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Questions & Answers about Kié ez a telefon?
What does Kié literally mean and how is it formed?
Kié literally means whose. It’s built from ki (who) + the possessive suffix -é, which turns it into “the one of who(m).” The same -é shows up in answers like Péteré (Peter’s [one]) or az enyém/tiéd/övé (mine/yours/his-hers).
Why is there no verb like “is” (van) in the sentence?
In simple present, 3rd person equational sentences, Hungarian usually omits van. So instead of “Whose is this phone?” with an explicit “is,” Hungarian has Kié ez a telefon? (literally “Whose this the phone?”), with no van.
Why do we say ez a telefon and not just ez telefon?
When a demonstrative (ez/az = this/that) directly modifies a noun, Hungarian requires the definite article a/az before the noun:
- ez a telefon = this phone (phone starts with a consonant → a)
- ez az alma = this apple (apple starts with a vowel → az)
When do I use ez a vs ez az?
Pick a before a consonant-initial noun and az before a vowel-initial noun:
- ez a telefon, ez a ház
- ez az autó, ez az alma
Can I say Ez a telefon kié? instead?
Yes. Ez a telefon kié? is also correct and common. Fronting Kié (Kié ez a telefon?) puts extra focus on “whose,” but both word orders work in everyday speech.
What’s the difference between Kié ez a telefon? and Kinek a telefonja ez?
They mean the same thing:
- Kié ez a telefon? uses the possessive ending -é on the question word.
- Kinek a telefonja ez? uses the dative kinek
- the possessed noun with possessive suffix (telefon-ja). Stylistically both are natural; the second explicitly marks the possessed noun.
How do I answer this question naturally?
Common replies:
- Owning:
- Az enyém. = It’s mine.
- Péteré. = It’s Peter’s.
- A tanáré. = It’s the teacher’s.
- Full NP: Ez a telefon Péteré.
- Denying/unsure:
- Nem az enyém.
- Nem tudom, kié. You’ll often hear the pronoun Ez/Az in answers: Ez az enyém. / Az Péteré.
Can I drop the word telefon and just ask “Whose is this?” in Hungarian?
Yes: Kié ez? If the context is clear, that’s perfectly natural.
Why not Ki ez a telefon? Isn’t ki “who”?
Ki means who, not whose. Ki ez a telefon? would try to ask “Who is this phone?” which doesn’t make sense. Use Kié for “whose.”
How would I ask about a non-human possessor, like “What’s this the key of?”
Use minek a rather than mié, which is rare/old-fashioned:
- Minek a kulcsa ez? = What is this the key to?
For people, stick to kié / kinek a. For things, prefer minek a
- possessed noun.
How do I pronounce the words?
- Kié: [KI-eh], stress on the first syllable; é is a long e ([eː]).
- ez: like “ez” with short e.
- telefon: [TE-le-fon], all short vowels; stress on the first syllable.
How do I ask about plural items: “Whose are these phones?”
Two natural options:
- Kinek a telefonjai ezek? (neutral, very common)
- Kiké ezek a telefonok? (asks specifically for plural owners; less common in everyday speech)
Why doesn’t telefon take an -t ending (accusative) here?
Because it’s not a direct object; it’s part of an equational phrase. You’d add -t only if it were an object: Látom a telefont = I see the phone.
Is there any politeness formula I can add?
Yes, just preface the question:
- Elnézést, kié ez a telefon? = Excuse me, whose phone is this?
- Bocsánat, kié ez a telefon? = Sorry, whose phone is this?
What are the possessive pronouns I might hear in answers?
- az enyém (mine)
- a tiéd (yours, sg.)
- az övé (his/hers/its)
- a miénk (ours)
- a tiétek (yours, pl.)
- az övék (theirs) These often appear with ez/az: Ez az enyém. Az övé.
Are there other common word orders meaning the same?
Yes, you may also hear:
- Kinek ez a telefon?
- Ez kinek a telefonja? All are acceptable; the choice affects subtle focus/flow, not the core meaning.