Card type

A card's types follows this form: [super-type(s)] [Base type(s)] - [subtypes]

every card has at least one base type:

• artifact
• creatures
• enchantments
• lands
• sorcery
• instant

and the base types can be combined:

• artifact creature
• artifact land
• land creature

Here is a brief intro to all the card types and possible super- and sub-types:

Spells

All spells are temporary. Base tpyes: sorcery, instant
possible super-types: none
possible sub-types: arcane

Permanents

Base Types: artifacts, creature, enchantments, lands
Possible Super-types: Snow, Legendary
Possible Sub-types:

Artifacts

Possible Super-types:
Possible Sub-types: Equipment, Fortification

Creatures

Possible Super-types:
Possible Sub-types: Many. it happens so often, that now, every creature's subtype(s) are their "creature type"(s).
The former way of classifying creatures is "Summon [Creature Type]. Nows it's

Enchantments

Possible Super-types: World
Possible Sub-types: Aura
Also, before Auras, there was enchant creatures, enchant artifacts, etc. these were treated in-game as enchantments, and out-of-game as separate types. They are all now "enchantment - aura" with the type now being a targeting restriction.

Lands

Possible Super-types: Basic
Possible Sub-types: Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, Forest, Desert, etc.

Obsolete

Interrupt,Mana Source