Breakdown of Untuk menyalakan televisi, saya menekan tombol di remot.
sebuah
a
saya
I
untuk
to
menyalakan
to turn on
televisi
the television
di
on
menekan
to press
tombol
the button
remot
the remote
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Indonesian grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Untuk menyalakan televisi, saya menekan tombol di remot.
What does the initial Untuk + verb structure express here?
It marks purpose, roughly “in order to.” So Untuk menyalakan televisi, ... means the following action is done with the goal of turning on the TV. You can also put the purpose phrase at the end: Saya menekan tombol di remot untuk menyalakan televisi. Another option is Agar/Supaya televisi menyala, saya menekan tombol di remot (“so that the TV is on...”); note that agar/supaya must be followed by a full clause with a subject.
Can I omit untuk if I front the verb phrase?
No. Fronted purpose clauses need untuk. Saying Menyalakan televisi, saya menekan... sounds unnatural. If you want to express means rather than purpose, use dengan: Saya menyalakan televisi dengan menekan tombol di remot (“I turn on the TV by pressing the button”).
What’s the difference between menyalakan, menghidupkan, and nyalain?
- menyalakan: neutral/standard “to turn on,” common for lights, appliances, fire.
- menghidupkan: also “to turn on,” literally “to make alive,” very common for devices (TV, engine, computer). Interchangeable with menyalakan here.
- nyalain: colloquial/informal variant of menyalakan (often Jakartan). Use in casual speech, not formal writing.
What is the base word of menyalakan, and what does -kan add?
The root is nyala (“flame, on”).
- menyala = “to be on/to burn” (intransitive): Televisi menyala = “The TV is on.”
- menyalakan = “to turn on/to light” (transitive, causative with -kan): Saya menyalakan televisi = “I turn on the TV.”
Why is it menekan and not tekan?
tekan is the base verb “press.”
- menekan is the active transitive form used in statements: Saya menekan tombol.
- tekan is used for commands: Tekan tombol itu!
- The passive is ditekan: Tombol itu ditekan (“the button is pressed”).
Is mencet/memencet okay instead of menekan?
Yes, but it’s more casual.
- menekan = neutral/standard.
- memencet/mencet = informal/colloquial “press,” very common in everyday speech (especially around Jakarta). Use menekan in formal contexts.
Why is it di remot and not pada remot, and could I drop di?
- di marks physical location (“on/at/in”), so tombol di remot = “the button on the remote.”
- pada is more formal/stiff; you can say tombol pada remot, but di is more natural in conversation.
- You can also say tombol remot (“the remote’s button”) as a compound noun without di.
Is remot the correct spelling? I also see remote.
Both remot and remote are widely used in Indonesia for “remote (control).” In everyday writing you’ll see both; stick to one style consistently. A fully Indonesian alternative is pengendali/kendali jarak jauh, but most people still say remote/remot.
Do I need a word for “the” before televisi or remot?
Indonesian has no articles. Definiteness comes from context. If you want to be explicit, use:
- itu/ini: televisi itu, remot itu
- enclitic -nya: remotnya (“the remote,” contextually specific)
How would I say “press it” or “turn it on” without repeating the noun?
Attach -nya to the verb:
- Saya menekannya = “I press it.”
- Saya menyalakannya = “I turn it on.”
Don’t use dia for things; dia is for people.
How do I make this passive?
Two natural options:
- Short passive (very common): Untuk menyalakan televisi, tombol di remot saya tekan.
- di- passive: Untuk menyalakan televisi, tombol di remot ditekan (oleh saya). The agent with oleh is often omitted.
Can I put the purpose phrase at the end instead?
Yes: Saya menekan tombol di remot untuk menyalakan televisi. Same meaning, natural word order.
Is the comma after the initial clause required?
Recommended. In Indonesian, when an adverbial/purpose phrase comes first, a comma is conventionally used: Untuk menyalakan televisi, ...
Do I need yang to say “the button on the remote”?
Not necessary. Tombol di remot is fine. If you want a full relative clause, you can say tombol yang ada di remot (“the button that is on the remote”).
Can I say TV instead of televisi?
Yes. TV is very common in speech and informal writing. televisi is more formal. You may also see tivi (colloquial spelling/pronunciation).
How do I show past or future time here?
Indonesian has no verb tense; add time words:
- Past: tadi, barusan, kemarin (e.g., Tadi saya menekan...)
- Future: nanti, besok, or akan (e.g., Saya akan menekan...)