A two-stroke engine has a cylinder with a combustion chamber formed therein. The combustion chamber is delimited by a piston. The cylinder has a base on which extends a partition plane whereat the cylinder is separated from a crankcase. The combustion chamber is, in at least one piston position, connected via at least one transfer channel to the crankcase interior. The transfer channel passes from the cylinder into the crankcase at at least one opening. A side wall of the transfer channel has, in the cylinder, a first region wherein the wall encloses an angle of 90° with the cylinder longitudinal axis. Between the first region and the opening as viewed in the cylinder circumferential direction is arranged a second wall region. The second region has a spacing, measured parallel to the cylinder longitudinal axis, to the partition plane. The spacing is greater than the spacing in the first region.