Everything You Need to Know About Your Mercury Sign

Once you’ve learned all about your sun, moon, and rising signs, it’s time to explore the rest of your birth chart. One often overlooked, but crucial, aspect is your Mercury sign. Just as your sun sign indicates the zodiac sign the sun was in when you were born, your Mercury sign indicates the zodiac sign that Mercury was in when you were born.

How to find your Mercury sign

As you probably remember from science class, Mercury is the fastest-moving planet in our solar system. In astrology, Mercury generally spends two to three weeks in each zodiac sign (and up to twice as long when it’s Mercury retrograde); compare this to the sun, which spends roughly one month in each zodiac sign. This means that babies born three weeks apart will often have the same sun sign, but different Mercury signs. And to find your Mercury sign, you’ll need to input your birth date, including the year, into a free birth chart calculator.

Mercury in astrology

In astrology, Mercury is the planet of communication, intelligence, expression, and technology. The zodiac sign Mercury was in when you were born informs how you approach these areas of life. For example, if your Mercury sign is Gemini, you’ll likely be talkative, witty, and curious. And if your Mercury sign is Cancer, you’ll probably speak less often and be more careful with what you say.

As you might know, there’s this little thing called Mercury retrograde to keep in mind, too. Three or four times a year, Mercury appears to move backwards and retrace its orbit from our POV here on earth. When Mercury is retrograde, all those areas of life that Mercury rules can go a little haywire—think texting the wrong person, missing your flight, or having a major disagreement over a minor miscommunication. If you were born during Mercury retrograde, you might express yourself in a unique way that feels different from the way others communicate.

Mercury in your birth chart

Mercury in Aries

If your Mercury sign is Aries, then you communicate in a bold and direct way. When you feel something strongly, you show it—both in the words that you say and the way that you say (and text) them. Think shouting when you’re angry or using all the emojis when you’re in a silly mood. You can be impulsive and might have a tendency to speak before you think things through. If there’s an awkward silence, you’re often the one to break it.

Mercury in Taurus

With your Mercury in Taurus, you communicate carefully and deliberately. You always think before you speak and you choose your words carefully. Once you’ve voiced your opinion, you stand by it. People hate debating you because you never back down and don’t show anger. You simply stand your ground calmly. You can also be very expressive and even poetic and are likely drawn to the arts.

Mercury in Gemini

Communication is your forte. You’re talkative, expressive, and intelligent. You make connections lightning-fast and you have a witty sense of humor. You love playing with language—think puns, references, and rhymes. You can easily captivate a room when you talk. Whether speaking or writing, expression is your strength and maybe even your career path.

Mercury in Cancer

If your Mercury sign is Cancer, you lead with sensitivity. As soon as you speak, everyone can immediately see how caring you are. You’re the one checking in with people when they’re quiet to ask if they’re feeling okay—and there’s something about the way you ask that gets them to open up. You tend to be more introverted, listening and observing more than you talk.

Mercury in Leo

With your Mercury in Leo, you’re outgoing and expressive. Without even trying, you command the room every time you talk. You have a flair for the dramatic and your charisma is off the charts. You express yourself creatively and are likely drawn to acting, singing, or dancing—anything that puts you in the spotlight. With all your flair, people might miss how you’re also generous and observant, inviting others into the conversation and spotlight with you.

Mercury in Virgo

As a Virgo Mercury, you’re careful and precise with the way you speak. You choose your words carefully in order to best express yourself. Thanks to your analytical mind, you’re very observant and can pick up on interpersonal dynamics between others easily. You take the time to listen carefully before weighing in—if you weigh in at all. You don’t like to rock the boat and might choose to keep your thoughts to yourself.

Mercury in Libra

If your Mercury sign is Libra, you’re a social butterfly. You’re charming and flirtatious, and you’re able to adapt to any social situation. Libra is represented by the scales of justice, and your passion for fairness and your diplomacy skills make you an expert mediator. You can often be found smoothing over a disagreement between two friends or averting an argument before it even begins.

Mercury in Scorpio

Thanks to your Scorpio Mercury, you’re naturally guarded, preferring to keep your thoughts to yourself unless you’re with your closest loved ones. You need plenty of alone time and can easily get overwhelmed when others are talking over each other. You’re very observant and intuitive, and you can easily pick up on what’s left unspoken. When you’re angry, you can be cold and cutting, striking back with a carefully-worded insult that will resonate for days.

Mercury in Sagittarius

With your Mercury in Sagittarius, you’re talkative, curious, and philosophical. You often speak before thinking and can accidentally be overly blunt. The phrase “put your foot in your mouth” applies to you frequently. But thanks to your charisma and optimism, people can often move past your accidental missteps. You have a unique and even chaotic way of speaking; nobody’s mind works quite like yours.

Mercury in Capricorn

As a Capricorn Mercury, you’re practical and direct. You don’t like to waste time on small talk; you want to get to the point immediately. This approach means that others might think you’re bossy and demanding. While you approach most topics seriously, you have a hilarious and dark sense of humor that can surface when you’re around your trusted inner circle.

Mercury in Aquarius

Mercury in Aquarius gives you a unique and even eccentric way of seeing the world and communicating your thoughts. You make connections that no one else would think of and often seem to be light-years ahead of everyone else. You’re intelligent and might feel drawn to science and technology. Although you can seem cool and aloof to others, inside you’re incredibly passionate about making the world a better place.

Mercury in Pisces

You can thank your Mercury in Pisces for your tendency to walk around with your head in the clouds. You tend to get distracted by daydreams and can forget the practical matters of day-to-day life. You have an imaginative, poetic, and even whimsical way of communicating. Emotional intelligence is one of your strengths, and your friends often turn to you for advice.