allowing your gut to guide you.
For instance, while the Death card is traditionally one of the main obvious ‘No’ cards if you work with one of the death deities, like Santa Muerte or Hel, it may feel more like a ‘Yes’ to you. In that case, always go on your gut feeling.
Doing yes/no readings based on a binary system that includes reversals is a bit too rigid for how I like to read the Tarot but it works for some. Hence I have included reversals and my take on the upside-down cards in terms of a yes/no response.
Try working both ways. Start with all upright cards for a week or two and then switch to include reversals. If you keep careful notes of your readings, you will soon discern which yes/no system works best for you.
You can learn more about different ways of doing yes/no tarot readings HERE and a list of yes/no meanings specifically for Love Tarot readings HERE.
Yes/No Meanings Major Arcana, Wands and Cups
| Tarot Card | Yes/No Meaning | Upright Meaning | Reversed Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Fool | yes | new beginnings, innocence, spontaneity | recklessness, risk-taking = NO |
| The Magician | yes | manifestation, skill, creativity | manipulation, wasted potential, deception = NO |
| The High Priestess | maybe | intuition and mystery | blocked intuition and confusion = maybe |
| The Empress | yes | femininity, nurturing, fertility, abundance | dependence, smothering, emptiness = NO |
| The Emperor | yes | authority, leadership, structure | excessive control, rigidity, domination |
| The Hierophant | yes | spiritual wisdom, tradition, conformity | rebellion, personal belief, challenging traditions |
| The Lovers | maybe (yes in love reading) | love, harmony, relationships | disharmony, imbalance, hesitancy = NO |
| The Chariot | yes | success, determination, willpower | lack of control, lack of direction = NO |
| Strength | yes | strength, courage, compassion, persuasion | self-doubt, weakness, insecurity, low energy, raw emotion = NO |
| The Hermit | no (yes if asking about a spiritual path) | wisdom, soul searching, spiritual enlightenment | loneliness, isolation, avoidance = NO |
| Wheel of Fortune | yes | good luck, karma, life cycles | bad luck, resistance to change, setbacks = NO |
| Justice | maybe | justice, law, truth, honesty | dishonesty, unfair treatment, imbalance = NO |
| The Hanged Man | maybe/delayed | letting go, spiritual development | discontentment, stagnation = NO |
| Death | no | spiritual transformation, new beginnings | inability to move forward, resistance to change = NO |
| Temperance | maybe | balance, moderation | imbalance, excess = NO |
| The Devil | no | addiction and entrapment | overcoming addiction and regaining power = YES |
| The Tower | no | sudden change, upheaval, chaos, revelation | resisting change, avoiding tragedy, a narrow escape = NO |
| The Star | yes | hope, inspiration, renewal | hopelessness, despair = NO |
| The Moon | no | illusion, fear, anxiety | release of fear, inner confusion = maybe |
| The Sun | yes | happiness, vitality, success | sadness, pessimism, lack of clarity = YES but delayed |
| Judgment | maybe | awakening, decision-making, renewal | self-doubt, stagnation = maybe |
| The World | yes | completion, achievement, fulfillment | lack of closure, delays = NO |
| Ace of Wands | yes | creativity, inspiration, new beginnings | delays, setbacks, creative blocks = NO |
| Two of Wands | maybe | Progress, future planning, decisions | Restlessness, fear of the unknown = NO |
| Three of Wands | yes | progress, expansion, overseas opportunities | playing small, lack of foresight, unexpected delays = NO |
| Four of Wands | yes | celebration, joy, harmony | instability, unhappiness in family = NO |
| Five of Wands | no | Competition, disagreements, challenges | Compromise, sparring, inner tension = maybe |
| Six of Wands | yes | success, victory, recognition | failure, lack of recognition, broken promises = NO |
| Seven of Wands | no | defensiveness, courage, taking a stand | overwhelm, giving up = NO |
| Eight of Wands | yes | swift action and rapid progression | slow progress, missed opportunities = NO |
| Nine of Wands | no | perseverance, stamina, courage | stubbornness, lack of trust = NO |
| Ten of Wands | no | burdened or overwhelmed | release of burdens or letting go of stress = NO |
| Page of Wands | yes | excitement and adventure | bad news and delays = NO |
| Knight of Wands | yes | energy, enthusiasm, bravery, adventure | recklessness, impulsiveness, lack of direction = NO |
| Queen of Wands | yes | confidence, courage, social charisma | jealous, hot-tempered, selfishness = NO |
