the main thing
That's the main thing.
L'essentiel, c'est qu'on l'ait retrouvé.
The important thing is that we found him.
— Les Diaboliques (1955)
L'essentiel étant de ne plus la voir, cette vie effrayante.
The main thing is never to see that terrifying life again.
— Guerre et Paix (1968)
Isn't that the most important thing?
J'ai entendu l'essentiel de ce qu'il disait.
I heard the gist of what he was saying.
Débarrassés du superflu, on peut aborder l'essentiel.
Free of the superfluous, we can focus on what matters.
— Ménage (1986)
The essentials.