External possession is when we're talking about an object being owned by a named owner, but then the object is not necessarily named. For example, when we have already mentioned my book, and you want to then talk of Ági's book, one can imply the owned object thus: "My book is here. Where is Ági's?" We do not need to mention the book a second time.

The characteristic ending for indicating external possession is -é.

The question whose? is then easily made:

• ki? who?
• kié? whose?
• kié ez a könyv? whose is this book?
• ez a könyv Ágié this book is Ági's
• még nem találtam Ágiét? I have not yet found Ági's?

Compare to kinek a kutyája? who has a dog? Áginek. Agi (has a dog). See the section on Hungarian possession.

Just like with explicit possession of multiple objects, we have -éi to represent the external possesion of multiple objects.

• ki? who?
• kiéi? whose (pl.)?
• kiéi ez a könyvek? whose are these books?
• ezek a könyvek Ágiéi these books are Ági's
• még nem találtam Ágiéit? I have not yet found Ági's?

Here is another example, sent in by reader Gábor Bánóczi. It shows the construction of the word fiaiéi those of my sons, i.e. my sons'

• fia his son
• fiai his/her sons
• fiaié his sons' (object)
• For example, a bárány a fiaié the lamb is her sons', or, the lamb belongs to her sons.
• fiaiéi his sons' (objects)
• For example, a bárányok a fiaiéi the lambs are her sons', or, the lambs belong to her sons

In English, "who's" means "who is," or "who has." It's nothing to do with possession.