Tarot vs Lenormand: Key Differences Explained for Beginners

Tarot vs Lenormand: Overview

The differences between Tarot¹ vs Lenormand cards are a well-worn topic.

But before we dive into differences, let’s touch on what they have in common. Obviously, both use cards as a tool to guide and convey messages. That’s why choosing a deck you genuinely like and feel connected with is so important. (How do you pick the right one? Let’s leave that as a teaser for next time.)

Now, let’s look at how Tarot and Lenormand differ.

Deck Size and Portability

First, the number of cards: a Tarot deck has 78 cards — 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana. A Lenormand deck usually has 36 cards. Second, theirsize: Tarot cards are typically larger (about 7 × 12 cm or 8.9 × 14.6 cm), while Lenormand cards are smaller (around 6 × 9 cm or 3.5 × 5.5 cm).

From this alone, you can see why Lenormand is easier to carry around, while Tarot usually needs a proper space to spread out. This portability was one reason Lenormand became so popular — you could slip the deck right into your pocket. Personally, when I’m heading out, I often toss a Lenormand deck into my tote bag. It’s light and compact, ready to use whenever I need it. Tarot, on the other hand, has more than twice as many cards and tends to be bigger, which makes it noticeably heavier — so I almost never bring it with me.

Tarot Is Symbol-Dense and Layered

But when placed in a fixed setting, Tarot’s strengths really shine.

Each Tarot card tells a story. It has imagery, a number, a title, and a mood. Even someone unfamiliar with Tarot can often sense that a card represents joy (like the Three of Cups), fulfillment (like the Nine of Cups), or sudden upheaval (like the Tower).

On top of that, each card has a number, and numbers themselves carry meaning. Take the number 5, for example. Which Tarot cards are associated with the number five? They are The Hierophant, the Five of Wands, the Five of Cups, the Five of Swords, and the Five of Pentacles. The Hierophant is seated on a throne, preaching to his followers. The Five of Wands shows five people holding staffs in a struggle. The Five of Cups depicts a figure in a black cloak, gazing at three overturned cups. The Five of Swords portrays the aftermath of a battle, with the victor holding the spoils (swords) and glancing back at the defeated as they leave. The Five of Pentacles shows two poorly dressed figures trudging through the snow. What these scenes have in common is that they are all dynamic. Preaching is an action, fighting is an action, gazing at the spilled cups is an action, and walking is also an action. In summary, in Tarot, the number five is associated with movement and with change.

Example: number 5

And that’s just scratching the surface. Even this simple glance at the number 5 took many words — and we haven’t even touched on the differences between Major and Minor Arcana, or what each suit (Wands, Cups, Swords, Pentacles) represents. From the symbolic meaning of numbers, to the structure of the deck, to the layers of imagery and symbolism, Tarot offers incredibly rich interpretations from many different angles.

Lenormand Is Direct, Literal, and Minimalist

Example: number 5= The Tree

Let’s continue with the example of the number five. In Lenormand, what does the number five correspond to?—The Tree. No matter how different the deck versions may be, whether the tree on the card is simply outlined or carefully painted, the essential components of the Lenormand card numbered five are usually the number “5” and a tree. Some versions also include the corresponding playing card, the Seven of Hearts. The imagery is simple and immediately clear.

A tree is a common plant in our daily lives: it is firmly rooted in the earth, slowly growing its trunk, branches, and leaves. In actual readings, because the roots are firmly grounded in the soil, the card often carries the meaning of stability; because its growth requires time, it often represents slowness or long-term development; because the tree gradually grows, it can also be interpreted as growth itself. Extending this idea further, since a tree typically grows a trunk first, and then branches and leaves—just like a family gradually branching out—this card can also signify family and lineage. In health-related readings, the Tree usually directly symbolizes one’s physical condition or state of health, often with connotations of “long-term, chronic, or requiring time to develop.”

But no matter from which angle we interpret the Tree card, our basis is still the tree itself. There is no need to overthink what kind of magical meaning a particular symbol might carry.

So here’s the contrast: Tarot is layered and full of meaning, while Lenormand is simple, direct, and easy to grasp. And because the meanings differ in richness, that naturally leads to another topic: combinations.

Lenormand Needs Combinations

A single Tarot card can already tell a story on its own (though most readers don’t recommend reading just one card in isolation). A single Lenormand card, however, rarely tells a complete story. It’s more like a word. Take the Tree again — what kind of tree is it? A young sapling? A tree about to be chopped down for a coffin? A word by itself isn’t a story. That’s why Lenormand readings almost always require at least 2–3 cards together, just like you need a sentence to tell a story.

Ease of Getting Started

So, does that mean learning Tarot requires more study? Definitely. The advantage, though, is that Tarot is more widely known and popular, so resources are easier to find. And is Lenormand easier to learn? Yes and no. At the beginning, there’s less material to study, but once you start doing readings, it can feel like a minefield of beginner mistakes.

Because of space, we won’t dive into all their other differences here. Let’s just sum it up: Tarot is like a full academic essay. It has a title, abstract, introduction, body, conclusion, references — it can explain definitions, discuss theories, derive rules, and analyze applications, running into thousands of words. Lenormand, on the other hand, is like the abstract or keywords: distilled, straightforward, and straight to the point. The challenge lies in whether you can piece together the right meaning.

When to Use Which?

That’s why, in practice, I tend to use Tarot when I need a topic explored from multiple angles (like a full reading on life direction). But if it’s just an everyday yes/no or practical decision (like “Should I buy this thing?”), I’ll use Lenormand. After all, you don’t need a cannon to kill a mosquito.

1. In this article (and on this site), when we mention Tarot, we specifically mean the Rider–Waite–Smith system and its variations, not the Marseille Tarot or the Thoth system. ↩︎