Although it is not the usual practice to include phrases as dictionary entries or to count them among parts of speech, there are a considerable number of particles which combine to form common phrases in Plains Cree whose meaning may not always be predictable from the sum of the parts. As such, quite a number of particle phrases have been recognized, such as those in (1) and (2).

(1)    tānitē ētikwē    “I wonder where?” (cf.tānitē “where”; ētikwē “apparently, doubtfully, etc.”)

(2)    nawac piko       “rather; more or less” (cf. nawac “more”; piko “only”)