Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Remot berfungsi lagi setelah saya mengganti baterai. - The remote worked again after I replaced the battery.

Both remot and remote are used in Indonesia. Remot is the common Indonesianized spelling in everyday writing and speech; remote (English-like) also appears. In more formal contexts, you might see pengendali jarak jauh. Your sentence is perfectly natural with remot.

Would Indonesians add -nya (e.g., remotnya) to make it sound more natural?

Very often, yes. Adding -nya makes the noun definite (“the remote” / “its remote”) or context-linked. So:

Remotnya berfungsi lagi… = The remote (we’ve been talking about) works again…
You can also add it to the battery: baterainya = its/the battery.

Is berfungsi the right verb for a remote, or should I say something else?

Berfungsi (“to function”) is natural for devices. Alternatives you’ll hear:

bisa dipakai lagi = can be used again (very common and casual)
berfungsi kembali = functions again (a bit more formal)
For things that literally light up, people might say nyala lagi, but for a remote (which doesn’t “turn on” visibly), berfungsi or bisa dipakai are better.

What’s the difference between lagi and kembali here?

Both mean “again.” Nuance:

lagi is very common and neutral in casual speech.
kembali can sound a bit more formal or “restorative” (back to a previous state). Word order is the same: berfungsi lagi/kembali.

Does lagi ever mean “anymore”?

Yes, in negative sentences.

Tidak berfungsi lagi = “no longer works / doesn’t work anymore.” In your sentence (affirmative), lagi means “again.”

Why mengganti and not menggantikan or mengubah?

mengganti = to replace/swap out something (correct for batteries).
menggantikan = to replace someone/something in the sense of “take the place of” (a person or a role).
mengubah = to change/alter (modify) something’s state, not replace it with a new one. So for batteries, use mengganti.

Do I need dengan after mengganti?

Only if you specify what you replaced it with:

Saya mengganti baterai. = I replaced the battery.
Saya mengganti baterai dengan yang baru. = I replaced the battery with a new one. Without the second item, no dengan is needed.

Why is it spelled mengganti with ngg?

It’s the meN- prefix + root ganti. Before a root beginning with g, the prefix surfaces as meng-, giving meng + ganti → mengganti (so you see ngg across the boundary). Don’t write menganti; keep the g.

Is baterai the standard spelling? I’ve seen batere/batre/batrai.

The standard form is baterai. Colloquially you’ll hear batere or batre, but in writing, stick with baterai. Note: a car battery is usually called aki.

What if the remote uses two batteries—do I need to mark plural?

Indonesian doesn’t require plural marking. baterai can mean one or more by context. If you want to be explicit, add a number:

dua baterai = two batteries Reduplication (baterai-baterai) is rarely used in this context.

Can I drop saya after setelah?

Yes, if it’s clear the subject is the same:

Remot berfungsi lagi setelah mengganti baterai. If you want to be impersonal, use passive:
Remot berfungsi lagi setelah baterai(dia/nya) diganti.

Can I start with the time clause?

Absolutely:

Setelah saya mengganti baterai, remot berfungsi lagi. When the setelah-clause comes first, use a comma.

Can I say setelah saya ganti baterai without meng-?

Yes. The “subject + bare verb + object” pattern is common in spoken and informal Indonesian:

Setelah saya ganti baterai, … You can also topicalize the object:
Setelah baterainya saya ganti, remot berfungsi lagi.

What does -nya on baterainya do here?

It marks definiteness or possession (often “its”):

setelah saya mengganti baterainya = after I replaced its/the battery (of the remote). It doesn’t force singular/plural; context decides.

Would adding sudah change the meaning?

It adds an “already/now” nuance:

Remot sudah berfungsi lagi setelah saya mengganti baterai. This emphasizes the result is now achieved.

Is sesudah different from setelah?

They’re synonyms. Setelah is slightly more common. Informal options include habis/abis:

Abis saya ganti baterai, remot berfungsi lagi. (very casual)

Any quick pronunciation tips for tricky parts?

remot: reh-mot (rolled/flapped r; clear final t)
berfungsi: ber-FOONG-see (the ngs cluster is like “ngs” in “songs” + “see”)
baterai: ba-te-rai (final ai like the “eye” sound)
setelah: suh-tuh-lah (schwa-like e’s in casual speech)

How would this differ in Malay?

In Malaysian usage you’ll often see:

bateri (not baterai)
alat kawalan jauh for “remote control” The structure with berfungsi and selepas (for setelah) is otherwise similar:
Alat kawalan jauh berfungsi semula selepas saya menukar bateri.