É hora de irmos (Expressando Urgência)
para soar mais natural, expressar urgência e fazer sugestões sofisticadas" como um nativo.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use the Past Simple after 'It's time' to show that something is overdue and needs to happen right now.
- Use Past Simple for present urgency: 'It's time we left' means we should leave now.
- Add 'about' or 'high' for extra emphasis: 'It's high time you apologized.'
- Don't use 'will' or present tense: 'It's time we go' is technically incorrect in this specific structure.
Overview
It’s time we went é um daqueles pontos que separam quem apenas 'se vira' em inglês de quem tem um domínio realmente avançado, nível C1. No português, a gente não tem uma estrutura idêntica que force o uso de um tempo verbal passado para indicar uma urgência no presente. Quando a gente quer dizer que algo precisa ser feito, usamos o presente do indicativo ou o subjuntivo, como em 'está na hora de a gente ir'.unreal past (passado irreal) ou past subjunctive (subjuntivo passado).past simple após it’s time confere um tom de sugestão educada, porém firme. É a diferença entre soar como alguém que está apenas constatando um fato e alguém que está exercendo uma influência social para que uma ação ocorra.past simple aqui atua como um 'distanciador' — ele cria uma distância entre a realidade atual (onde a ação não está acontecendo) e a realidade desejada (onde a ação deveria estar ocorrendo). Dominar isso é essencial para soar nativo e evitar aquele tom de comando direto que pode soar rude ou infantil.It’s time we went funciona, a gente precisa desapegar da ideia de que o tempo verbal past simple sempre se refere a algo que já aconteceu. Em inglês, o tempo verbal é usado aqui de forma modal, ou seja, para expressar uma atitude do falante em relação à realidade. Quando você diz It’s time we discussed the new strategy, você não está dizendo que a discussão ocorreu no passado; você está usando o passado para indicar que a discussão é um evento hipotético que deveria estar acontecendo agora.past simple de forma muito similar a esse nosso subjuntivo. A estrutura It’s time + sujeito + past simple é uma construção fixa que implica que algo está atrasado ou que a hora chegou.It’s time we left (está na hora de irmos embora), a tradução literal seria 'está na hora nós fomos', o que não faz sentido nenhum para nós. O segredo é entender que esse went ou discussed está carregando o sentido de 'deveríamos ir' ou 'deveríamos discutir'.It’s time for us to go. O uso do for + object + to-infinitive é perfeitamente correto e comum, mas ele é mais neutro. Quando você usa It’s time we went, você está inserindo um sujeito, o que torna a sugestão mais direta e focada na responsabilidade do grupo ou da pessoa.It’s time we took the other route soa muito mais natural e assertivo para um falante nativo do que uma construção muito longa com should ou must. É o tipo de sutileza que, no dia a dia de um escritório, ajuda você a liderar conversas sem parecer autoritário.high (It's high time) serve para aumentar a carga de urgência ou impaciência. É como se você dissesse 'já passou da hora'.It’s time he realized how much he’s hurting the team.(Já passou da hora de ele perceber...)It’s time we stopped worrying about what others think on Instagram.(Já passou da hora de a gente parar de se preocupar...)It’s time you told your boss the truth.(Está na hora de você contar a verdade ao seu chefe.)
- 1Feedback Construtivo: Ao dar feedback, usar
It’s time you took more responsibility for your taskssoa muito mais profissional do que um imperativo direto como 'Take more responsibility!'. - 2Tomada de Decisão: Em uma reunião, se o pessoal estiver enrolando, você pode intervir com
It’s time we made a decision, o que sinaliza que a fase de debate acabou e a fase de execução começou. - 3Mudança de Comportamento: Se você quer sugerir que um amigo ou colega mude uma postura,
It’s time you stopped complaining about the commuteé uma forma direta, porém gramaticalmente polida, de encerrar o assunto.
