Astrology
Might as well be nails on a chalkboard.
Certain things tend to be at least a little bit grating to just about everyone’s nerves — think loud chewing sounds, being interrupted, or someone being on their phone while you’re hanging out. Everyone is guilty of perpetrating some bothersome behaviors here and there, but no one wants to accidentally do that one little thing that happens to be someone’s pet peeve. Some people find certain annoyances more irritating than others, so knowing each zodiac sign’s pet peeve can help you stay on their good side.
If you want an accurate astrological perspective on what little behaviors might grind someone’s gears, it’s helpful to look at the whole birth chart rather than sun signs alone. And one solid place to start is to look at their Mars sign. This red-hot planet is the cosmic ruler of aggression, angst, and action, so the sign it’s in can shed light on how someone expresses themselves when annoyed about something. You can also look at what house of someone’s birth chart Mars resides in to get an idea of where they tend to get especially passionate or touchy — and thus what types of things could wind up feeling like a pet peeve for them.
Your Mars sign can tell you quite a bit about what gets on your nerves, but you can use your sun sign to get some insight, too. Read on to find out each zodiac’s signs biggest pet peeve so you can avoid triggering them.
Aries (March 21 - April 19):
Waiting
Fire-powered Aries is ruled by hot-tempered Mars, so patience is not one of the virtues they were blessed with. They like to do things quickly and impulsively, so if they have to wait on something — whether that’s a long line at the grocery store or text back from a friend — they tend to get pretty peeved. If they’re not getting instant results, Aries are probably getting annoyed instead.
Taurus (April 20 - May 20):
Flakiness
Tauruses are one of the most reliable members of the zodiac, and when they say they’re going to do something, they pride themselves on following through. So when other people are flaky or wishy-washy about their plans, it gets under their skin. If you commit to doing something with or for a Taurus and then don’t make good on your word, know they’ll be pretty annoyed by the behavior, even if it wasn’t intentional.
Gemini (May 21 - June 20):
Inflexibility
If you’ve only got one hour to pencil in a Gemini for a coffee date next week, you might want to wait on making plans until things loosen up time-wise — because nothing bugs these air signs more than being bound to a strict and immovable schedule. Geminis like to go with the flow, so it irks them when people are inflexible or expect them to cater to their schedule without any wiggle room.
Cancer (June 21 - July 22):
A Lack Of Gratitude
Cancers are generous people with huge hearts, and they love to show their care for others by doing favors, holding space, and providing comfort. But if someone acts entitled to their kindness, they’ll be instantly annoyed. They can get really worked up and resentful if they get the sense that someone’s taking them for granted, so make sure to thank your Cancer friends when they go out of their way to do something nice for you.
Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22):
Naysayers
Leos are ruled by the sun, so they have a shining sense of optimism and enthusiasm. But when they share their excitement about something and it’s met with unnecessary negativity or doubt from someone, it can really get under their skin. Leos have a very low tolerance for naysayers and “Negative Nancy” types, so unless you want to get on their bad side, avoid playing devil’s advocate when they share their plans or ideas.
Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22):
Carelessness
Virgos have a reputation for being neat freaks and organization gurus, but messiness doesn’t actually bug these earth signs nearly as much as being careless does. These thoughtful and attentive people can’t stand when others are inconsiderate about what’s happening around them — whether that means being thoughtless about someone’s feelings or not caring for an item they borrowed.
Libra (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22):
Bad Manners
Nothing gives Libras the ick like someone who doesn’t know how to be polite. These socially savvy and refined air signs love harmony and appreciate when interpersonal relations run smoothly. So when someone is being rude or socially uncouth, it’s majorly off-putting for them. If you’re hanging out with a Libra, brush up on your etiquette skills unless you want to get on their nerves.
Scorpio (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21):
Small Talk
If you want to get on a Scorpio’s nerves, all you’ve got to do is try to engage them in some fluffy, pointless talk about the weather or some other water-cooler topic. These emotionally intense water signs are all about depth, so shallow conversations about mundane and meaningless things can really get under their skin. They’d much rather sit in silence than have to come up with pointless chatter to fill the air.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21):
Clinginess
Sagittarians are free spirits who love to follow their happy-go-lucky whims. And while they enjoy being social and spending time with friends, anything they interpret as clinginess can really get on their nerves. Having someone who is constantly texting them or doesn’t want to leave their side at a party can really cramp their style, as feeling free is of the utmost importance to these wild-hearted fire signs.
Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19):
Showing Up Late
Capricorns know their worth, so they are especially peeved if someone wastes their time by showing up late to plans or canceling at the last minute. These pragmatic earth signs value other people’s time, and they expect the same level of respect in return, so punctuality is important to them. If you’re running late on something with a Capricorn, they’ll probably forgive you — but it’ll definitely get on their nerves.
Aquarius (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18):
Know-It-Alls
Aquarians are objective thinkers who like to ponder big issues and think outside the box, so they can get pretty annoyed when talking to someone who constantly tries to one-up them or isn’t humble. These air signs know they can get a little righteous about their ideas, but they don’t claim to know everything there is to know — which is why people acting like know-it-alls bugs them so much.
Pisces (Feb. 19 - March 20):
Closed-Minded Comments
Pisces are born with open minds and hearts, and they enjoy exploring all sorts of new ideas, feelings, and experiences in life. That’s why people with closed-minded views about the world tend to annoy them so much. These whimsical water signs don’t understand why someone would want to be rigid about their beliefs or refuse to see the bigger picture, so when someone’s acting like a bigot or unwilling to consider things from another perspective, it irks them.
Nina Kahn is Bustle’s resident astrologer and tarot reader.
