3D models are built up of three core things a vertex, edges and face
A vertex is a singular point on a mesh that actually builds up the mesh. A vertex can be manipulated as one or as a group. For an edge you need a least two vertex's and in order to make on, edges are useful as they allow for things like loop cuts which is a nice way to add geometry where it is needed. A face only needs 3 vertexs or edges to be made, faces are good because they use the normals of a face to shade an object.
A face only really takes two forms as anything less is an edge and anything more is an NGon so keeping a face with 3 or 4 sides is really what is desired. Quads are desired as make for a much more readable topology on your mesh and they allow for much better deformation when you are animating a character bending their arm or crouching and really animating in general they allow mean better shading.
NGons should be avoided as they are the anthesis of everything you want as having more than 4 sides makes things messy. NGons mess with shading and topology they also aren't good for animating they also mess up triangulation which is important when puting an asset in a game engine.
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