An Astrologer Reveals How Each Zodiac Sign Ends A Relationship

It can be tough to predict how someone will end a relationship. Breakups span the spectrum from sweet and amicable to fiery and messy — and everything in between. There’s also a big difference between the people who prefer mature breakup chats and those who quietly ghost. If you look at astrology, this explains why Leos and Scorpios end relationships in their own unique ways.

When it comes to love, dating, and relationships, each of the 12 zodiac signs feels their emotions differently, and they also tend to have certain bonding and attachment styles that impact how they cut ties with a partner, says Priscila Lima de Charbonierres, an astrologer and founder of the astrological wellness app Soulloop.

This is especially true if a person’s zodiac sign is connected to one of the planets relevant to relationships, like Venus, Mercury, or Mars. By looking at the ruling planet of their sign, you’ll get a little hint as to how your S.O. might approach a breakup, she tells Bustle.

Elements play a role, too. “Water signs will react emotionally, earth signs in a more practical and grounded way, air signs will talk things through, and fire elements tend to act and more promptly move on,” says de Charbonierres.

For some more insight, keep reading below for how each zodiac sign ends a relationship, according to an astrologer.

Aries (March 21 - April 19)

“Although fiery and passionate, Aries is one of the most direct and honest signs in the zodiac,” says Michelle Bell, founder of the astrology app Cosmic Fusion. If their relationship isn’t going well, they’ll have a frank conversation with you where they’ll lay everything out on the table.

This fire sign is ruled by Mars, so they’ll want to set the record straight and say their peace. They might get a bit heated, too, since they have no problem telling it like it is, says Bell. But once an Aries gets it all out, they’ll cleanly cut ties — and that will be that.

Taurus (April 20 - May 20)

According to Bell, Taureans love security and stability. This earth sign is ruled by Venus, so they’ll do whatever it takes to make a relationship work, whether it’s couples therapy, planning a fun getaway, or getting in more date nights. Once they’ve exhausted the list of potential fixes, that’s when they’ll ask to sit down for an honest chat.

“If they feel like they’re not getting what they need in a relationship, then they will have a pragmatic conversation with you about why they want the relationship to end,” says Bell. After that, they’ll call things off amicably in the most mature way possible.

Gemini (May 21 - June 20)

“Geminis are notorious for being indecisive and difficult to tie down,” says Bell. They don’t enjoy deep or emotional conversations, so instead of making a clean break, they tend to be wishy-washy and tough to read toward the end of a relationship.

As an air sign ruled by Mercury, they might even do annoying things to push you away — think picking fights or canceling plans. They’ll do everything they can to avoid initiating the breakup but they’ll be so glad when it’s over.

Cancer (June 21 - July 22)

“As one of the most emotional signs, Cancers find breakups hard, and letting go even harder,” Bell says. They’ll put off a breakup for as long as possible — and might even stay with a partner for years past a relationship’s expiration date.

Once they work up the nerve, this water sign will sit you down for a long, deep, and honest conversation about why you need to go your separate ways, says Bell. They’re ruled by the moon, which means they’ll let you down super gently — and might even be open to remaining friends.

Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22)

As a fire sign, Leos tend to break up with their partners in the heat of the moment. They’ll call things off in order to have the last word in an argument or because they’re completely fed up. And whatever you say to them next determines if you get a second chance.

Bell says that Leos are also incredibly flirtatious, so they often take the time to line up a few potential partners before officially ending things. “They’re not going to waste their time with someone they don’t see a future with,” she adds, so they’re more than happy to move on.

Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22)

When a Virgo dumps their partner, they do it in an almost clinical way. “Virgos are the most pragmatic and analytical signs in the zodiac, so they definitely won’t beat around the bush when it comes to telling you why the relationship isn’t working out,” says Bell. In fact, they might even have a pros and cons checklist to show.

As an earth sign, they’ll do whatever they need in order to move on with their life, and that includes making a clean break from a relationship that isn’t right. Before they go, Bell says they might drop a dose of constructive criticism — and then ask for helpful feedback of their own.

Libra (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22)

“As the most balanced and harmonious signs, Libras aren’t good with confrontation or negative vibes,” says Bell. They avoid conflict as much as possible, which is why initiating breakups is hard for them.

This air sign will either wait for you to end things or they’ll slowly pull away and hope it sends a hint. Once the relationship is over, they’ll breathe a sigh of relief, and then they’ll do whatever they can to stay friends.

Scorpio (Oct. 23 - Nov. 22)

The only way for a Scorpio to end a relationship is to burn it down in flames. This water sign is very intense and emotional, so they won’t want to sit and have an amicable chat. “It will be a big dramatic breakup that will probably involve a few sassy comments they’ll later regret,” says Bell.

It all stems from their strong sense of loyalty. Scorpios really struggle when relationships end, so they’ll try to protect themselves afterward by blocking their ex and going no-contact, almost as if the relationship never happened.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21)

Sagittarians are adventurous, wild, honest, and blunt, says Bell, so it doesn’t matter if you’ve been with them for five days or five years: If they decide it’s over, then it’s over. As a fire sign, they’ll move on to the next thing in a flash.

Many times, their relationships end because they want to meet new people. “They despise being tied down,” says Bell. “If they’re not feeling like they’re 100% in the relationship, then they’ll likely break up with you in an impulsive fashion without much explanation.”

Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19)

When a Capricorn wants to break up, they’ll call a formal meeting disguised as a date at a coffee shop. “We need to talk” is this earth sign’s favorite thing to say. Once you’re face-to-face, they’ll be super straightforward.

“Capricorns are honest, pragmatic, and logical in everything they do, which also extends to their relationships and partnerships,” says Bell. They don’t want to waste their time, so they’ll draw up a breakup plan that includes who gets the house plants, the cats, and the apartment.

Aquarius (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18)

As one of the quirkiest signs in the zodiac, Aquarius tends to end a relationship by slowly drifting away. According to Bell, the moment they feel that a relationship is doomed, they start to distance themselves by being hard to reach.

At first, you might not notice that they’ve been MIA. (They are an aloof air sign, after all.) But the hours will turn into days, which will turn into weeks, and — boom — suddenly you realize you’re officially broken up.

Pisces (Feb. 19 - March 20)

Pisces ends relationships with a wave of tears. “They are the most sensitive and empathetic signs, so they find breakups really hard, especially if they are the initiator,” says Bell. “If they have to end a relationship, there will be a lot of tears and a lot of deep chats and hugs.”

This is also why Pisces almost never makes a clean break. They’ll text you the next day to make up or discuss their feelings. “It will likely take a while for them to process and get over the relationship,” Bell says, so expect lots of confusing back-and-forth.

Sources:

Priscila Lima de Charbonierres, professional astrologer, founder of the astrological wellness app Soulloop

Michelle Bell, founder of the astrology app Cosmic Fusion