Sex & Relationships
7 Incompatible Zodiac Couples Who Can Actually Make It Work
Earth-Fire combos should be challenging, but alas…
So, you finally met someone who's perfectly perfect in every way. You like the same kind of music, you both came from big families, you can talk for hours about anything and everything. Best of all, you have a lot of fun together. It seemed like a match made in heaven, and it was — until you find out that your partner's zodiac sign is a bad match to yours. Although it may not be a big deal to many, discovering out you and your partner have incompatible zodiac signs can be a big-time bummer. But there's no need to panic just yet. According to astrologers, there are some examples of incompatible couples that make it work.
"Some zodiac pairs are said to not go well together. However, there's much more to consider with synastry, which is the study of relationship astrology," astrologer Clarisse Monahan tells Bustle. "For example, some elements work better together than others. As a general rule, fire works well with air, while earth works well with water. However, that doesn't limit us to date strictly within our sign's element."
It's important to note that astrological compatibility goes beyond Sun signs, which most people compare. Astrologer Leslie McGuirk tells Bustle, "We have to dig deeper into the person to find out whether it's a good match."
Comparing your Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Mars placements with your partner can give you a more accurate picture of your relationship. So, there's really no need to worry right away if you and your love interest have incompatible signs. But if you are just interested in comparing Sun signs, Monahan and McGuirk say these incompatible zodiac couples shouldn't work but somehow do.
Aries (March 21 - April 19) & Cancer (June 21 — July 22)
Aries and Cancer seem like a bad match from the get-go. For one, Aries is an impulsive Fire sign who likes being on the go, while Cancer is a sensitive, home-loving Water sign. "These two cardinal signs are powerful individually, so most astrology books will say this is a bad match," McGuirk says. "But it can be fun as fiery Aries gets watery Cancer out of their shell." Cancer’s loving and supportive nature will help Aries feel more comfortable opening up about their feelings, while Aries will help bring out Cancer’s more passionate side. Overall, there’s a lot of depth to this relationship.
Taurus (April 20 — May 20) & Libra (September 23 — October 22)
An Air sign like Libra and an Earth sign like Taurus doesn’t make for the best match because of their incompatible elements. Taurus is very grounded, slow-moving, and prefers knowing what’s going to happen next, while Libra is more unpredictable, go with the flow, and changes their mind pretty often. However, McGuirk says these two can work because of their connection to Venus, the planet of love. Due to their shared ruling planet, both signs value beauty, romance, and the finer things in life. Both Libra and Taurus are commitment-oriented as well. Regardless of any differences, they'll do their best to make the relationship work.
Leo (July 23 — August 22) & Capricorn (December 22 — January 19)
Capricorn is a “work hard, play later” type of sign, while Leo is energetic and playful 24/7. One of the biggest reasons this match is incompatible is that Leos tend to need a lot of attention from their partner. At the same time, Capricorns are notorious for choosing work over everything else. Despite that, this odd pairing can persevere. “Leos are the ‘let me entertain you’ sign of the zodiac, and Capricorns can be hilarious once they get warmed up,” McGuirk says. “These two can have a ton of fun together.” Capricorn can also help Leo focus, while Leo will help Capricorn loosen up. Both signs are too ambitious in their own ways. Leo wants to be the star of the show, while Capricorn wants to be the CEO of a major company. Overall, they can make one hot power couple.
Virgo (August 23 — September 22) & Leo (July 23 — August 22)
Virgo and Leo is another Earth-Fire combo that can make for a challenging relationship. For instance, Virgo needs a lot of reassurance, emotional stability, and consistent nurturing to feel like their relationship is good. While Leo has no problem expressing their feelings or getting emotional, they don’t always pay close attention to how their partner is doing. It’s not that they don’t care; they’re just too busy doing their own thing. “However, if you are a Leo with Mercury or Venus in Virgo, this makes a difference,” Monahan says. “This grounds their fiery energy and works really well with a grounded Virgo partner. Also, Leo can be very fun for Virgo people and help get them out of their more critical nature.”
LIbra (September 23 — October 22) & Scorpio (October 23 — November 21)
Zodiac signs that neighbor each other, like Libra and Scorpio, don’t always make the best match. According to Monahan, this is known as “semi-sextile” in astrology, and it indicates difficulties or challenges because these energies feel alien to one another. However, that's not always the case. “As Mercury and Venus travel very close to the Sun, there are usually quite a lot of Libras with Scorpio placements, and vice versa," Monahan says. "This helps ease up this connection, and it can actually turn out to be a richly rewarding one." Libra will bring romance to the relationship, while Scorpio will bring passion. They'll be attracted to each other right away and enjoy exploring everything they know about each other.
Aquarius (January 20 — February 18) & Cancer (June 21 — July 22)
Traditionally, these two signs don’t go well together. Cancer is warm and affectionate in relationships, while Aquarius tend to be more aloof. However, Cancer may be just what the Aquarius needs. According to Monahan, Cancer draws out the sensitivity in everyone they meet and encourages them to feel safe enough to laugh and cry. “This can be so cathartic for the cold Aquarian,” she says. Aquarius will also help the more traditional Cancer look at the world differently. Like any combination of zodiac signs, these two will have to work hard at finding a middle ground that works for both of them. Each partner's challenge would be to own up to what they’re bringing or not bringing to the table. Overall, they both have a lot to teach the other.
Pisces (February 19 — March 20) & Sagittarius (August 23 — September 22)
Pisces and Sagittarius form a “square aspect,” which means they’re separated by 90 degrees. According to Monahan, this is another difficult aspect of astrology that doesn’t lead to sexual chemistry. But Pisces and Sagittarius are examples of two signs that have hot sexual tension due to the irritation they feel towards each other. Sagittarius may seem a little too immature and reckless to Pisces, while Pisces may seem a little too odd and in their heads for Sagittarius. They’ll bicker a lot, but something there keeps the two of them coming back together. Both Pisces and Sagittarius also have a Jupiter connection, which further cements their bond.
Correction: A previous version of this story misstated the date range for Aries. It has been updated to include the correct dates.
Sources:
Clarisse Monahan, astrologer
Leslie McGuirk, astrologer
