We monitored the fluxes of nitrogen (N) compounds in throughfall (TF) and in percolation water (PW) in Scots pine and Norway spruce stands in Finland, and explored their dependence on N bulk deposition (BD) rates and general site and stand characteristics. During 1998–2004, N fluxes in BD, TF, and PW were low and remained relatively constant. Inorganic N was retained in the ecosystem (BD > TF > PW) more effectively in spruce stands, while the fluxes of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) correspondingly increased. The canopy retention of inorganic N was correlated with the net increase in TF DON. BD DON was relatively constant, while the TF DON and BD deposition of inorganic N increased towards the south. DON accounted for 14% of the BD N, 48% of N in TF in spruce and 31% in pine stands, and 80% of the total N in PW. Stand characteristics (e.g. stand age) affected the TF fluxes of both inorganic N and DON, while only the NH4-N flux in PW was related to deposition rates.