It’s time we went é uma forma muito comum de avisar seu parceiro ou parceira que a saída é iminente.- 1Uso do Presente: O erro mais comum é dizer
It’s time we go. Por que acontece? Interferência do português. Nós dizemos 'está na hora de nós irmos' (presente). O brasileiro tende a traduzir o pensamento lógico, esquecendo que a gramática inglesa exige o 'passado irreal'. - 2Uso de Modal Verbs: Alguns alunos tentam dizer
It’s time we should go. Isso é gramaticalmente incorreto em inglês. Oshouldé redundante porque a estruturaIt’s time + pastjá carrega o sentido de obrigação ou necessidade. A L1 (português) nos faz querer colocar o 'deveríamos' explicitamente. - 3Confusão com 'It's time to': Às vezes, o aluno tenta misturar as estruturas e diz
It’s time we to go. Isso é um erro de contaminação entre a estrutura com sujeito (It's time we went) e a estrutura de infinitivo (It's time to go). Lembre-se: se tem sujeito, o verbo vai para o passado; se não tem sujeito, usamos o infinitivo.
It's time we left fala sobre o agora. It was time we had left fala sobre um momento lá atrás, no passado, onde a ação já estava atrasada. A confusão aqui acontece porque o brasileiro, ao ver o verbo no passado, tenta encontrar um marcador de tempo passado (como 'yesterday'), mas aqui o marcador é a própria estrutura It's time.- 1Posso usar 'It's time' com qualquer verbo? Sim, mas o verbo deve estar no passado. Se o verbo for irregular, como 'go', você deve usar a forma correta (went). Se for regular, basta adicionar o 'ed'.
- 1Existe diferença entre 'It's time' e 'It's high time'? Sim, o 'high' adiciona um grau de impaciência ou ênfase. É como se você dissesse 'já passou da hora mesmo'. Use 'high time' quando a situação estiver realmente demorando demais.
- 1Essa estrutura é informal? Não necessariamente. Ela é comum tanto na fala quanto na escrita, mas é muito usada em ambientes profissionais. É mais formal que um imperativo, mas menos formal do que uma construção passiva como 'It is requested that we proceed'. É o 'sweet spot' da comunicação assertiva.
Structure of 'It's Time' with Unreal Past
| Introductory Phrase | Subject | Verb Form | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
It's time
|
we
|
Past Simple
|
It's time we left.
|
|
It's about time
|
you
|
Past Simple
|
It's about time you called.
|
|
It's high time
|
they
|
Past Simple
|
It's high time they paid.
|
|
It's time
|
she
|
Past Simple (Negative)
|
It's time she didn't cry.
|
|
It's time
|
I
|
Past Simple (Be)
|
It's time I was going.
|
Contractions and Variations
| Full Form | Contraction | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
|
It is time
|
It's time
|
Standard spoken form
|
|
It is high time
|
It's high time
|
Adds strong emphasis
|
|
It is about time
|
It's about time
|
Adds informal urgency
|
Meanings
A structure used to express that something should have happened already, or that it is the very last moment to do something. It conveys a sense of urgency, mild criticism, or a strong suggestion.
Standard Urgency
Expressing that the appropriate time for an action has arrived or passed.
“It's time we started the meeting.”
“It's time you found a job.”
Emphatic Criticism
Using 'high' or 'about' to show frustration that an action is long overdue.
“It's high time you cleaned your room!”
“It's about time we had some good news.”
Hypothetical/Reflective
Reflecting on a state that should be different than it currently is.
“It's time things changed around here.”
“It's time we weren't so dependent on technology.”
Reference Table
| Estrutura | Significado | Exemplo |
|---|---|---|
|
It's time + Subject + Past Simple
|
Sugestão neutra e gentil, urgência sutil
|
`It's time we left.`
|
|
It's high time + Subject + Past Simple
|
Urgência mais forte, enfatiza a necessidade, muitas vezes impaciente
|
`It's high time you started studying.`
|
|
It's about time + Subject + Past Simple
|
Implica atraso, leve aborrecimento, ou alívio por algo finalmente acontecer
|
`It's about time they fixed that bug.`
|
|
It's time + for + Object + to-infinitive
|
Urgência geral, menos pessoal, geralmente indicando um horário
|
`It's time for lunch.`
|
|
It's time + to-infinitive
|
Chamado geral à ação, menos formal que 'for + object'
|
`It's time to go.`
|
Espectro de formalidade
It is high time that we departed. (Leaving a location)
It's time we went. (Leaving a location)
It's about time we got going. (Leaving a location)
About time we bounced! (Leaving a location)
A Família do 'Passado Irreal'
Urgência Presente/Futura
- It's time we went It's time + Sujeito + Passado Simples
- It's high time... Urgência mais forte
- It's about time... Atrasado / Aborrecimento
Situações Hipotéticas
- If I were you Segundo Condicional
- I wish I knew Desejo para o presente
Arrependimentos / Hipotéticas Passadas
- If I had known Terceiro Condicional
- I wish I had gone Desejo para o passado
Variações de 'It's Time': Tabela de Nuances
Escolhendo Sua Expressão 'It's Time'
Quer expressar que uma ação precisa acontecer agora?
