Thought Catalog Agency

The 4 Key Differences Between Pisces and Sagittarius

In traditional astrology, they’re both ruled by Jupiter. They’re characterized by big dreams, strong intuition, spiritual inclination, and an endless search for capital-T truth. Sagittarius and Pisces share a modality—they’re both mutable signs, making them adaptable and capable of seeing different perspectives—but that’s where the similarities end.

The two zodiac signs are remarkably different, separated by a tense square that makes them struggle to understand one another. While Pisces is quiet and sensitive, Sagittarius is loud and expressive. While Pisces likes their alone time, Sagittarius wants a partner in crime. The differences mainly result from the fact these two signs view the world through distinctly different lenses: one from behind their foggy bedroom window, and one from within a train car on another continent.

There’s no reason why these two signs can’t get along, but they’ll find it difficult to keep up with each other’s energy. What are some of the key differences between Pisces and Sagittarius? Here are four of the most obvious ones to keep an eye out for.

They enjoy different forms of escapism

Every Pisces is a dreamer, constantly stuck in their own heads. This cerebral approach to life makes them great artists, musicians, and poets, but unfortunately leads to a disconnect from the material world. Pisceans are vulnerable to escapism, maladaptive daydreaming their way through life. Sagittarians, on the other hand, will literally run away if they need to avoid their problems. They’ll book a plane ticket to Iceland on a whim if they think it will help them better understand the world. They’re active, occasionally reckless, and nothing like the cautious Pisces, who would be content to travel the world through Google Earth. Their imagination will fill in the blanks anyway.

They have radically different complexes

Your average Pisces has a martyr complex that can be seen from space. Perpetually feeling victimized, Pisceans use their feelings of persecution to fuel their creative works—but fail to physically reach across the aisle to make others feel less alone. They do this instead through their art. Sagittarius could not be more strikingly different. Sagittarians are blunt, incapable of lying, and assertive about their feelings. They will easily welcome others into their fold but cancel them just as quickly if they feel slighted. Their independent streak makes them incredibly difficult to pin down, and are in fact easily offended by any attempt to control them.

They receive their insights through different approaches

In modern astrology, Pisces is ruled by Neptune, the planet of illusion, drugs, and self-undoing. There is a tendency for Pisces to indulge in substances that blur the edges of reality, but even those who have no tendency towards addiction are nevertheless obsessed with some other form of mind-altering practice: astral projection, lucid dreaming, or divination. On the other hand, Sagittarius is more tempted by heightened awareness via psychedelia; they enjoy the atmosphere of raves, being consumed by a crowd of diverse cultures with unique perspectives. While Pisces likes to reach enlightenment in solitude, Sagittarius prefers to talk their way through the experience.

They speak differently

Pisceans talk like bohemian poets, holding language on a pedestal in their minds. Their quiet manner can occasionally come across as moody aloofness. Most people have experienced a Pisces’ offhand comment as a backhand compliment or a passive-aggressive callout. They don’t mean to insult you—and ironically, they can’t stand to be misunderstood. Since it seems to happen so often it causes them to further shrink back into their shells. Sagittarians have a loud, blunt, and chaotic way of speaking that can be intimidating to those who aren’t accustomed to it. They will tell you exactly how they feel without restraint or tact. Their brains move faster than their mouths, and they will spend the rest of their lives trying to get every thought they have out into the world.