Martok and Gowron: Klingon Quotes from Deep Space Nine and TNG

Quick Answer: General Martok's signature line is "tlhIngan maH!" ("We are Klingon!"), a rallying chant he leads aboard the IKS Rotarran in Deep Space Nine. Gowron, by contrast, speaks almost entirely in English on screen — his confirmed Klingon is largely limited to common words like Qapla', not distinct quotable lines.

General Martok and Chancellor Gowron are two of the most important Klingon political and military figures in Star Trek, but they get very different treatment from the writers when it comes to actual Klingon-language dialogue. Martok — introduced in Deep Space Nine and voiced with real Klingon lines by J.G. Hertzler — gets some of the richest Klingon-language material of any character besides Worf. Gowron, played by Robert O'Reilly across TNG and DS9, is a towering political presence but speaks almost exclusively in English.

This guide covers both honestly: what Martok actually says in Klingon, and what little Gowron says. For Worf's much larger body of Klingon-language quotes, see our dedicated Worf quotes guide; for a broader survey across the franchise, see 15 famous Klingon quotes from Star Trek.

---

General Martok's Klingon Quotes

tlhIngan maH!

"We are Klingon!"

Martok's defining line. In DS9's "Once More Unto the Breach" and "Soldiers of the Empire," Martok takes command of the demoralized crew of the IKS Rotarran and rebuilds their discipline by leading this chant before battle — the crew shouts it back in unison. It has become one of the most-quoted lines by Klingon-language fans specifically because of how it's staged: not a solo declaration, but a call-and-response that turns the whole crew into one voice. tlhIngan is "Klingon" and maH is "we are."

Heghlu'meH QaQ jajvam.

"Today is a good day to die."

Martok invokes this Kahless-attributed line in "Once More Unto the Breach," alongside Worf and the aging warrior Kor, before a dangerous mission against Dominion forces. It's not unique to Martok — see our full breakdown of the phrase's grammar and other speakers — but the scene is one of its most quoted deliveries because it's framed as three generations of Klingon warriors saying it together.

Qapla'!

"Success!"

Martok uses this constantly, as both a toast and a farewell, across his many DS9 appearances — after successful raids, before Worf and Jadzia's wedding, and in nearly every scene where he addresses his crew. It's the single most common Klingon word in the franchise, but Martok's gravelly delivery of it became one of actor J.G. Hertzler's signature line readings.

A note on scope: most of Martok's dialogue — his political maneuvering as Chancellor after Gowron's death, his scenes with Worf and Sisko, his long arc across DS9's final two seasons — is in English. The Klingon-language moments above are the ones the writers chose to mark as culturally significant.

---

Chancellor Gowron's Klingon

Gowron ruled the Klingon Empire as Chancellor for most of TNG's and DS9's runs — first installed with Picard's help in TNG's "Reunion" and "Redemption," later turned into DS9's primary Klingon antagonist during the Klingon-Cabinet war arc and the Dominion War. Despite his screen time and importance to the plot, Gowron is not written with the same density of Klingon-language dialogue as Worf or Martok. His confirmed on-screen Klingon is largely limited to the standard vocabulary every Klingon character uses:

Qapla'!

"Success!"

Gowron uses this the same way every other Klingon character does — as a farewell and a toast. It appears in his scenes across both TNG and DS9.

We're not going to stretch this section with invented or unverifiable lines just to pad it out — if you're looking for Gowron's most memorable moments, they're almost all in English: his political ultimatums to Picard, his confrontations with Martok over the Chancellorship, and his death at Worf's hands in DS9's "Tacking Into the Wind." That imbalance is itself worth knowing if you're trying to learn Klingon from the show — Gowron is a poor source for vocabulary; Martok, Worf, and Kahless are much better ones.

---

Why the Klingon-dialogue density varies by character

Marc Okrand, who developed Klingon for the franchise, was typically brought in to coach specific scenes rather than translate entire scripts. Writers chose to mark certain characters and certain moments — oaths, battle cries, toasts, insults — as culturally significant enough to render in Klingon, while leaving political dialogue in English for pacing and clarity. Worf, as the character most defined by his relationship to Klingon culture, got the most Klingon-language material by far. Martok, introduced later as a "real" Klingon contrast to Worf's Federation upbringing, got a meaningful amount. Gowron, whose function was almost entirely political, got the least.

If you want to actually learn the vocabulary behind these lines rather than just recognize them, start with 50 common Klingon words or the full Klingon dictionary of common words.

---

People Also Ask

What is General Martok's famous Klingon battle cry? "tlhIngan maH!" — "We are Klingon!" Martok leads the crew of the IKS Rotarran in this chant in Deep Space Nine's "Once More Unto the Breach" and "Soldiers of the Empire" to restore a demoralized crew's fighting spirit.

Does Gowron speak Klingon on screen? Rarely. Gowron, Chancellor of the Klingon High Council through most of TNG and DS9, delivers the overwhelming majority of his dialogue in English for the audience's benefit. His confirmed Klingon-language moments on screen are largely limited to standard words like Qapla' rather than distinct quotable lines — unlike Worf or Martok, who get more Klingon-language material.

Did Martok say "today is a good day to die"? Yes — Martok invokes "Heghlu'meH QaQ jajvam" alongside Worf and Kor in DS9's "Once More Unto the Breach" (1998). The line originates with Kahless the Unforgettable and is used by multiple characters across the franchise, not exclusive to Martok.

What does Qapla' mean, and who says it? Qapla' means "success" and doubles as a Klingon farewell — the rough equivalent of "good luck" or "victory be yours." It is used by nearly every major Klingon character in Star Trek, including both Martok and Gowron, and is the single most recognized Klingon word among non-speakers.

---

Related Reading

• Worf's Klingon Quotes: Honor, Battle, and Heartbreak in TNG and DS9
• 15 Famous Klingon Quotes from Star Trek (With Translations)
• 50 Common Klingon Words
• Klingon Dictionary of Common Words
• Marc Okrand, the Linguist Who Created Klingon

---

Learn Klingon with Tengwar

Tengwar teaches Klingon (tlhIngan Hol) through Duolingo-style lessons with an AI tutor, alongside Elvish and Dothraki on the same platform. Start free → — no credit card required. Want to test what you just learned? Try the AI-generated Tengwar Quiz on Klingon vocabulary.