| King of Wands | yes | natural-born leader, visionary | impulsiveness, high expectations = NO |
| Ace of Cups | yes | new beginnings, happiness, emotional awakening, new love | anguish, emotional repression, loss of self-esteem = NO |
| Two of Cups | yes | partnership, harmony, emotional connection | disharmony, separation = NO |
| Three of Cups | yes | celebration, friendship, happiness | neglected social life, cheating, frustration = NO |
| Four of Cups | no | boredom, stagnation | seizing opportunities, renewed motivation = maybe |
| Five of Cups | no | regret, failure, disappointment, pessimism | personal setbacks, self-forgiveness, moving on = NO |
| Six of Cups | yes | nostalgia, innocence, joy, reconnection | living in the past, lack of playfulness = NO |
| Seven of Cups | no | opportunities, wishful thinking, illusions | re-alignment, overwhelmed by choices = NO |
| Eight of Cups | no | letting go, walking away | stagnant, faking happiness = NO |
| Nine of Cups | Yes | wishes coming true, fulfilled dreams, prosperity | shattered dreams, sadness, failure = NO |
| Ten of Cups | yes | happiness, family, harmony | disharmony, broken family, conflict = NO |
| Page of Cups | yes | idealism, youthfulness, good news | immaturity, broken dreams, creative blocks = NO |
| Knight of Cups | yes | romantic proposals and charm | overactive imagination, jealousy, moody = NO |
| Queen of Cups | yes | emotional security, intuition, compassion | emotional instability, manipulation, insecurity = NO |
| King of Cups | yes | compassionate, diplomatic, emotionally stable | emotionally immature, moody, stressed = NO |
Yes/No Meanings Swords and Pentacles
| Card | Yes/No | Upright Keywords | Reversed Keywords |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ace of Swords | yes | truth, clarity, breakthrough | confusion, defeat, lies = NO |
| Two of Swords | no | decision, stalemate, blocked emotions | indecision, confusion, information overload = NO |
| Three of Swords | no | heartbreak, sorrow, grief | recovery, forgiveness, moving on = NO |
| Four of Swords | maybe | rest, relaxation, meditation | burnout, stress, anxiety = NO |
| Five of Swords | no | conflict, defeat, win at all costs | walking away from conflict = NO |
| Six of Swords | yes | transition, moving on, leaving behind | stuck, unable to move on = NO |
| Seven of Swords | no | deception, strategy, sneakiness | confession, exposure, acceptance = NO |
| Eight of Swords | no | trapped, restricted, victim mentality | liberation, new perspective = maybe |
| Nine of Swords | no | anxiety, worry, fear | reaching out for help, despair = NO |
| Ten of Swords | no | rock bottom, failure, collapse | recovery, starting over, inevitable end = NO |
| Page of Swords | maybe | curiosity, new ideas, thirst for knowledge | deception, all talk = NO |
| Knight of Swords | no | action, impulsiveness, defending beliefs | anger, aggression, recklessness = NO |
| Queen of Swords | no | independent, unbiased judgment, clear boundaries | cold, bitter, unforgiving, sharp-tongued = NO |
| King of Swords | yes | clear thinking, intellectual power, authority, objectivity | misuse of power, irrational, lacking clarity = NO |
| Ace of Pentacles | yes | new financial opportunity, prosperity | lost opportunity, lack of planning = NO |
| Two of Pentacles | maybe | balancing decisions, priorities | imbalance, disorganization = NO |
| Three of Pentacles | yes | teamwork, collaboration, building | lack of teamwork, disorganised = NO |
| Four of Pentacles | no | financial security, frugality | greed, materialism = NO |
| Five of Pentacles | no | financial loss, poverty, insecurity | recovery, chronic disease = NO |
| Six of Pentacles | yes | generosity, charity, sharing wealth | selfishness, debt, unpaid loans = NO |
| Seven of Pentacles | delayed | long-term view, perseverance | lack of long-term vision, restriction = NO |
| Eight of Pentacles | yes | apprenticeship, mastery, honing skills | perfectionism, lack of ambition = NO |
| Nine of Pentacles | yes | luxury, self-sufficiency, culmination | showing off, empty success = NO |
| Ten of Pentacles | yes | wealth, family, legacy, inheritance | family disputes, financial failure = NO |
| Page of Pentacles | yes | manifestation, financial opportunity | lack of progress, procrastination = NO |
| Knight of Pentacles | maybe | hard work, productivity, conservatism | stagnation, boredom, feeling stuck = NO |
| Queen of Pentacles | yes | nurturing, practical, providing financially | financial independence, self-care |
| King of Pentacles | yes | wealth, business, leadership, security | financially inept, greedy = NO |
