more of the same, under a different name...

I might have mentioned Linguti before. I'm sure they are using a rosetta style approach which is pretty limiting but... while it does seem to be that. along with its lack of explanation... has taught me a few, i consider, valuable things. what it doesn't explain has gotten me to looking for the reasons and finding them with other sources. example...

why is the 'no' particle between midori and hon.. but not between akai and ringo?
and why are some sentences finished up with desu.. and others by imasu?


these are the simple answers I came up with by surfing the net.

黒(kuro), 白(shiro)white, 赤(aka)red, 青(ao)blue, 黄色(kiiro)yellow and 茶色(chairo)brown can end in either -i or are followed by 'no'... because of a limit of color in Japan's linguistic history. 4 to 6 colors.

but others like 緑 (midori)green, 紫 (murasaki)purple, and 灰色 (haiiro)ash grey, can only have the 'no' come after it in a sentence.

Desu means 'is' 'am' or 'are', for the most part.
masu and its verb conjugations take up the rest.

desu = is, am, are. there is a blue ball.
deshta = "was". there was a blue ball.
deha(wa)/ja arimasen = is not. it is not a blue ball.
deha(wa)/ja arimasen deshita = was not. the ball was not blue.

Imasu = "there is" (life) "living some place". there is a man standing over there.
arimasu = "there is" (for non-life) there is a ball over there.
imasen = neg. present. there is no ghost by the bookcase. (so would that be non-life or once life?)