Marlene: You shouldn’t have come all this way.
Doctor: Unfortunately, Marlene, no ambulances can get through the snow right now.
Marlene: Please, don’t waste your time with me.
Question: Is it okay to say “don’t waste your time ON me”?
Thank you!!!
Hmm… Of course it all depends on tone and context. If someone said to me, “You’re wasting your time with me” I would take it to mean, “you’re not going to get any help or cooperation from me” or “I’m not buying whatever it is you’re selling;” whereas “You’re wasting your time on me” would mean “I’m not worthy of your attention,” I agree.
But in this context, I don’t see any real difference between “Please, don’t waste your time on me” and “Please, don’t waste your time with me.” It seems as though she is saying, “I’m not worth all of this attention that I’m getting.” But I would have to watch the episode to get the full context.
I hear ON used a lot in USA.
