(for) a while, long time

Hello,

May I stay a while?
Were you follong me a long time?
Wait a while.

I have seen these sentences(subtitles) in the movie named 'the double life of Veroniquie' and I would like to ask why they are not using 'for' before 'a while, a long time,...etc', what if I use 'for' before these? Does any different meaning occour?

May I stay for a while?
Were you follong me for a long time?
Wait for a while.

Thanks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by aysaa

Hello,

May I stay a while?
Were you following me a long time?
Wait a while.

I have seen these sentences(subtitles) in the movie named 'the double life of Veroniquie' and I would like to ask why they are not using 'for' before 'a while, a long time,...etc', what if I use 'for' before these? Does any different meaning occour?

May I stay for a while?
Were you follong me for a long time?
Wait for a while.

Thanks.

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In the first example, "for" is optional.
In the second example, I prefer it with "for" but it's acceptable without.
In the third example, it actually sounds a little unnatural with "for". Most of the time, we say "Wait a while", "Wait here a while" etc.