it's time you "went" home???????

[Anonymous]

i am a foreign student,and when watching TV I often hear people saying "it's time you "went" home" if they want that individual to go home,why don't they use the present tense "go home "??
anyone to help? thanks

 

[MikeNewYork]

i am a foreign student,and when watching TV I often hear people saying "it's time you "went" home" if they want that individual to go home,why don't they use the present tense "go home "??
anyone to help? thanks

That use of "went" is subjunctive. It marks the statement as a proposition. We could also use the present tense "go" there, but past tense is viewed as softer, more polite.

 

[RonBee]

"It's time for you to go home" would probably be considered less polite.