Unplanned events

[TJtacos]

I am currently learning about the use of se with unplanned events. Can you tell me if I understand correctly?
to say - I lost my wallet – Se me perdió mi cartera.
I work as paramedic so when I give a report to the ER staff would use this construction to say for example.
She fainted – A ella se le desmayó or would it be A ella se desmayó
He fell – A él se le cayó or would it be A él se cayó

Wow it seems like more I learn the harder it gets! Hope someone can help.
Thanks Damon

[Tomisimo]

She fainted. = (Ella) se desmayó.
He fell. = (El) se cayó.

The subject pronoun (ella and el) is optional.

Your samples are correct Spanish, but they mean something else.

A ella se le desmayó su hija. = Her daughter fainted. (she was holding her daughter, and her daughter fainted on her.)
A él se le cayó su cartera. = He dropped his wallet. (it fell out of his hands)

Once you get the hang of how this works, it's quite useful. Here's another really common example:

"I forgot my keys." -- Instead of saying "olvidé mis llaves", which is litrally "I forgot my keys", you should use "Se me olvidaron mis llaves", which literally means "My keys forgot themselves" or "my keys were fogotten on me".

[TJtacos]

Thank you after giving this concept time to sink in I think I have figured it out.
Basically this construction is used to emphasize that this was an accident.

For example if I am cleaning a plate and it accidently breaks I would say –
Se me rompió el plato which is almost like saying the plate broke itself.
If I said yo Rompí el plato I would be saying that I deliberately broke the plate.

[Tomisimo]

You're very welcome.

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by TJtacos

For example if I am cleaning a plate and it accidently breaks I would say –
Se me rompió el plato which is almost like saying the plate broke itself.
If I said yo Rompí el plato I would be saying that I deliberately broke the plate.

Yes, exactly.

[Elaina]

Well, "yo rompí el plato" does not necessarily mean you did it deliberately. It just means you broke it.

[Bolboreta]

I agree a few with Elaina and a few with Rusty :-)

Yo rompí el plato hasn't the meaning of deliberately by itself. But el plato se me rompió does have the meaning of undeliberately. So, when you're speaking, in opposition to the second tense, the first one takes the meaning of deliberately in fact.

Example, my four-year-old daughter says: Mamá, se me rompió el plato!. I may probably answer her: ¿se te rompió o lo rompiste? to ask her if it was an accident or a (travesura?).

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by Bolboreta

to ask her if it was an accident or a (travesura?).

to ask her if it was an accident or if she was being naughty.

travesura = naughtiness, prank, mischief, escapade, antic, trick, etc.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by Tomisimo

to ask her if it was an accident or if she was being naughty.

travesura = naughtiness, prank, mischief, escapade, antic, trick, etc.

She is asking if the daughter was playing. Hence the daughter broke the plate. :-)