diff --git a/Sources/Inotify/Inotify.swift b/Sources/Inotify/Inotify.swift
index 298c899..7e078cd 100644
--- a/Sources/Inotify/Inotify.swift
+++ b/Sources/Inotify/Inotify.swift
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import CInotify
 
 public actor Inotify {
 	private let fd: Int32
+	private var watches: [Int32: String] = [:]
 
 	public init() throws {
 		self.fd = inotify_init1(Int32(IN_NONBLOCK | IN_CLOEXEC))
@@ -10,6 +11,16 @@ public actor Inotify {
 		}
 	}
 
+	@discardableResult
+	public func addWatch(path: String, mask: InotifyEventMask) throws -> Int32 {
+		let wd = inotify_add_watch(self.fd, path, mask.rawValue)
+		guard wd >= 0 else {
+			throw InotifyError.addWatchFailed(path: path, errno: cinotify_get_errno())
+		}
+		watches[wd] = path
+		return wd
+	}
+
 	deinit {
 		cinotify_deinit(self.fd)
 	}
diff --git a/Sources/Inotify/InotifyError.swift b/Sources/Inotify/InotifyError.swift
index 3859856..824a336 100644
--- a/Sources/Inotify/InotifyError.swift
+++ b/Sources/Inotify/InotifyError.swift
@@ -2,11 +2,14 @@ import CInotify
 
 public enum InotifyError: Error, Sendable, CustomStringConvertible {
 	case initFailed(errno: Int32)
+	case addWatchFailed(path: String, errno: Int32)
 
 	public var description: String {
 		switch self {
 		case .initFailed(let code):
 			"inotify_init1 failed: \(readableErrno(code))"
+		case .addWatchFailed(let path, let code):
+			"inotify_add_watch failed for '\(path)': \(readableErrno(code))"
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/Sources/Inotify/InotifyEventMask.swift b/Sources/Inotify/InotifyEventMask.swift
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6cbd439
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Sources/Inotify/InotifyEventMask.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+import CInotify
+
+public struct InotifyEventMask: OptionSet, Sendable, Hashable {
+	public let rawValue: UInt32
+
+	public init(rawValue: UInt32) {
+		self.rawValue = rawValue
+	}
+
+	// MARK: - Watchable Events
+
+	public static let access        = InotifyEventMask(rawValue: UInt32(IN_ACCESS))
+	public static let attrib        = InotifyEventMask(rawValue: UInt32(IN_ATTRIB))
+	public static let closeWrite    = InotifyEventMask(rawValue: UInt32(IN_CLOSE_WRITE))
+	public static let closeNoWrite  = InotifyEventMask(rawValue: UInt32(IN_CLOSE_NOWRITE))
+	public static let create        = InotifyEventMask(rawValue: UInt32(IN_CREATE))
+	public static let delete        = InotifyEventMask(rawValue: UInt32(IN_DELETE))
+	public static let deleteSelf    = InotifyEventMask(rawValue: UInt32(IN_DELETE_SELF))
+	public static let modify        = InotifyEventMask(rawValue: UInt32(IN_MODIFY))
+	public static let moveSelf      = InotifyEventMask(rawValue: UInt32(IN_MOVE_SELF))
+	public static let movedFrom     = InotifyEventMask(rawValue: UInt32(IN_MOVED_FROM))
+	public static let movedTo       = InotifyEventMask(rawValue: UInt32(IN_MOVED_TO))
+	public static let open          = InotifyEventMask(rawValue: UInt32(IN_OPEN))
+
+	// MARK: - Combinations
+
+	public static let move: InotifyEventMask = [.movedFrom, .movedTo]
+	public static let close: InotifyEventMask = [.closeWrite, .closeNoWrite]
+	public static let allEvents: InotifyEventMask = [
+		.access, .attrib, .closeWrite, .closeNoWrite,
+		.create, .delete, .deleteSelf, .modify,
+		.moveSelf, .movedFrom, .movedTo, .open
+	]
+
+	// MARK: - Watch Flags
+
+	public static let dontFollow    = InotifyEventMask(rawValue: UInt32(IN_DONT_FOLLOW))
+	public static let onlyDir       = InotifyEventMask(rawValue: UInt32(IN_ONLYDIR))
+	public static let oneShot       = InotifyEventMask(rawValue: UInt32(IN_ONESHOT))
+
+	// MARK: - Kernel-Only Flags
+
+	public static let isDir         = InotifyEventMask(rawValue: UInt32(IN_ISDIR))
+	public static let ignored       = InotifyEventMask(rawValue: UInt32(IN_IGNORED))
+	public static let queueOverflow = InotifyEventMask(rawValue: UInt32(IN_Q_OVERFLOW))
+	public static let unmount       = InotifyEventMask(rawValue: UInt32(IN_UNMOUNT))
+}
diff --git a/Tests/InotifyIntegrationTests/Utilities.swift b/Tests/InotifyIntegrationTests/Utilities.swift
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1c08b65
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/InotifyIntegrationTests/Utilities.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+import Foundation
+
+func withTempDir(_ body: (String) async throws -> Void) async throws {
+	let dir = FileManager.default.temporaryDirectory
+		.appendingPathComponent("InotifyIntegrationTests-\(UUID().uuidString)")
+		.path
+	try FileManager.default.createDirectory(atPath: dir, withIntermediateDirectories: true)
+	defer { try? FileManager.default.removeItem(atPath: dir) }
+	try await body(dir)
+}
diff --git a/Tests/InotifyIntegrationTests/WatchTests.swift b/Tests/InotifyIntegrationTests/WatchTests.swift
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..178e13d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/InotifyIntegrationTests/WatchTests.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import Testing
+import Foundation
+@testable import Inotify
+
+@Suite("Watch Management")
+struct WatchTests {
+	@Test func addWatchReturnsValidDescriptor() async throws {
+		try await withTempDir { dir in
+			let watcher = try Inotify()
+			let wd = try await watcher.addWatch(path: dir, mask: .allEvents)
+			#expect(wd >= 0)
+		}
+	}
+
+	@Test func addWatchOnInvalidPathThrows() async throws {
+		let watcher = try Inotify()
+		await #expect(throws: InotifyError.self) {
+			try await watcher.addWatch(path: "/nonexistent-\(UUID())", mask: .allEvents)
+		}
+	}
+}