Most of the time chords are written as diagrams. This is the diagram for E Minor:

Your first chord

Chords are tricky at first but you don't need to learn many before you can play loads of songs. That's why people often learn a few chords when they first start playing guitar.

One of the easiest chords to learn is called E Minor. To play it put the 1st finger of your left hand onto the 5th string, on fret number 2. Then put your 2nd finger onto the 4th string, also on the 2nd fret.

Once you've got your fingers onto the frets play all six strings slowly, one at a time, starting with the thickest one and working your way down to the thinnest one. If the strings you're pressing down on don't sound clear, check and see that your fingers are close enough to the fret and that you're pressing hard enough. If one of the strings with no fingers on sounds bad then check that you aren't touching it by accident with one of your fingers or part of your hand.

It might seem too strange for your hands at first and you might not be able to play the chord no matter how hard you try, but don't let that put you off. I think it feels like that for everyone at first but if you keep trying for a few minutes at a time, once or twice a day, soon each time you try it'll feel easier.

Once you think that each string in the chord sounds clear enough, try strumming the guitar by running the thumb or finger of your right hand (or the pick, if you're using one) downwards across all the strings in one motion, so that they're all played more or less at the same time. This can be tricky in itself but it shouldn't take you more than a few minutes to get the hang of it.

You'll find after a while the tips of your fingers get sore from pressing on the strings. That's normal and happens to everyone, but it doesn't last long. If you keep playing regularly and don't let it put you off too much it shouldn't take more than a week or two for the ends of your fingers to harden up a bit and stop hurting.