Astrologers Reveal How Mercury Retrograde Affects Relationships

Here's what mbg's resident astrologists, the AstroTwins, have to say about how Mercury retrograde can influence our relationships and what we can do to keep things as steady as possible through this turbulent transit.

The big takeaway is that interactions, whether romantic or not, may be tenser, snippier, and harder to navigate than usual during this time. Misunderstandings are likely, as is impulsivity. This makes slowing down essential, no matter your sign.

Here's the twins' advice for how each sign can navigate this chaotic time with their relationships intact.

Fire signs are already known to be fast-moving and impatient, the twins note, so they need to slow down and really think before they speak. "They can already be a bit blunt. Plus, rushing through the details of things is not advised, because they can miss critical information," the twins say. If you're a fire sign, Mercury retrograde is not the time for a "better done than perfect" philosophy, according to them.

Where fire signs may overlook details, earth signs wouldn't dream of it. "Earth signs can get stuck kind of overthinking and overanalyzing," the twins say. Because of this, they can find themselves in the weeds, losing sight of the bigger picture. During retrograde, the twins say earth signs would be well-served to practice "letting go and forgiving and moving on, instead of hammering something to death." It's also worth noting that Mercury rules Virgo, so Virgos will be particularly affected by Mercury retrograde.

Along with Virgo, Mercury also rules Gemini, so Geminis should take things extra slow and controlled during retrograde periods. And a PSA for air signs, the zodiac's communicators, in general: "Even if you have good intentions, you're going to be misunderstood," the twins say, so "take it easy on the social media trigger finger." You could even consider DIY-ing a silent retreat or going on a social media detox for a portion of Mercury retrograde, they suggest.

And lastly, water signs are known to get super emotional, according to the twins, which means they can be reactive—especially during Mercury retrograde. "They need to check the facts before they react, because they're likely to go into a tailspin without really having all the information they need," they explain. And while water signs pride themselves on their intuition, they shouldn't be surprised if it's a bit off during this time. "Water signs that tend to go with their gut and trust their intuition will find it can be quite off during Mercury retrograde, so don't follow the feelings only."

Mercury retrograde is a time that's full of surprises—and misunderstandings. But we don't have to let it get the best of us! With a little conscious communication and patience, we can try our best to make it through. And when all else fails, just remember, retrogrades (thankfully) don't last forever.