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Ya que compramos en otra divisa, pagamos este recargo.

Ya que compramos en otra divisa, pagamos este recargo.
Since we bought in another currency, we pay this surcharge.
From Lesson 343:Formal causes (dado que, puesto que, ya que)·Spanish (Latin America)

Questions & Answers about Ya que compramos en otra divisa, pagamos este recargo.

Why is ya que used here to mean "since" instead of just using porque?
While porque means "because", ya que translates closer to "since" or "given that". It is used to introduce a cause or premise that is often already known to the listener. Additionally, it is very common and natural to start a sentence with ya que, whereas starting a sentence with porque is mostly done when directly answering a "why" question.
Why is the indicative verb compramos used after ya que? Shouldn't phrases like "given that" trigger the subjunctive?
No, causal conjunctions like ya que, puesto que, and dado que almost always take the indicative. This is because they declare established facts or realities. You are stating that you actually bought in another currency as a real fact to explain the surcharge, so the indicative compramos is required.
Since both compramos and pagamos are nosotros forms, how do we know their tenses here?
For regular -ar verbs, the present tense and the preterite (simple past) tense are identical for the nosotros form. You have to rely on context. Here, the logic of the sentence implies a sequence: the purchase happened in the past (compramos = bought), resulting in a fee that applies now (pagamos = pay).
Why does the sentence use otra divisa instead of una otra divisa for "another currency"?
In Spanish, the word otro (or otra) already means "another". Adding un or una before it is a classic mistake made by English speakers. You never use an indefinite article before otro.
Could I use moneda instead of divisa here?
Yes, moneda also translates to "currency" (as well as "coin"). However, divisa is a more specific financial term for foreign currencies in the context of international exchange. Since this sentence is about international purchases and bank surcharges, divisa sounds very precise and professional.

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