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Could you tell me if there is any difference in meaning between play with someone, play against someone and play someone? For example:

I have a ping pong table. Do you want to play with me.

I have a ping pong table. Do you want to play against me.

I have a ping pong table. Do you want to play me.

2 Answers 2

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“Play with me” does not include the competitive element.

As it is understood to be a competitive game, “play against me” sounds like overkill to me, and, were I inviting someone to compete, I’d simply use “play me”.

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I would avoid all of them for reasons I give below.

I would normally say

Would you like a game?
Do you fancy a game?

Play against sounds too competitive and I would avoid both the others unless I knew the person very well since they have a sexual overtone. I think play me may be more US specific, it sounds unnatural to me but play with me is OK in British English subject to the caveat I raise.

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