Then you are not one of those I can't get used to.
You were probably trying to ask "kore ha ikura desu ka" though I don't know how you don't hear those syllables. Though that reminds me of a story back in the days just after the black ships have arrived when I tried to buy a newspaper in a street side kiosk.
The old lady saw my lily white face and when I approached her with the question "sumimasen, kore ha ikura desu ka" she raised her hands to a protective X in front of her face and screamed "Nou ingurisu!". I was young and full of energy so I didn't get baffled but just continued "hai, kedo kono shinbun ha ikura desu ka". She on the other hand was baffled that her English did not get through the thick skull of the white monster so she decided to add more power to her voice and screamed again "Nou ingurisu!".
An older gentleman passing by saw the conflict and came to rescue by asking me "What seems to be the problem?". I told him "kono shinbun wo kaitai desu ga, ikura da to wakarimasen". The gentleman turns to the lady and asks "shinbun ha ikura desu ka". The old lady happy now when she can communicate by her own language goes "150 en desu". The gentleman turns to me again and says "it is 150 yen". I silently hand the money to the lady and she takes the money, ignores me and says to the gentleman "Tasukarimasita! Eigo dekinai mon desu kara ne".