Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Dia menyiram tanaman setiap pagi supaya tetap segar. - He/She waters the plants every morning so they do not wilt.

dia means “he” or “she” (no gender distinction). It’s third-person singular for people.
Respectful alternative: beliau (for elders/important figures).
Formal/written subject form: ia (often only as subject).
For things/animals, use itu or repeat the noun; dia can be used for a pet if you personify it.

What is the base form of menyiram, and why is there ny?

Base verb: siram “to pour/water.”
The active prefix meN- becomes meny- before roots beginning with s, and the initial s drops: meN + siram → menyiram.
Meaning: “to water (plants), pour water on.”

When would I use menyirami or menyiramkan instead?

menyiram: neutral “to water X.”
menyirami (-i): focuses on a surface/area or multiple items (e.g., menyirami kebun = water the garden). Can also be used with tanaman to hint at watering many plants.
menyiramkan (-kan): “to pour X onto Y,” where the thing poured is the object (e.g., menyiramkan air ke tanaman).
Your sentence uses the most common, neutral choice.

Why tanaman and not tanam or tumbuhan?

tanam: verb “to plant.”
tanaman: noun “plant(s); planted things,” formed with -an.
tumbuhan: “plants” as a general biological category; less about cultivated plants. For things you tend/water, tanaman is natural.

Is tanaman singular or plural? How do I say “the plants”?

Indonesian doesn’t mark plural by default; tanaman can mean one or many.
To show plurality/definiteness:
- Reduplication: tanaman-tanaman (emphatically plural).
- Determiner: tanaman itu (that/the plant(s)).
- Quantifiers: semua tanaman (all the plants), banyak tanaman (many plants).

Where can the time phrase setiap pagi go? Can I say tiap pagi?

Both positions are fine:
- Setiap pagi, dia menyiram tanaman …
- Dia menyiram tanaman setiap pagi …
tiap is a common shorter form of setiap. Both are correct.
Variants: pagi hari (in the morning), pagi-pagi (early morning).

Why use supaya here? How is it different from agar, biar, sehingga, and untuk?

supaya/agar/biar express purpose “so that.”
- agar = more formal; supaya = neutral; biar = informal.
sehingga expresses result (“so/therefore”), not purpose.
untuk = “for/to (do),” typically followed by a verb/noun phrase, not a full clause. Untuk tetap segar here would read as the subject’s goal (“for him/her to stay fresh”), which isn’t intended. Use supaya/agar … tetap segar to target the plants.

Does supaya need a subject after it? Why is it just supaya tetap segar?

Indonesian can omit the subject when it’s clear. Here it’s understood to be the plants.
You may make it explicit: … supaya tanaman tetap segar. Both versions are correct.

What does tetap add? How is it different from masih?

tetap = remain/keep (maintain a state): tanaman tetap segar (the plants stay fresh).
masih = still/yet (continuation up to now): tanaman masih segar (the plants are still fresh).
To mean “become fresher,” use lebih segar or menjadi segar.

Could I say the same idea in the passive voice?

Yes: Tanaman disiram setiap pagi supaya tetap segar.
disiram is the passive form of menyiram. You can add the agent if needed: … oleh dia (often omitted).

Can I drop dia or other elements in casual speech?

Yes, subject drop is common in context.
Colloquial: Setiap pagi nyiram tanaman biar tetap segar.
- nyiram and biar are informal; avoid in formal writing.

Is menyiram always transitive? Do I need to state the object?

It’s typically transitive, but if the object is obvious you can omit it: Dia sedang menyiram (He/She is watering [it/them]).
In careful or written style, include the object for clarity.

How do I refer to the plants with a pronoun?

Use enclitic -nya for “it/them”: Dia menyiramnya setiap pagi.
Note -nya can also mark possession:
- menyiramnya = water it/them.
- tanamannya = his/her/the/that plant(s). Context clarifies the meaning.

Any pronunciation or spelling tips for words here?

Standard spellings: menyiram, tanaman, setiap, pagi, supaya, tetap, segar.
Casual pronunciations you might hear: nyiram, tiap, biar, tetep, seger. Use standard forms in writing.
ny in menyiram is like the “ny” in canyon [ɲ]; g in pagi is hard (as in “go”).

Could I replace tanaman with more specific words like bunga or pohon?

Yes:
- bunga = flower(s),
- pohon = tree(s),
- rumput = grass. Pick the noun that matches what’s being watered.

How would I say “to make them fresher” instead of “so that they stay fresh”?

Use a comparative/result idea: … supaya/agar tanaman menjadi lebih segar.
… supaya tetap segar emphasizes maintaining freshness; menjadi lebih segar emphasizes improvement.