Why do we say "It's time we ate" and not "It's time we eat"?

Question

Why do we use the simple past but not the present or future in the following expressions: > Don't you think it's time we went a little further > Don't you think it's time we ate > Don't you think it's time we went home

Answer 1

The situation depends on weather or not you are using the past or present tents. With that particular phrase most often it is speaking of a present tense and night of the past tense. The past tense obviously referring to ate.