Getting To Know Your Cube

First: Find your cube. Seriously.
Now, let's take a look at the parts that make up a Rubik's Cube:
For starters, the centers are the single-sticker parts that spin. They never change places, and thus are used as reference points as you solve.
The edges are two-stickered pieces that turn around the centers. You can try turning your cube while observing the behavior of the edge pieces.
The corners are three-stickered parts located, as the name suggests it, on the eight corners of the cube. You can try twisting your cube while observing the behavior of the corners.

Now, you can learn the notation for the cube.