Quan fa sol, aquest arbre fa ombra al banc de la plaça.

It is the same verb, fer (to do / to make) in form, but it is part of two different fixed expressions.

• fa sol = it is sunny
• fa ombra = it casts shade / it makes shade

So in this sentence:

• Quan fa sol = When it’s sunny
• aquest arbre fa ombra = this tree casts shade

This is very common in Catalan: the verb fer appears in many idiomatic expressions where English uses a different verb.

Here quan can be understood as when or whenever.

Because the sentence describes a general, repeated situation, English often naturally translates it as whenever:

• Quan fa sol, aquest arbre fa ombra...
• Whenever it’s sunny, this tree casts shade...

But when is also fine in English, depending on context. In Catalan, quan covers both uses here.

Because fa sol is the normal Catalan weather expression.

Literally, it looks like it makes sun, but that is not how you should think about it. Learn it as a set phrase:

• fa sol = it’s sunny
• fa vent = it’s windy
• fa fred = it’s cold
• fa calor = it’s hot

So fa sol is simply the standard idiomatic way to talk about sunny weather.

Because arbre is a masculine singular noun in Catalan.

• aquest = this, masculine singular
• aquesta = this, feminine singular

So:

• aquest arbre = this tree
• aquesta plaça = this square / plaza

Even though arbre begins with a vowel, it is still masculine, so aquest is correct.

These are idiomatic expressions, and Catalan does not use the article there.

• fa sol → not fa el sol
• fa ombra → normally not fa una ombra in this meaning

In fer ombra, ombra works almost like part of the expression itself: to give/cast shade.

So it is best to learn:

• fer ombra a algú / a alguna cosa = to cast shade on someone / something

al is the contraction of a + el.

• a = to / on / at
• el = the
• al = to the / on the / at the

In this sentence, fer ombra a means to cast shade on something.

So:

• fa ombra al banc = casts shade on the bench

This a is required by the expression.

Yes, literally de la plaça means of the square / plaza.

So:

• el banc de la plaça = the bench of the square

In more natural English, you would often say:

• the bench in the square
• the plaza bench

Catalan often uses de in places where English prefers in or a noun modifier.

It can mean either, depending on context.

Here it clearly means bench, because the sentence is about a tree casting shade in a square:

• el banc de la plaça = the bench in the square

If the context were money or finance, banc would mean bank.

So this is a useful vocabulary point: banc has two common meanings.

Because Catalan often does not use an explicit subject pronoun, especially with weather expressions.

English says:

• it’s sunny

Catalan says:

• fa sol

There is no separate word corresponding to English it here. That is normal.

More generally, Catalan often leaves out subject pronouns when the verb form already makes the structure clear.

The comma after Quan fa sol is natural and standard, because that first part is an introductory subordinate clause.

• Quan fa sol, aquest arbre fa ombra al banc de la plaça.

This is the clearest written form.

In informal writing, people sometimes omit commas more than they should, but for standard written Catalan, the comma is a good choice here.

Not really. Although fer often literally means make, you should translate fa ombra as:

• casts shade
• provides shade
• gives shade

English usually does not say makes shade in this context. So this is another place where a literal translation is less natural than the real meaning.

This is the normal, neutral order.

• Quan fa sol, aquest arbre fa ombra al banc de la plaça.

It starts with the time/condition clause, then gives the main statement.

You could also put the main clause first:

• Aquest arbre fa ombra al banc de la plaça quan fa sol.

That is also correct, but it slightly changes the rhythm and focus. The original version sounds very natural if you want to set the condition first: When it’s sunny...

It can feel a bit awkward for English speakers, but you just say the words one after the other:

• aquest arbre

The final -t of aquest may be softened or linked naturally into the following word in connected speech, depending on accent and speed, but learners should mainly focus on saying both words clearly.

A rough guide might be:

• ah-KEST AR-bruh
  or in Central Catalan, more like
• uh-KESHT AR-bruh

Exact pronunciation varies by dialect, but the key point is that this sequence is completely normal in Catalan.

It describes the bench, not the tree.

So the structure is:

• aquest arbre = this tree
• fa ombra = casts shade
• al banc de la plaça = on the bench in the square

In other words, it is the square’s bench or the bench in the square, not the tree of the square.

The nearest and most logical attachment is to banc.