Tarot suits and numbers for beginners
Give yourself two things to notice before trying to remember an entire card meaning: its suit and its number. Treat them as clues, then check your own deck’s guidebook.
By Jana, creator of Witchroom & The Paper Grimoire
See the practice tools →Use your deck as the reference
Many familiar tarot decks group the Minor Arcana into Wands, Cups, Swords and Pentacles, with names and imagery that can vary. A common starting association is action for Wands, feelings for Cups, thinking for Swords and practical matters for Pentacles. These are study prompts, not fixed definitions that override the picture or your deck’s author.
Compare before you memorise
Place two cards of the same number from different suits side by side. Notice what the people are doing, the setting and the mood. What feels similar? What changes with the suit? Write one observation for each card before reading. This keeps the exercise connected to the artwork instead of turning it into a list of words to recite.
Make a tiny study session
Choose one numbered card. Write its suit, number and three visible details. Add the guidebook’s central idea in your own words, then one everyday example. Five minutes with one card is enough for a session. When you revisit it, compare your notes rather than judging whether you got the only correct answer.
Keep court cards separate
Pages, Knights, Queens and Kings are court cards rather than another numbered sequence. You can explore them through roles, attitudes or ways of responding, depending on the reading and deck. If they feel confusing, practise with a dedicated court-card reference rather than forcing them into your number notes.
Choose the tool that matches the task
A suits-and-numbers reference supports comparison and review. A beginner workbook supports a daily practice routine; a questions pack helps you decide what to ask. Check each listing for its actual pages and paper sizes. Printable study references are digital files: they do not include a physical deck or a posted book.
A little structure for your practice.
Choose a tool for the part you want help with. These printables are digital downloads; no physical deck is included. Current contents, price and checkout are on Etsy.