A urgência é geral ou envolve um sujeito específico?
Quer adicionar ênfase extra ou mostrar aborrecimento?
Quando Usar 'It's Time We Went'
Sugestões Educadas
- • Sair de uma festa
- • Iniciar uma discussão
- • Passar para o próximo tópico
Insistências Fortes
- • Cumprir um prazo
- • Tomar uma decisão crítica
- • Resolver um problema
Expressando Frustração
- • Algo está atrasado
- • Alguém está atrasando
- • Um problema recorrente
Chamada à Ação
- • Implementar uma nova política
- • Iniciar uma nova fase
- • Fazer uma grande mudança
Exemplos por nível
It is time to go to bed.
It is time to go to bed.
It's time to eat lunch.
It's time to eat lunch.
Is it time to start?
Is it time to start?
It's time for school.
It's time for school.
It's time for us to leave the party.
It's time for us to leave the party.
It's time you went home.
It's time you went home.
Is it time we had dinner?
Is it time we had dinner?
It's time to buy a new phone.
It's time to buy a new phone.
It's about time we bought a new car.
It's about time we bought a new car.
It's time you told him the truth.
It's time you told him the truth.
I think it's time we moved to a bigger house.
I think it's time we moved to a bigger house.
It's time they stopped making so much noise.
It's time they stopped making so much noise.
It's high time the company updated its security policy.
It's high time the company updated its security policy.
It's time we addressed the elephant in the room.
It's time we addressed the elephant in the room.
Don't you think it's about time you apologized?
Don't you think it's about time you apologized?
It's time we weren't so reliant on fossil fuels.
It's time we weren't so reliant on fossil fuels.
It's high time the judiciary reconsidered the sentencing guidelines.
It's high time the judiciary reconsidered the sentencing guidelines.
It's time we acknowledged that the current strategy is failing.
It's time we acknowledged that the current strategy is failing.
It is about time the public were made aware of the risks.
It is about time the public were made aware of the risks.
It's time we stopped pretending that everything is fine.
It's time we stopped pretending that everything is fine.
It is high time that the legislature took cognizance of these systemic inequities.
It is high time that the legislature took cognizance of these systemic inequities.
About time too, if you ask me!
About time too, if you ask me!
It's time the myth of meritocracy was thoroughly debunked.
It's time the myth of meritocracy was thoroughly debunked.
It's time we were heading off, lest we miss the last train.
It's time we were heading off, lest we miss the last train.
Fácil de confundir
Learners think they are interchangeable.
Both use the unreal past, but for different reasons.
Erros comuns
It's time we go.
It's time to go.
It's time for go.
It's time to go.
It's time we will leave.
It's time we left.
It's high time he has finished.
It's high time he finished.
It's time we go.
It's time we went.
Padrões de frases
It's about time ___ ___.
Don't you think it's high time ___ ___?
Real World Usage
It's high time we submitted the proposal.
About time u texted back!
It's time you brushed your teeth.
It is high time the council addressed the housing crisis.
It's about time the plane took off.
It's time we talked about our future.
Lembre-se do 'Passado Irreal'
Evite o Presente Depois do Sujeito
Use 'High' ou 'About' para Ênfase
Educado, mas Direto
Smart Tips
Use 'It's about time' + Subject + Past Simple. It shifts the focus to the 'time' rather than the person's failure.
Check if there is a person mentioned. If no person, use 'to'. If there is a person, use the past tense.
Use 'It is high time that...' to sound authoritative and passionate about a necessary change.
You can use 'were' instead of 'was' for all subjects to sound even more formal and 'subjunctive'.
Pronúncia
Stress on 'Time'
The word 'time' usually carries the primary sentence stress to highlight the urgency.
Contraction of 'It is'
In 99% of spoken cases, 'It is' is contracted to 'It's'. Using the full 'It is' sounds extremely formal or robotic.
