Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya menekan tombol di remot supaya suara televisi menjadi pelan. - I press a button on the remote so that the television sound becomes quiet.

Supaya introduces purpose: “so that/in order that.” It expresses intention, not a guaranteed result.
Agar is a more formal synonym of supaya. You could swap it with no change in meaning.
Biar is the informal/colloquial counterpart: very common in speech.
Sehingga means “so that/as a result,” focusing on the outcome, not the speaker’s intention. It doesn’t fit well when you want to express purpose.
Example swaps:
- Saya menekan tombol di remot agar/supaya/biar suara televisi menjadi pelan. (purpose)
- Saya menekan tombol di remot, sehingga suara televisi menjadi pelan. (result)

Is di remot the best way to say “on the remote”? Could I use dengan or menggunakan instead?

Di remot = “on the remote” (physical location of the button).
If your focus is “using the remote” as a tool, use dengan or menggunakan:
- Saya menurunkan volume TV dengan remot.
- Saya menggunakan remot untuk mengecilkan volume TV.
Pada is more formal than di with the same sense as “on”: Saya menekan tombol pada remote.

Why menekan and not tekan? What about pencet/memencet?

Menekan = active verb with the meN- prefix (standard when the subject is the doer): “to press.”
Bare tekan is used in certain structures (e.g., when the object is fronted: Tombol itu saya tekan), but after a subject like “Saya,” the standard form is menekan. In casual speech, you will hear “Saya tekan tombol,” but it’s more informal.
Pencet/memencet are informal synonyms for “press.” Very common in daily conversation:
- Aku pencet tombol remot biar suara TV kecil.

Do we need menjadi here? Could we say supaya suara televisi pelan or jadi pelan?

Menjadi emphasizes a change of state: “become.” It fits well because pressing the button causes the sound to change.
You can drop it in casual speech: supaya suara televisi pelan, or use the colloquial jadi: supaya suara televisi jadi pelan.
Formal/neutral: menjadi. Informal: jadi. Omitting the verb is conversational and acceptable.

Does pelan mean “quiet” or “slow”? Is kecil better for volume?

Pelan can mean “slow” (speed) or “soft/quiet” (sound) depending on context. Here it means “quiet/soft.”
For volume, kecil is very common and natural: suara/volume TV kecil.
Both are fine here; kecil may sound a bit more idiomatic for volume. Examples:
- Supaya suara TV pelan. (soft)
- Supaya volume TV kecil. (low)

How do I say “turn down the volume” naturally?

Is tombol di remot natural, or should it be tombol remot?

Both are natural, with a nuance difference:

Tombol di remot emphasizes the location (“the button on the remote”).
Tombol remot is a noun-noun compound (“the remote’s button/the remote button”). In many contexts it’s a bit snappier and very common.

Is remot the correct spelling, or should it be remote?

You’ll see both. In careful/formal writing, remote is often preferred; in everyday Indonesian, remot is extremely common and perfectly natural in speech and informal text. Choose based on register and your audience.

Why not say suaranya? Do we need -nya for “the” here?

Indonesian has no articles. Suaranya can mark definiteness (“its/the sound”) and is very common in conversation: Supaya suaranya menjadi pelan.
Suara televisi is also fine and a bit more explicit. Both are acceptable; -nya often sounds more natural in speech.

How is tense expressed? Does menekan mean past or present?

Verbs in Indonesian don’t change for tense. Menekan can be past, present, or future depending on context.
Add time words:
- Past: tadi/barusan saya menekan…
- Future: saya akan menekan…
- Habitual: saya sering menekan…

What’s the difference between di (separated) and the prefix di- (attached), like di remot vs ditekan?

Di (separate) is a preposition meaning “at/on/in”: di remot.
Di- (attached) is a passive prefix on verbs: ditekan = “(is/was) pressed.”
Do not write “diremot” here; that would be incorrect.

Could I use untuk instead of supaya?

Untuk can’t introduce a full clause with a subject; it must be followed by a verb/noun phrase of purpose:
- Correct: Saya menekan tombol di remot untuk mengecilkan volume TV.
- Not natural: … untuk suara TV menjadi pelan.
Use supaya/agar/biar before a clause.

Can I drop saya or use aku?

Yes. Pronouns are often dropped if clear from context: (Saya) menekan tombol di remot….
Saya is neutral/formal; aku is informal/intimate. Pick based on the situation:
- Saya menekan tombol… (neutral/formal)
- Aku pencet tombol… (informal)

Are there passive or alternative word orders?

Active (given): Saya menekan tombol di remot…
“Bare verb” with object fronting (very common): Tombol di remot saya tekan supaya….
Passive with di- (more formal/literary): Tombol di remot ditekan (oleh saya) supaya….
All are grammatical; the choice affects style and emphasis.

Is suara televisi the most natural phrasing, or should I say volume televisi / suara TV?

All are fine. In everyday speech, suara TV or volume TV are very common and concise.
Slightly more formal/explicit: suara televisi or volume televisi.
Many speakers shorten televisi to TV in writing and speech.