In this article you will find some examples of combinations using the Vera Sibilla. Most of these combinations are handed down by tradition. Studying and decoding combinations is a very good way to improve your cartomantic vocabulary, but bear in mind that the exact meaning of a combination depends on many other factors, such as the context of the question and the other cards in the spread, so I would encourage you to keep an open mind. As a rule, you will find that if you do not pose a question and these combinations come up, they will mean what the tradition says they mean 3 times out of 5. Also, keep in mind that it’s useless to try to combine every card with every other card beforehand so that no surprises will ever come up in a spread, just as it is useless to try to combine every word in a dictionary with every other to study a language. That time is best spent actually practicing.

NOTE:
R = Reversed
U/R = Upright or Reversed (doesn’t matter)
* = This combination has to come up in this specific order
3♦ = The Gift (Omaggio)
8♦ = The Handmaid (Donna di Servizio)
C = Cuori (Hearts)
F = Fiori (Clubs)
Q = Quadri (Diamonds)
P = Picche (Spades)

Five of Hearts (5♥) – Happiness (Allegrezza al Cuore)

A♥ + 5♥ = an engagement proposal | a job interview that goes well
5♥ + 2♥ = the house of relatives
5♥ + 6♥ = can be a down payment
5♥ + 8♣ = reconciliation among relatives or a second engagement after the first one didn’t work out | Can mean meeting at a party
5♥ + 9♣ = an engagement party

2♦ + 5♥ = announcement of engagement | a booking
5♥ + 5♦ = dissatisfaction between boyfriend and girlfriend or among relatives
5♥ + 7♦ = traditional combination for petting and sweat talk
5♥ + 7♦R = traditionally, an engagement that is leading nowhere due to an unwillingness to take the next step | it can mean having second thoughts about any kind of commitment
5♥ + 4♠R = also an engagement that doesn’t seem to lead to the next step

5♥ + 7♠ = engagement broken off
5♥ + Person = usually a relative (but in specific contexts, someone who is engaged or not sentimentally free)
5♥ + Person + 5♠ + 7♥ + cards of money or wealth = an inheritance from a dead relative

A♥ + 5♥R = a meeting or talk or discussion that doesn’t reach its goal
5♥R + 2♥ = unstable family relationships
5♥R + 4♦ or 10♦ or 10♠U/R = cheating and lies
5♥R + K♦ = unstable relationships among colleagues
5♥R + 2♠R = incompatibility among relatives, possibly due to lies and a negative behavior

5♥R + 3♠ = a very unsupportive (extended) family (the querent is left alone)
5♥R + Person = a relative to keep at arm’s length

Five of Clubs (5♣) – Fortune (Fortuna)

5♣ + 6♥ = good luck in money matters
5♣ + 10♥ = lasting good luck
5♣ + A♣ = a fortunate marriage or contract
5♣ + 6♣ + 7♣ = the traditional combination of great good fortune

5♣ + 2♦ = it can be a winning ticket
5♣ + 3♦ = a lucky charm, among other possible interpretations | A combination of wealth
5♣ + 5♦ = it can be a lucky situation that the querent is dissatisfied with because it doesn’t match their preconceptions of what luck is

5♣R + 3♣R = a positive transformation that will happen over a longish period
5♣R + 7♦R = the 7♦R delays the 5♣R even more
5♣R + 4♠ = the illness will be overcome over time (+6♠R, with ups and downs)
5♣R + 10♠U/R = the good luck will be delayed and the querent will need to fight

Five of Diamonds (5♦) – Melancholy (Malinconia)

4♥ + 7♠ + 5♦ = a traditional combination showing disappointment over a breakup (if also 5♠, a definitive breakup, but if +2♦ + 8♣, there will be reconciliation)
9♥ or 4♥ + 5♦ = dissatisfaction in one’s love life (if it’s 9♥, an added nuance might be that one doesn’t feel completely connected to the partner)
5♦ + 10♥ = the 10♥ stabilizes the disappointment of the 5♦, which in itself would be transitory
6♥ + 5♦* = an open wound from the past | dissatisfaction with one’s economic situation (in this case the order is not important)
2♣R + 5♦ = a brat who plays the victim or always feels like one (the 8♠R might be present or replace the 2♣R)

7♣ + K♦ + 10♦ + 5♦ = disappointment over a lost promotion (if it were the 6♣ instead, over a lost pay raise)
10♣ + 7♦ + 9♠ + 5♦ = disappointment over finding out you’re pregnant (10♣ shows it wasn’t planned)
7♦ + 9♠ + 7♠ + 5♦ = sadness due to a miscarriage
9♦ + 5♦* = a traditional combination signaling the possibility of an ambush (but only with a specific question or with other cards) | sadness due to interpersonal contrasts
A♠R + 10♥ + 7♦ + 5♦ = some baby blues might be the issue (if also 9♠, it becomes full blown depression)

5♠ + 5♦ = a change that causes sadness, generally
5♦ + 6♠R = mood swings
5♦ + 9♠ = depression (+4♠, it becomes serious and shouldn’t be underestimated)

5♦R + 6♥U/R = debts
5♦R + K♠U/R = legal issues
K♦U/R + 5♦R = can be a stressful job (usually a poorly paid one) or work-related stress, a burn-out

5♦R + A♠R + positive cards = working hard to pay off debts
5♦R + 8♠ + 5♠ + 9♦ + 10♥R = suicide for debts (the 10♥R represents the person’s will turned against itself, that is, violence against oneself)
5♦R + 2♣ = end of a situation of debt or of economic hardships

Five of Spades (5♠) – Death (Morte)

7♥ + 5♠ = it can mean a contract you shouldn’t sign | the end of a contract
7♥ + 5♠ + 6♣ = can be a life insurance | an inheritance
5♠ + 2♣R + 4♦ = can be a negative aura about the person, attracting them negative situations (if also 3♠R and/or 10♠R it’s more clearly due to a hex)
5♠ + 2♣ or 5♣ = traditionally, a change in the querent’s destiny that may even look like a bad thing at first, but will prove beneficial
5♠ + 6♣ = traditionally, the end of a difficult period

10♣ + 5♠ (+7♠) = recklessness with heavy consequences
10♣R + 5♠ = wasting a precious chance
5♠ + 3♦ = can be an object you should’t buy (look around for why, normally it’s becaue it’s a bauble or a fake)
Q♠ or J♠ + 6♦R + 5♠ = a nefarious plan
5♠ + 7♦* = a rebirth, a totally new period

5♠ + 8♦ = traditionally, also the end of a negative period
J♦R + 5♠ = traditionally a telegram announcing death, but look for other cards, otherwise it might be some other type of ending | if you’ve ordered something by post, you can forget about it
2♠ + 5♠ = the natural end of anything, meaning that whatever it is, it hasn’t been cut short (can be a love that ends because it has run its course, for instance)
5♠ + 3♠R + 7♠ = death (if 4♠, due to illness)
5♠ + 7♠ = no, forget it | definitive breakup or disruption. This combination is the polar opposite of the 2♣ + 5♣ combination

Card + 5♠ = you can forget whatever it is that the card means whether for better or ill
Negative cards + 5♠ + Positive cards = a difficult but positive transition
Positive cards + 5♠ + Negative cards = a difficult and negative transition

9♥R + 5♠R = mortified by someone’s lack of faithfulness or dependability or by one’s lack of success in love
7♣R + 5♠R = profound humiliation
5♠R + A♦R = being mortified by a revelation
5♠R + 6♦U/R = can be deep dejection

5♠R + 3♠ = one who is entirely alone, possibly unable to interact with people
5♠R + positive cards = endurance, the ability to withstand difficulties