Bahasa Bloopers ....

[Fabius]

My last one was when I wanted to ask my syster-in-law if she would finish in time to come home from work with me (we work in the same company) and I used:

"Kamu butuh dibawa pulang?".

She had quite a laugh and I realized I talked of her like she ware a takeaway meal!

[beebop]

i once said at my local Lura office that indonesia has too many kelapa sakit (kelapa sawit). They were not amused until my wife corrected me, then they were all rolling on the floor laughing.
My wife once asked me to buy coconut milk, to my amazement and others amuzement it is not referred to as ''susu kelapa'' or to one very confused store worker '' susu kepala''

[spruce]

I was at a fairly high-brow event about six months ago when one of the members of our group tried to bridge the cultural gap and compliment an Indonesian gentleman (who was attending said event with his wife) on his choice of watch (Patek Philippe). In colloquial Jakartan speech an ‘a’ vowel sound at the end of a word is sometimes substituted with an ‘e’ sound – so my acquaintance, trying to be cool, said something to the effect of ‘great choice, perek really suits you’. So instead of perak meaning silver, he said…. something inappropriate

[Bakpia]

i once said at my local Lura office that indonesia has too many kelapa sakit (kelapa sawit). They were not amused until my wife corrected me, then they were all rolling on the floor laughing.

I think my mind played a trick on me, when I read your sentence I read 'indonesia has too many kepala sakit'

[Sari.D]

I was at a fairly high-brow event about six months ago when one of the members of our group tried to bridge the cultural gap and compliment an Indonesian gentleman (who was attending said event with his wife) on his choice of watch (Patek Philippe). In colloquial Jakartan speech an ‘a’ vowel sound at the end of a word is sometimes substituted with an ‘e’ sound – so my acquaintance, trying to be cool, said something to the effect of ‘great choice, perek really suits you’. So instead of perak meaning silver, he said…. something inappropriate

his wife's facial expression must have been priceless?! LOL

[audereyee]

many Indonesian also mistaken their tongues for kepala (head) with kelapa (coconut), Tuhan (God) with hantu (ghost) ..

[pip]

My blooper was when i walked into a Mini Mart in Cisarua, I had some bread. some cheese, tomatoes etc. and the butter, I asked for a Pisang (banana) when I really wanted a Pisau (knife), forunately they understood the "dumb bule" after I showed them what I wanted to do and I left the store with a small sharp kitchen knife and not a blunt banana.

[Raxxie]

An embarrassing moment was when i ask for a soup 'buntut', silly me pronoucing buntut as bun tut but the indonesians hear it as 'pantat'

[pip]

I have couple more, one I do quite a lot and it is hantu for utan (ghost/forest) and also Tuhan = God for tahun = year, also confused with tahu = know and this also gets mixed up with some local pronunciations for tofu.

[mick mentawai]

many Indonesian also mistaken their tongues for kepala (head) with kelapa (coconut), Tuhan (God) with hantu (ghost) ..

I once accidentally addressed the Kepala desa as Kelapa desa when i was talking to him about a serious conversation, he kind of just looked at me weird then i clicked, i apologised and he saw the funny side of it.