Basically it's a French word for an open-faced sandwich. Tartines can be small or large, eaten for breakfast or lunch.

The most classic shapes are barra (classic long, wide-ish loaf), baguet (long but narrower), barrita (individual serving), molde (rectangular loaf like packaged bread), hogaza (circular loaf), rosca (big doughnut shape), and a variety of names that vary between regions or even between bakeries.

There are two main types of bakeries in Spain. A panadería specializes in bread, rolls, and other savory, leavened foods. The name comes from pan, which is the Spanish word for bread. A pastelería, or confitería, is a bakery that makes sweet baked products such as cakes and pastries.