Question: I often say something like:

> 
> This soup is pretty damn spicy!
> 
> 
> 

I am wondering now if this is actually proper grammar.

On [Urban Dictionary](https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=pretty%20damn), it says the meaning of it is *“approximately”*, but when I use this term I don’t use it for “approximately”. Like the above example, I used it for saying “pretty spicy” or something like “actually pretty spicy”. I hope you get the way I use that term.

But still, I am wondering if that is proper or not.

I am also wondering if this is maybe too dirty language, so you can also say whether I should often say this or not.

Answer: 
*Damn* works as an intensifier, similar to *very*. *Pretty* is much milder, and has a sense of "more than expected", "more than average". It actually works to soften *damn* in this sense, giving it a sense of "this is surprising!"

It's definitely informal language, and some people would be offended by the word *damn* anyway, but it's extremely common to hear, so I wouldn't call it "dirty language" really. It depends on the company you use it in!

A common thing nowadays is for people to soften their language intentionally, partly for fun and partly because it feels nicer and friendlier - not out of a sense of decorum. So consider using "this is pretty dang spicy!"
Some people find "damn" offensive, and some do not.

You should use in a conversation or not important situations, but not important situations. As I said, some people find damn offensive, so you shouldn't use it at a new person you met. Because you don't know the person will find "damn" offensive or not.

So this is not that offensive (as F-word), but (It's still a bit dirty) you should use this word carefully.