Learn Hardcore Korean: sal mulgeon riseuteureul mandeureosseo.

In this sentence, 살 is the attributive (or modifying) form of the verb 사다 (“to buy”). When you put a verb before a noun in Korean, you change it into its attributive form to mean “the thing that does X.” So 살 물건 literally means “things that (I) will buy” or “things to buy.”

Why not say 사야 할 물건 리스트 instead of 살 물건 리스트?

Both are acceptable and common, but they carry slightly different tones:

사야 할 물건 리스트 uses ~야 할 (“have to …”), so it explicitly emphasizes obligation: “the list of things I have to buy.”
살 물건 리스트 is more casual and shorthand: “the list of things (I’m going) to buy.” It sounds more conversational and gets the point across without extra words.

Why is 리스트 used instead of the Korean word 목록?

리스트 is a loanword from English (“list”) and is widely used in everyday speech, especially in informal contexts or when chatting. 목록 is the pure Korean (well, Sino-Korean) term meaning the same thing, but it sounds a bit more formal or official. Choosing 리스트 makes the sentence sound more casual and modern.

What role does 를 play after 리스트?

In Korean, 를 (or 을) marks the direct object of the verb. Here, 리스트를 tells us that the “list” is what was made. The verb phrase is 만들었어 (“made”), so 리스트를 만들었어 = “(I) made a list.”

Why is the verb 만들었어 in that form, and what does it imply about formality?

만들었어 is the informal past tense of 만들다 (“to make/create”). Using -었어 at the end signals a casual register, like talking to friends or family. If you wanted to be polite, you’d say 만들었어요. In very formal contexts, you might even say 만들었습니다.

Could word order change? For example, could you say 리스트를 살 물건 만들었어?

No. Korean noun modifiers (like 살) must appear directly before the noun they modify (물건), and the object marker (를) must follow the entire noun phrase (리스트). The correct order is:

Modifier + Noun → 살 물건
Object marker → 리스트를
Verb → 만들었어
Reordering would break the grammar.

What exactly does 물건 cover here? Could it be something abstract?

물건 generally means “thing” or “item,” usually physical objects you can buy. For groceries, gadgets, clothes, etc., you use 물건. If you’re referring to intangible items (like services), you’d choose a different word (e.g., 서비스 or 상품 in specific contexts), but everyday shopping lists use 물건.

Is there any nuance in using 살 vs. another tense like 산?

Yes. 산 물건 (using the past attributive 산) would mean “things that have been bought.” It refers to items you already purchased. In contrast, 살 물건 (using the future/attributive 살) means “things that are yet to be bought.” That’s why for a shopping list, you use 살, not 산.