das Nötigste
Translation
the bare essentials, the necessities, the most necessary thing
Examples
Ich packe nur das Nötigste ein.
I'm only packing the bare essentials.
Wir haben nur über das Nötigste gesprochen.
We only talked about what was most necessary.
Grammar Patterns
((das Nötigste)) the bare essentials I'm only packing the bare essentials.
Similar Words
Synonyms: das Wesentliche (the essential), das Minimum (the minimum)
Etymology
A nominalized superlative of the adjective 'nötig' (necessary), which comes from 'Not' (need, hardship).
Memory Tips
Think of it as 'the most needed thing'. The '-igste' is a superlative ending, like '-est' in English.