Tarot & Divination

Tarot Spreads & Layouts: How to Lay and Read the Cards

A tarot spread is the pattern you lay the cards in — each position asks a different question, and the card that lands there answers it. Here are the most useful spreads, what each position means, and a free reader to try any of them right now.

You do not need a big, complicated layout to read tarot well. Most readings use one to five cards. The skill is less about memorizing positions and more about reading the cards in relationship to each other and to your question. Pick a spread below, then draw it in our free tarot reading.

One Card

1 card · A single card for a quick, focused answer or a nudge in the right direction.

  1. Your Card: The heart of the matter.
Try the One Card spread →

Yes or No

1 card · Ask a yes-or-no question and let one card weigh in, with a clear verdict.

  1. The Answer: The card's verdict on your question.
Try the Yes or No spread →

Past / Present / Future

3 cards · The classic three-card line: where you have been, where you are, and where things are heading.

  1. Past: What led here — the roots of the situation.
  2. Present: Where things stand right now.
  3. Future: The direction of travel if nothing changes.
Try the Past / Present / Future spread →

Situation / Action / Outcome

3 cards · A decision spread: the lay of the land, the move to make, and where it likely leads.

  1. Situation: The real shape of what you are facing.
  2. Action: The most useful thing you can do about it.
  3. Outcome: Where that action tends to lead.
Try the Situation / Action / Outcome spread →

Five-Card Cross

5 cards · A fuller picture: you, the challenge, what it rests on, the advice, and the likely outcome.

  1. You: You, and your part in the situation.
  2. Challenge: The obstacle or tension to reckon with.
  3. Foundation: What the situation is built on.
  4. Advice: The guidance the cards offer.
  5. Outcome: Where this is most likely heading.
Try the Five-Card Cross spread →

Draw a spread now

Choose any spread in the reader below, hold your question in mind, and draw. Each card links to its full meaning in the 78-card dictionary.

✦ Free Tarot Reading

Draw your cards

Pick a spread, hold your question in mind, and draw. Cards are shuffled in your browser with a cryptographic random, and reversed cards are included by default.

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Choose a spread

The classic three-card line: where you have been, where you are, and where things are heading.

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Tarot is a tool for reflection and interest, not fortune-telling or professional advice.