Mercury is the messenger planet of communication, coordination, creative expression, and information processing. It is called to mind (and to blame) during its thrice-annual retrograde, when smoothness is traded for chaos, we feel compelled to text our exes, connecting flights get canceled, and toddlers accidentally livestream their naked parents.
Depending on your date and time of birth, Mercury was traveling through one of the 12 zodiac signs.
Because Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, it will naturally fall in the same sign as the Sun or in the sign that proceeds or precedes it. For example, if your Sun is in Scorpio, your Mercury will fall in Libra, Scorpio, or Sagittarius.
The meaning of Mercury in the birth chart
The placement of Mercury within the birth chart indicates how we learn, what conjures our curiosity, the kind of information we exchange, and how we relate and respond to the world at large.
Trash-talking or sonnet-spinning, Mercury reveals the style of transmission we favor, and because we lead with language, our Mercury placement informs the first impressions we make and receive.
In myth, Mercury, for the Romans or Hermes for the Greeks, was the messenger of the gods whose communicative route spanned from the peaks of Mount Olympus to the depths of the underworld.
Similar in scope, the influence of Mercury can serve the lower modes of gossip, slander, and text abbreviation, or the better angels of poetry, karaoke, and universal human communion.
To glean an even deeper understanding of how Mercurial energy manifests in your life, refer to your birth chart to see which of the Astrological Houses the planet falls in.
Mercury in Aries
Fast and ever forward are the modalities of Mercury in Aries.
The energy here is direct and efficient, bordering on brisk and impatient. Folks with this placement do not hesitate to engage in verbal sparring. While they are quick to quarrel, they are equally quick to forgive, and what they lack in pleasantries or subtlety, they more than make up for in enthusiasm and responsiveness.
It is precisely the speed of their reaction time that earns them the distinction of being most likely to put a foot in their mouth or book title back on the shelf, as illustrated by Mercury in Aries native Jamie Lynn Spears.
Mercury in Taurus
Slow and multisensory are the hallmarks of Mercury in Taurus. Because they appear to take time and care in choosing their words, people pay attention to them. On a low level, they resort to sarcasm and punctuate conversations with gratuitous eye-rolling.
Because Taurus rules the throat, those with this placement tend to have melodious speaking voices. That sound, coupled with their measured words, makes for a quietly commanding communication style.
Cases in point: the languid linguistics of acclaimed British actor Malcolm McDowell and the literal voice of god Morgan Freeman, both Mercury in Taurus natives.
Mercury in Gemini
Mercury is right at home in Gemini as it is the planetary ruler of the sign. Those with this placement are natural conversationalists.
Witty, curious, and entertaining, they enjoy playing with language and toying with people.
They bore easily and learn best from highly stimulating teachers and environments. Their interests are broad-reaching, and as such, their communication can be perceived as rapid-fire and a touch scattershot.
For evidence, see this interview with Mercury in Gemini native Stellan Skarsg?rd, in which he name-drops Liam Neeson and talks about general genital comfort.
Mercury in Cancer
As the R.E.M. song says, “Everybody Hurts,” but nobody communicates or receives woundedness more beautifully than those with this watery Mercury placement.
Because Cancer is a pensive sign, the communication style of these folks is marked by quiet contemplation, excellent listening skills, and a frightening ability to recall almost anything that made them feel something.
Emotionally intuitive and prone to caretaking, they make others feel safe enough to share. However, their ability to absorb can sometimes make it challenging for them to make quick decisions or respond directly; they must retreat and isolate to process.
Mercury in Leo
The world’s a stage and conversation a great performance for those with this Mercury placement.
With the creative forces of Leo behind them, their communication style is bold, equal parts gregarious and self-aggrandizing. Mercury in Leo is nothing if not persuasive, easily galvanizing the masses with their heartfelt bluster and natural flair for the dramatic.
Critique is the natural enemy of this deeply sensitive lot.
Consider big-game hunting, tall-tale telling, allergic-to-criticism Mercury in Leo native Ernest Hemingway.
Mercury in Virgo
Mercury is the ruler of and exalted in Virgo, meaning it can express itself to its full potential.
These folks tend to be analytically oriented and painstakingly precise, high-strung, and highly organized.
Detail-oriented, they love research and conducting it in rooms with clean lines, hand-hewn coffee mugs, and muted wall colors. So adept are they at communicating, organizing and absorbing that they run the risk of taking on too much, believing that no one can do it better.
Mercury in Libra
Mercury in Libra is the placement of the natural diplomat.
This crew seeks equanimity and conflict resolution even — and especially — at the expense of difficult truths.
Averse to extreme opinions, they make for excellent negotiators, always considering the other side of an argument and ever seeking the middle ground.
The shadow side of this quality is an inability to resist the role of the devil’s advocate, a habit that makes it difficult for them to make decisions or choose sides — a fact exhibited by momager, public peacekeeper, and Mercury in Libra native Kris Jenner.
Mercury in Scorpio
If Mercury in Scorpio were an inanimate object, it would be a shovel.
These folks are driven in communication to get to the truth and the dark beating heart of all things. Because of that, they are keenly observant and highly suspicious.
Mercury in Scorpio folks do not shy away from difficult subject matter; they are oxygenated by secrets and offer sound advice. They have little patience for superficiality and communicate distaste with dismissive body language and withering facial expressions, made evident by Mercury in Scorpio native Whoopi Goldberg.
Mercury in Sagittarius
You can’t keep a good man down — or a Mercury in Sagittarius native from seeing the sunny side of life. Their buoyant optimism is an airborne contagion, convincing even the hardened that what can be dreamt can be done.
This relentless positivity is also their weak point, preventing them from seeing how failure is possible. Passionate, their conversational style can sometimes read as blunt and impatient. Moralistic by nature, they venerate the truth above all things — most notably, tact.
Mercury in Capricorn
Mercury in Capricorn comes across as grounded and authoritative.
Beneath the veneer of stoicism, they fear being perceived as incompetent and thus tend to communicate conservatively and clearly. This sense of self-doubt extends to their perception of others. They are innately distrustful of flowery language, intangible subjects, neon color schemes, and anyone with Mercury in Gemini.
They prefer to receive information in an orderly fashion, process it and suss out its practical value and earning potential.
Mercury in Aquarius
Mercury is at its most extreme — and extremely rebellious — in the fixed air sign of Aquarius, the natural domain of cult leaders and conspiracy theorists, geniuses, and madmen.
Boredom is the enemy of these folks, and they will go to wild and wily lengths to avoid it, pushing the boundaries of thought and reason to the outermost limits.
They prefer intellect to emotion, and their willingness to accept the unknown and defend the unfounded makes them seem both forward-thinking and/or utterly insane — but never, ever ordinary. Case in point, the late Mercury in Aquarius Mac daddy, Steve Jobs.
Mercury in Pisces
In the sign of Pisces, Mercury operates in the unconscious — rather than the conscious — mind. Accepting of the esoteric, these folks communicate from a place of emotion and intuition. They may find it challenging to distinguish dreams from reality or call you back — ever.
Their communication style is vague and a touch rudderless, leaning heavily on metaphor and light on commitment.
Mercury in Pisces is notably excellent at listening and providing otherworldly insights into mundane challenges, though their watery moodiness makes reaction times and advice somewhat inconsistent.
Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports back on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture and personal experience. To book a reading, visit her website.
