Well you've got to choose a language for what you want to do. Once you've chosen just google some guides or got to your local Library. Also, Wikibooks has a large collection of Programming Guides: http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Category:Programming

would C++ be a good starting language to learn cause a friend gave me it in hopes of using it someday

C++ is a good language, but very complicated, not a good beginners language

there any language in particular thats good for beginners?

I'd recommend starting out with Microsoft Visual Basic. It allows you to visually design programs and code them in a simple language. You can download the free Visual Basic Express Edition from Microsoft here:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/vb/

BASIC - as already suggested is a great starting place for high-level language programming.
Beginners All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code.