Endreim

Endreim is a term in poetics that designates a rhyme that occurs at the end of verse lines. In German-language theory, it refers to rhymes formed by the final stressed vowel and the following sounds of successive lines, contributing to the musicality, cadence, and formal structure of a poem. Endreim is a key feature in many traditional forms, from strophic lyrics to sonnets and ballads.

Endreim can be subdivided by two main criteria: the position of the rhymed syllables within the lines, and the quality of the rhyme. By position, the distinction is often made between masculine end rhyme, which ends on a stressed syllable, and feminine end rhyme, which ends on an unstressed syllable. By quality, a rhyme may be a reiner (vollständiger) Reim, where vowel and following consonants match exactly, or an unreiner (unvollständiger) Reim, where the correspondence is partial (such as mere vowel similarity).

In terms of stanzaic arrangement, end rhymes give rise to common rhyme schemes. A Paarreim groups lines in pairs with the same ending rhyme (A A B B). Kreuzreim alternates end rhymes (A B A B). Umarmender Reim structures (A B B A) enclose a rhymed pair within a larger unit. These patterns influence pacing, emphasis, and thematic pairing within the poem.

Endreim remains a foundational concept in German poetics and is closely related to adjacent rhyme phenomena, such as Binnenreim (internal rhyme within a line) and other end-rhyme schemes. Its use supports formal regularity as well as expressive variation in verse.