Rising-Falling for Impatience
It's high ↗ TIME ↘ we left.
Conveys frustration or that the speaker has been waiting too long.
Memorize
Mnemônico
Past for Fast: Use the PAST tense when you want things to happen FAST (urgently).
Associação visual
Imagine a clock with its hands spinning backward. Even though the clock looks like it's going into the past, the person standing next to it is tapping their watch impatiently because they are late for a meeting right now.
Rhyme
When the hour is late and the time has spent, don't say 'we go', say 'it's time we went'.
Story
A manager walks into a silent office at 9:15 AM. Everyone is drinking coffee but no one is working. He doesn't say 'Work!', he says, 'It's high time we *started*.' The use of the past tense 'started' makes everyone jump because it implies they should have been working 15 minutes ago.
Word Web
Desafio
Look at your to-do list. Pick one task you have been procrastinating on. Write a sentence using 'It's high time I...' followed by the past tense of that task.
Notas culturais
British speakers use this structure frequently to be 'politely direct'. Instead of saying 'You are late', they say 'It's about time you arrived', which uses grammar to soften the blow of the criticism.
Americans use 'It's time we go' (present tense) more often than British speakers in casual speech, though 'It's time we went' is still considered the 'correct' grammatical standard in writing.
In business meetings, 'It's high time' is a power-move phrase. It signals that the speaker is taking control of a situation that has been stagnant.
This construction is a remnant of the Old English subjunctive mood, which used distinct verb endings to show that an action was desirable or hypothetical rather than factual.
Iniciadores de conversa
Do you think it's about time the government changed the laws on social media?
Is there a habit you have that you think it's time you gave up?
Looking at your city, what is one thing you think it's high time the mayor fixed?
Temas para diário
Erros comuns
Test Yourself
It's time she ___ (realize) her true potential and went for that promotion.
Find and fix the mistake:
Our meeting is supposed to start now. It's time we discuss the budget.
Choose the correct sentence:
Score: /3
Exercicios praticos
8 exercisesIt's high time the children ___ to bed.
It's about time you ___ (start) taking your studies seriously.
Find and fix the mistake:
It's time we leave for the airport.
The government should really do something about inflation now.
1. It's time to... / 2. It's time we...
A: The sink has been leaking for a month! B: I know, it's about time I ___.
You can use 'It's time' with the present tense in formal writing.
time / high / it / is / you / a / job / found
Score: /8
Practice Bank
11 exercisesThe concert starts in 5 minutes! It's time we ___ (find) our seats.
This project has been delayed enough. It's high time we finalize the proposal.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'Ya es hora de que tomemos una decisión sobre esto.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the sentence halves:
The boss looks impatient; it's high time we ___ (present) our findings.
My friends are still waiting for a reply. It's time I send them an email.
Which sentence is correct?
Translate into English: 'Es hora de que la situación cambiara.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Score: /11
Perguntas frequentes (8)
In casual American English, you will hear this. However, in exams (IELTS/Cambridge) and formal writing, it is considered incorrect. You should use `went`.
`About time` is more common in conversation and sounds a bit more like a complaint. `High time` is more emphatic and slightly more formal.
No! It means we are still here, but we should leave immediately. It is an 'unreal' past.
Yes. `It's time I went` is very common when you realize you are late for something.
Yes, but it's rare. Example: `It's time you didn't spend so much money.` It sounds like a strong piece of advice.
It's an old idiom meaning the time is 'fully' or 'completely' arrived. Think of 'high noon'.
You can say `We should go`, but `It's time we went` is more idiomatic and carries a stronger sense that you are already late.
Yes. `It's time we were going` is a very polite way to start saying goodbye at a party.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Es hora de que + Subjunctive
English uses a past tense; Spanish uses a present subjunctive.
Il est temps que + Subjunctive
French requires the 'que' conjunction and the subjunctive mood.
Es wäre Zeit, dass... (Konjunktiv II)
German often adds 'wäre' (would be) to the 'time' part.
そろそろ...する時間だ (sorosoro... suru jikan da)
Japanese relies on adverbs rather than verb tense shifts.
حان الوقت لـ... (Hana al-waqt li...)
Arabic uses a literal 'the time has arrived' structure.
该...了 (Gāi... le)
Chinese uses modal particles instead of verb conjugation.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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