V+ 으면/면 V+ 었지/았지/였지

It is used to express that the speaker is not going to choose that at the end but he is stubborn enough to choose such an extreme situation that is mentioned in the preceding clause. Usually, a negative expression is used in the following clause.

For ‘-으면/면’, if the stem of the action verb ends with a vowel or ‘ㄹ’, you should use ‘-면’, and if it ends with another consonant, you use ‘-으면’.

For ‘-었지/았지/였지’, if the last letter of the stem of an action verb ends with ‘ㅏ, ㅗ’, you should use ‘-았지’, if it ends with other vowels(ㅓ,ㅜ,ㅡ,ㅣ ), you should use ‘-었지’, if it ends with ‘하-‘ you use ‘-였지(했지)’.

저는 남자 친구와 헤어지면 헤어졌지 그 가수 콘서트는 포기 못 해요.
I would rather break up with my boyfriend but I can’t give up on the singer’s concert.

차라리 운동 시간을 늘리면 늘렸지 먹는 양을 줄일 수는 없어요.
I’d rather increase my exercise time but I can’t reduce the amount of food I eat.

회사를 그만두면 그만뒀지 이렇게 계속 스트레스를 받으면서 일하기는 싫어요.
I’d rather quit my job but I don’t want to continue to work under such stress.

Conversation:

이게 점심이야? 양이 너무 적은 것 같은데?
Is this for lunch? I think it’s too little.

살 빼려고 지난주부터 이렇게 먹고 있어.
I’ve been eating like this since last week to lose weight.

네가 뺄 살이 어디 있다고?
You don’t have any weight to lose.

이렇게 조금 먹으면 너무 배고프지 않아?
Don’t you feel so hungry if you eat such a little bit?

단백질 위주의 식단이라 생각보다 포만감이 오래가.
The satiety lasts longer than I thought because it’s a protein-based diet.

난 차라리 굶으면 굶었지 조금씩 먹는 건 힘들어서 못 하겠던데.
I would rather starve if I have to starve, but I couldn’t bear eating a little bit.

나도 처음에는 좀 허기졌는데 차차 적응이 되더라고.
I was a bit hungry at first, too, but I eventually got used to it.

그래? 어쨌든 무리는 하지 말고 몸 상하지 않게 조심해.
Really? Anyway, don’t overdo it, and be careful not to hurt yourself.

Related words
포만감 satiety
허기지다 to be hungry
차차 eventually
어쨌든 anyway

Source: Yonsei University. Korean Language Institute