Raman spectroscopy and mid-infrared attenuated total reflection spectroscopy (ATR) were applied to determine nitrate-N content in solution and in soil. The results showed that the characteristic band of nitrate in solution in Raman spectrum was located 1 047 cm^-1, and the intensity of the band increased with the nitrate nitrogen concentration. The coefficient of determination (R²) between band area and nitrate-N content was 0.995 4. The characteristic absorption band of nitrate in ATR was in the range of 1 200–1 500 cm^-1, the absorption band is proportional to nitrate-N content, and the coefficient of determination R² between band area and nitrate-N content was 0.991 1. For soil samples, the characteristic absorption band of nitrate by ATR was 1 250–1 500 cm^-1, the absorption band has a significant positive correlation with nitrate, and the coefficient of determination R² between band area and nitrate-N content was 0.968 4. However, the band of nitrate was not obvious by Raman spectroscopy. Therefore, both of two methods could determine nitrate in solution, but the sensitivity of Raman spectroscopy was better than ATR spectroscopy; for soil samples, ATR could be used to predict the nitrate but Raman spectroscopy could not.